Text -- 1 Chronicles 21:1--22:1 (NET)

The Lord Sends a Plague against Israel

21:1 An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had. 21:2 David told Joab and the leaders of the army, “Go, count the number of warriors from Beer Sheba to Dan. Then bring back a report to me so I may know how many we have.” 21:3 Joab replied, “May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?” 21:4 But the king’s edict stood, despite Joab’s objections. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel before returning to Jerusalem. 21:5 Joab reported to David the number of warriors. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 sword-wielding soldiers; Judah alone had 470,000 sword-wielding soldiers. 21:6 Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king’s edict disgusted him. 21:7 God was also offended by it, so he attacked Israel. 21:8 David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” 21:9 The Lord told Gad, David’s prophet, 21:10 “Go, tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I am offering you three forms of judgment from which to choose. Pick one of them.”’” 21:11 Gad went to David and told him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Pick one of these: 21:12 three years of famine, or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords, or three days being struck down by the Lord, during which a plague will invade the land and the Lord’s messenger will destroy throughout Israel’s territory.’ Now, decide what I should tell the one who sent me.” 21:13 David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer to be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is very great; I do not want to be attacked by men!” 21:14 So the Lord sent a plague through Israel, and 70,000 Israelite men died. 21:15 God sent an angel to ravage Jerusalem. As he was doing so, the Lord watched and relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was destroying, “That’s enough! Stop now!” Now the Lord’s angel was standing near the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 21:16 David looked up and saw the Lord’s messenger standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the leaders, covered with sackcloth, threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 21:17 David said to God, “Was I not the one who decided to number the army? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed! As for these sheep– what have they done? O Lord my God, attack me and my family, but remove the plague from your people!” 21:18 So the Lord’s messenger told Gad to instruct David to go up and build an altar for the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 21:19 So David went up as Gad instructed him to do in the name of the Lord. 21:20 While Ornan was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the messenger, and he and his four sons hid themselves. 21:21 When David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David; he came out from the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground. 21:22 David said to Ornan, “Sell me the threshing floor so I can build on it an altar for the Lord– I’ll pay top price– so that the plague may be removed from the people.” 21:23 Ornan told David, “You can have it! My master, the king, may do what he wants. Look, I am giving you the oxen for burnt sacrifices, the threshing sledges for wood, and the wheat for an offering. I give it all to you.” 21:24 King David replied to Ornan, “No, I insist on buying it for top price. I will not offer to the Lord what belongs to you or offer a burnt sacrifice that cost me nothing. 21:25 So David bought the place from Ornan for 600 pieces of gold. 21:26 David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. He called out to the Lord, and the Lord responded by sending fire from the sky and consuming the burnt sacrifice on the altar. 21:27 The Lord ordered the messenger to put his sword back into its sheath. 21:28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord responded to him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 21:29 Now the Lord’s tabernacle (which Moses had made in the wilderness) and the altar for burnt sacrifices were at that time at the worship center in Gibeon. 21:30 But David could not go before it to seek God’s will, for he was afraid of the sword of the Lord’s messenger. 22:1 David then said, “This is the place where the temple of the Lord God will be, along with the altar for burnt sacrifices for Israel.”

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 1Ch 21:1

Before the Lord and his tribunal to accuse David and Israel, and to beg God's permission to tempt David. Standing is the accusers posture before men's tribunals; and consequently the holy scripture (which useth to speak of the things of God, after the manner of men, to bring them down to our capacities) elsewhere represent Satan in this posture.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:3

_Or, why should this be a cause of trespass, or an occasion of punishment to Israel? God commonly punishes the people for the sins of their rulers, because they are for the most part guilty of their sins in one kind or other; or at least God takes this occasion to punish people for all their sins.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:6

Partly for the following reason; and principally by God's gracious providence to Levi, because they were devoted to his service; and to Benjamin, because they were the least of all the tribes, having been almost extinct, Jdg 21:6, and because God foresaw that they would be faithful to the house of David in the division of the tribes, and therefore he would not have them diminished. And Joab also presumed to leave these two tribes unnumbered, because he had specious pretences for it; for Levi, because they were no warriors, and the king's command reached only of those that drew sword. And for Benjamin, because they, being so small a tribe, and bordering upon Jerusalem, might easily be numbered afterward.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:7

Because this was done without any colour of necessity, and out of mere curiosity, and ostentation.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:14

_He was proud of the number of his people, but God took a course to make them fewer. Justly is that we are proud of so, taken from us, or embittered to us.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:16

In mourning garments, humbling themselves before God for their sins, and deprecating his wrath against the people.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:18

_The commanding of David to build an altar, was a blessed token of reconciliation. For if God had been pleased to kill him, he would not have commanded, because he would not have accepted a sacrifice at his hands.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:20

Because of the glory and majesty in which the angel appeared, which mens weak natures are not able to bear; and from the fear of God's vengeance which now seemed to be coming to their family.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:25

We read, 2Sa 24:24, he gave fifty shekels of gold: that is, he gave in gold the value of six hundred shekels of silver.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:26

Heb. by fire sent from heaven: which was the sign of God's acceptance. The fire that might justly have fastened on the sinner, fastened upon the sacrifice and consumed it. Thus Christ was made sin and a curse for us, and it pleased the Lord to bruise him, that through him God might be to us, not a consuming fire, but a reconciled Father.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:28

When he perceived that his sacrifice was acceptable to God, he proceeded to offer more sacrifices in that place.

Wesley: 1Ch 21:30

When he saw the angel stand with his drawn sword over Jerusalem, he durst not go away to Gibeon, lest the angel in the mean time should destroy Jerusalem: for the prevention whereof he thought it proper to worship God in that place, which he had consecrated by his special presence and acceptance.

Wesley: 1Ch 22:1

Thro' the instinct and direction of God's spirit, by which as he is said to have had the pattern of the house, porch, altar, &c. 1Ch 28:11-12, 1Ch 28:19, so doubtless he was instructed as to the place where the house should be built.

Wesley: 1Ch 22:1

This is the place appointed by God for the building of his temple and altar.

JFB: 1Ch 21:1

God, by withdrawing His grace at this time from David (see on 2Sa 24:1), permitted the tempter to prevail over him. As the result of this successful temptation was the entail of a heavy calamity as a punishment from God upon the people, it might be said that "Satan stood up against Israel."

JFB: 1Ch 21:1

In the act of taking the census of a people, there is not only no evil, but much utility. But numbering Israel--that people who were to become as the stars for multitude, implying a distrust of the divine promise, was a sin; and though it had been done with impunity in the time of Moses, at that enumeration each of the people had contributed "half a shekel towards the building of the tabernacle," that there might be no plague among them when he numbered them (Exo 30:12). Hence the numbering of that people was in itself regarded as an undertaking by which the anger of God could be easily aroused; but when the arrangements were made by Moses for the taking of the census, God was not angry because the people were numbered for the express purpose of the tax for the sanctuary, and the money which was thus collected ("the atonement money," Exo 30:16) appeased Him. Everything depended, therefore, upon the design of the census [BERTHEAU]. The sin of David numbering the people consisted in its being either to gratify his pride to ascertain the number of warriors he could muster for some meditated plan of conquest; or, perhaps, more likely still, to institute a regular and permanent system of taxation, which he deemed necessary to provide an adequate establishment for the monarchy, but which was regarded as a tyrannical and oppressive exaction--an innovation on the liberty of the people--a departure from ancient usage unbecoming a king of Israel.

JFB: 1Ch 21:3

Or bring an occasion of punishment on Israel. In Hebrew, the word "sin" is often used synonymously with the punishment of sin. In the course of Providence, the people frequently suffer for the misconduct of their rulers.

JFB: 1Ch 21:5

It amounted to one million one hundred thousand men in Israel, capable of bearing arms, inclusive of the three hundred thousand military (1Ch 27:1-9), which, being already enlisted in the royal service, were not reckoned (2Sa 24:9), and to four hundred seventy thousand men in Judah, omitting thirty thousand which formed an army of observation stationed on the Philistine frontier (2Sa 6:1). So large a population at this early period, considering the limited extent of the country and comparing it with the earlier census (Num. 26:1-65), is a striking proof of the fulfilment of the promise (Gen 15:5).

JFB: 1Ch 21:6

If this census was ordered with a view to the imposition of taxes, this alone would account for Levi, who were not warriors (1Ch 21:5), not being numbered (see on Num 1:47-54). The population of Benjamin had been taken (see on 1Ch 7:6-11), and the register preserved in the archives of that tribe. This, however, was taken on another occasion, and by other agency than that of Joab. The non-numbering of these two tribes might have originated in the special and gracious providence of God, partly because Levi was devoted to His service, and Benjamin had become the least of all the tribes (Jdg. 21:1-25); and partly because God foresaw that they would remain faithful to the house of David in the division of the tribes, and therefore He would not have them diminished [POOLE]. From the course followed in this survey (see on 2Sa 24:4-8), it would appear that Judah and Benjamin were the last tribes that were to be visited; and that, after the census in Judah had been finished, Joab, before entering on that of Benjamin, had to return to Jerusalem, where the king, now sensible of his great error, gave orders to stop all further proceedings in the business. Not only the remonstrance of Joab at the first, but his slow progress in the survey (2Sa 24:8) showed the strong repugnance and even horror of the old general at this unconstitutional measure.

JFB: 1Ch 21:9

Although David was himself endowed with a prophetic gift, yet, in matters relating to himself or his kingdom, he was in the habit of consulting the Lord through the medium of the priests; and when he failed to do so, a prophet was sent on extraordinary occasions to admonish or chastise him. Gad, a private friend, was occasionally employed as the bearer of these prophetic messages.

JFB: 1Ch 21:11-12

To the three evils these correspond in beautiful agreement: three years, three months, three days [BERTHEAU]. (See on 2Sa 24:13).

JFB: 1Ch 21:13

Experience had taught him that human passion and vengeance had no bounds, whereas our wise and gracious Father in heaven knows the kind, and regulates the extent, of chastisement which every one needs.

JFB: 1Ch 21:14-15

The infliction only of the pestilence is here noticed, without any account of its duration or its ravages, while a minute description is given of the visible appearance and menacing attitude of the destroying angel.

JFB: 1Ch 21:15

Ornan was probably his Hebrew or Jewish, Araunah his Jebusite or Canaanitish, name. Whether he was the old king of Jebus, as that title is given to him (2Sa 24:23), or not, he had been converted to the worship of the true God, and was possessed both of property and influence.

JFB: 1Ch 21:16

They appeared in the garb and assumed the attitude of humble penitents, confessing their sins, and deprecating the wrath of God.

JFB: 1Ch 21:18

The order about the erection of an altar, as well as the indication of its site, is described (2Sa 24:18) as brought directly by Gad. Here we are informed of the quarter whence the prophet got his commission. It is only in the later stages of Israel's history that we find angels employed in communicating the divine will to the prophets.

JFB: 1Ch 21:20-21

If the census was entered upon in autumn, the beginning of the civil year, the nine and a half months it occupied would end at wheat harvest. The common way of threshing corn is by spreading it out on a high level area, and driving backwards and forwards upon it two oxen harnessed to a clumsy sledge with three rollers and some sharp spikes. The driver sits on his knees on the box, while another person is employed in drawing back the straw and separating it from the grain underneath. By this operation the chaff is very much chopped, and the grain threshed out.

JFB: 1Ch 21:23

That is, to burn the sacrifice of the oxen. Very little real import--the haste and the value of the present offered--can be understood in this country. The offering was made for instant use. Ornan, hereby hoping to terminate the pestilence without a moment's delay, "gave all," oxen, the large threshing machine, and the wheat.

JFB: 1Ch 21:25

At first he bought only the cattle and the threshing instruments, for which he paid fifty shekels of silver (2Sa 24:24); afterwards he purchased the whole property, Mount Moriah, on which the future temple stood. High in the center of the mountain platform rises a remarkable rock, now covered by the dome of "the Sakrah." It is irregular in its form, and measures about sixty feet in one direction and fifty feet in the other. It is the natural surface of Mount Moriah and is thought by many to be the rock of the threshing-floor of Araunah, selected by David, and continued by Solomon and Zerubbabel as "the unhewn stone" on which to build the altar [BARTLETT, Walks about Jerusalem; STANLEY].

JFB: 1Ch 21:26

He went in procession with his leading men from the royal palace, down Mount Zion, and through the intervening city. Although he had plenty of space on his own property, he was commanded, under peremptory direction, to go a considerable distance from his home, up Mount Moriah, to erect an altar on premises which he had to buy. It was on or close to the spot where Abraham had offered up Isaac.

JFB: 1Ch 21:26

(See Lev 9:24; 1Ki 18:21-23; 2Ki 1:12; 2Ch 7:1).

JFB: 1Ch 21:28

Or, "he continued to sacrifice there." Perceiving his sacrifice was acceptable, he proceeded to make additional offerings there, and seek favor by prayer and expiatory rites; for the dread of the menacing angel destroying Jerusalem while he was absent in the center of worship at Gibeon, especially reverence for the Divine Being, led him to continue his adorations in that place which God (2Ch 3:1) had hallowed by the tokens of His presence and gracious acceptance.

JFB: 1Ch 22:1

By the miraculous sign of fire from heaven, and perhaps other intimations, David understood it to be the will of God that the national place of worship should be fixed there, and he forthwith proceeded to make preparations for the erection of the temple on that spot.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel - See the notes on the parallel place, 2Sa 24:1 (note), etc.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:5

All they of Israel were a thousand thousand - Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand - In the parallel place, 2Sa 24:9 (note), the men of Israel are reckoned eight hundred thousand, and the men of Judah five hundred thousand.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:6

Levi and Benjamin counted he not - The rabbins give the following reason for this: Joab, seeing that this would bring down destruction upon the people, purposed to save two tribes. Should David ask, Why have you not numbered the Levites? Joab purposed to say, Because the Levites are not reckoned among the children of Israel. Should he ask, Why have you not numbered Benjamin? he would answer, Benjamin has been already sufficiently punished, on account of the treatment of the woman at Gibeah: if, therefore, this tribe were to be again punished, who would remain?

Clarke: 1Ch 21:12

Three days - the pestilence in the land - In 2Sa 24:13 (note), seven years of famine are mentioned.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:13

David said - I am in a great strait - The Targum reasons thus

"And David said to Gad, If I choose famine, the Israelites may say, The granaries of David are full of corn; neither doth he care should the people of Israel die with hunger. And if I choose war, and fly before an enemy, the Israelites may say, David is a strong and warlike man, and he cares not though the people of Israel should fall by the sword. I am brought into a great strait; I will deliver myself now into the Hand of the Word of the Lord, ביד מימרא דיי beyad meymera dayai , for his mercies are many; but into the hands of the children of men I will not deliver myself."

Clarke: 1Ch 21:15

And God sent an angel - Thus the Targum: "And the Word of the Lord sent the angel of death against Jerusalem to destroy it; and he beheld the ashes of the binding of Isaac at the foot of the altar, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, which he made in the Mount of Worship; and the house of the upper sanctuary, where are the souls of the righteous, and the image of Jacob fixed on the throne of glory; and he turned in his Word from the evil which he designed to do unto them; and he said to the destroying angel, Cease; take Abishai their chief from among them, and cease from smiting the rest of the people. And the angel which was sent from the presence of the Lord stood at the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:20

Ornan turned back, and saw the angel - The Septuagint say, And Orna turned, και ειδε τον βασιλεα, and saw the King. The Syriac and Arabic say, David saw the angel; and do not mention Ornan in this place. Houbigant translates the same reading המלך hammalech , the king, for המלעך hammalach , the angel, and vindicates his version from the parallel place, 2Sa 24:20, where it is said, he saw David: but there is no word of his seeing the angel. But the seeing David is mentioned in 1Ch 21:21; though Houbigant supposes that the 20th verse refers to his seeing the king while he was at a distance; the 21st, to his seeing him when he came into the threshing-floor. In the first instance he and his sons were afraid when they saw the king coming, and this caused them to hide themselves; but when he came into the threshing-floor, they were obliged to appear before him. One of Kennicott’ s MSS. has המלך the king, instead of המלאך the angel. Some learned men contend for the former reading.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:24

For the full price - That is, six hundred shekels full weight of pure gold.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:26

He answered him - by fire - In answer to David’ s prayers, God, to show that he had accepted him, and was now pacified towards him and the people, sent fire from heaven and consumed the offerings.

Clarke: 1Ch 21:30

Because of the sword of the angel - This is given as a reason why David built an altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan: he was afraid to go to Gibeon, because of the sword of the destroying angel, or he was afraid of delaying the offerings so long as his going thither would require, lest the destroying angel should in the mean while exterminate the people; therefore he hastily built an altar in that place, and on it made the requisite offerings, and by the fire from heaven God showed that he had accepted his act and his devotion. Such interventions as these must necessarily maintain in the minds of the people a full persuasion of the truth and Divine origin of their religion

For a more circumstantial account of these transactions, see the notes on 2Sa 24:1, Ac., in which several difficulties of the text are removed.

Clarke: 1Ch 22:1

David said, This is the house of the Lord - Till a temple is built for his name, this place shall be considered the temple of God; and on this altar, and not on that at Gibeon, shall the burnt-offerings of Israel be made. David probably thought that this was the place on which God designed that his house should be built; and perhaps it was this that induced him to buy, not only the threshing-floor, but probably some adjacent ground also, as Calmet supposes, that there might be sufficient room for such a building.

Defender: 1Ch 21:6

See note on 2Sa 24:9 for the apparent differences between the numbers in this passage and those recorded in 2 Samuel."

Defender: 1Ch 21:13

The "strait" was either three years of famine, three months of military defeat or three days of pestilence (1Ch 21:12), and David chose the latter. The parallel account (2Sa 24:13) says the first option was seven years of famine, but this most likely was a scribal error in copying. Hebrew numbers are notoriously easy to misread, and most of the probable copyist errors in the Old Testament have to do with numbers."

Defender: 1Ch 21:25

The parallel passage (2Sa 24:24) says that David paid Ornan fifty shekels of silver for his threshing floor. However, this amount was only for David's sacrifices. Evidently, the six hundred shekels was agreed upon later by David to purchase the site used for the temple (2Ch 3:1). The site, on Mount Moriah, was also significant as the place where Abraham had been asked to offer his son Isaac (Gen 22:2)."

Defender: 1Ch 21:27

According to Psa 103:20, Psa 103:21, God's angels "excel in strength," "do His commandments," "hearken to the voice of His word," and "do His pleasure." Thus, this particular "angel of the Lord" (1Ch 21:12) was "sent" by God (1Ch 21:15), wielded "the sword of the Lord" (1Ch 21:12) in a destroying pestilence, gave instructions from God to the prophet Gad (1Ch 21:18), and finally obeyed God's command to sheath his sword (1Ch 21:27). These verses thus provide certain significant insights into God's use of angels to accomplish His will with His people."

TSK: 1Ch 21:1

am 2987, bc 1017, An, Ex, Is, 474

Satan : 2Sa 24:1; 1Ki 22:20-22; Job 1:6-12, Job 2:1, Job 2:4-6; Zec 3:1; Mat 4:3; Luk 22:31; Joh 13:2; Act 5:3; Jam 1:13; Rev 12:10

provoked David : Luk 11:53; Heb 10:24

TSK: 1Ch 21:2

Joab : 2Sa 24:2-4

Beersheba : Jdg 20:1; 1Sa 3:20; 2Sa 3:10, 2Sa 17:11, 2Sa 24:15; 1Ki 4:25; 2Ch 30:5

bring : 1Ch 27:23, 1Ch 27:24

that I may : Deu 8:13-17; 2Ch 32:25, 2Ch 32:26; Pro 29:23; 2Co 12:7

TSK: 1Ch 21:3

The Lord : 1Ch 19:13; Psa 115:14; Pro 14:28; Isa 26:15, Isa 48:19

why will : Gen 20:9; Exo 32:21; Num 32:9, Num 32:10; 1Sa 2:24; 1Ki 14:16

TSK: 1Ch 21:4

the king’ s : Ecc 8:4

Wherefore : Exo 1:17; Dan 3:18; Act 5:29

and went : 2Sa 24:3-8

TSK: 1Ch 21:5

a thousand : The Syriac has 800,000 as in the parallel passage of Samuel. 1Ch 27:23; 2Sa 24:9

TSK: 1Ch 21:6

Levi : Num 1:47-49

Joab : 2Sa 3:27, 2Sa 11:15-21, 2Sa 20:9, 2Sa 20:10

TSK: 1Ch 21:7

And God was displeased with this thing : Heb. And it was evil in the eyes of God concerning this thing, 2Sa 11:27; 1Ki 15:5

he smote : 1Ch 21:14; Jos 7:1, Jos 7:5, Jos 7:13, Jos 22:16-26; 2Sa 21:1, 2Sa 21:14, 2Sa 24:1

TSK: 1Ch 21:8

I have sinned : 2Sa 12:13, 2Sa 24:10; Psa 25:11, Psa 32:5; Jer 3:13; Luk 15:18, Luk 15:19; 1Jo 1:9

do away : Psa 51:1-3; Hos 14:2; Joh 1:29

I have done : Gen 34:7; 1Sa 13:13, 1Sa 26:21; 2Sa 13:13; 2Ch 10:9

TSK: 1Ch 21:9

Gad : 1Ch 29:29; 1Sa 9:9; 2Sa 24:11

TSK: 1Ch 21:10

offer thee : Heb. stretch out

choose : Jos 24:15; Pro 1:29-31

that I may : Num 20:12; 2Sa 12:10-12; 1Ki 13:21, 1Ki 13:22; Pro 3:12; Rev 3:19

TSK: 1Ch 21:11

Choose thee : Heb. Take to thee, Pro 19:20

TSK: 1Ch 21:12

three years’ famine : In 2Sa 24:13, it is seven years; but the Septuagint has there τρια ετη [Strong’ s G5140], three years, as here; which is, no doubt, the true reading; the letter ז , zayin , seven, being mistaken for ג , gimmel , three. Lev 26:26-29; 2Sa 21:1, 2Sa 24:13; 1Ki 17:1; 2Ki 8:1; Lam 4:9; Luk 4:25

to be destroyed : Lev 26:17, Lev 26:36, Lev 26:37; Deu 28:15, Deu 28:25, Deu 28:51, Deu 28:52; Jer 42:16

the sword : 1Ch 21:16; Isa 66:16; Jer 12:12, Jer 47:6

even the pestilence : Lev 26:10, Lev 26:25; Deu 28:22, Deu 28:27, Deu 28:35; Psa 91:6; Eze 14:19-21

the angel : 1Ch 21:15, 1Ch 21:16; Exo 12:23; 2Ki 19:35; Mat 13:49, Mat 13:50; Act 12:23; Rev 7:1-3

Now therefore : 2Sa 24:13, 2Sa 24:14

TSK: 1Ch 21:13

I am in : 2Ki 6:15, 2Ki 7:4; Est 4:11, Est 4:16; Joh 12:27; Phi 1:23

let me fall : David here acted nobly: had he chosen war, his personal safety was in no danger, as there was an ordinance preventing him from going to battle; and in famine, his wealth would have secured his and his family’ s support; but all were equally exposed to the pestilence. Heb 10:31

great : or, many, Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7; Psa 5:7, Psa 51:1, Psa 51:2, Psa 69:13, Psa 69:16, Psa 86:5, Psa 86:15, Psa 103:8, Psa 106:7, Psa 130:7; Isa 55:7, Isa 63:7, Isa 63:15; Lam 3:32; Jon 3:9, Jon 4:2; Mic 7:18; Hab 3:2

but let me : 2Ch 28:9; Pro 12:10; Isa 46:7, Isa 47:6

TSK: 1Ch 21:14

the Lord : Num 16:46-49; 2Sa 24:15

seventy : Exo 12:30; Num 25:9; 1Sa 6:19; 2Ki 19:35

TSK: 1Ch 21:15

unto Jerusalem : 2Sa 24:16; Jer 7:12, Jer 26:9, Jer 26:18; Mat 23:37, Mat 23:38

repented him : Gen 6:6; Exo 32:14; Jdg 2:18, Jdg 10:16; Psa 78:38; Jer 18:7-10; Jon 4:2

It is enough : Exo 9:28; 1Ki 19:4; Psa 90:13; Mar 14:41

Ornan : 2Sa 24:18, Araunah, 2Ch 3:1

TSK: 1Ch 21:16

saw the angel : Gen 3:24; Exo 14:19, Exo 14:20; Num 22:31; Jos 5:13, Jos 5:14; 2Ki 6:17

clothed : 1Ki 21:27; 2Ki 19:1; Psa 35:13, Psa 35:14; Jon 3:6-8

fell upon : Num 14:5, Num 16:22

TSK: 1Ch 21:17

Is it not I : 1Ch 21:8; 2Sa 24:17; Psa 51:4; Eze 16:63

these sheep : 1Ki 22:17; Psa 44:11

what have : 2Sa 24:1

let thine : Gen 44:33; Exo 32:32, Exo 32:33; Joh 10:11, Joh 10:12; Rom 9:3; 1Jo 3:16

on my father’ s : Exo 20:5; 2Sa 12:10; Psa 51:14; Isa 39:7, Isa 39:8

that they should : Jos 22:18

TSK: 1Ch 21:18

the angel : 1Ch 21:11; Act 8:26-40

that David : 1Ch 21:15; 2Sa 24:18; 2Ch 3:1

TSK: 1Ch 21:19

went up : 2Ki 5:10-14; Joh 2:5; Act 9:6

TSK: 1Ch 21:20

And Ornan : etc. or, When Ornan turned back and saw the angel, then he, and his four sons with him, hid themselves. Jdg 6:11

TSK: 1Ch 21:21

bowed himself : 1Sa 25:23; 2Sa 24:18-20

TSK: 1Ch 21:22

Grant : Heb. Give, 1Ki 21:2

thou shalt grant : 2Sa 24:21

that the plague : Num 16:48, Num 25:8

TSK: 1Ch 21:23

Take it : Gen 23:4-6; 2Sa 24:22, 2Sa 24:23; Jer 32:8

the oxen : 1Sa 6:14; 1Ki 19:21; Isa 28:27, Isa 28:28

TSK: 1Ch 21:24

Nay : Gen 14:23, Gen 23:13; Deu 16:16, Deu 16:17; Mal 1:12-14; Rom 12:17

for I will not : It is a maxim from heaven, ""Honour the Lord with thy substance.""He who has a religion that costs him nothing, has a religion that is worth nothing; nor will any man esteem the ordinances of God, if those ordinances cost him nothing. Had Araunah’ s noble offer been accepted, it would have been Araunah’ s sacrifice, not David’ s; nor would it have answered the end of turning away the displeasure of the Most High. It was David that sinned, not Araunah; therefore David must offer sacrifice.

TSK: 1Ch 21:25

2Sa 24:24, 2Sa 24:25

TSK: 1Ch 21:26

built there : Exo 20:24, Exo 20:25, Exo 24:4, Exo 24:5

and called : 1Sa 7:8, 1Sa 7:9; Psa 51:15, Psa 91:15, Psa 99:9; Pro 15:8; Isa 65:24; Jer 33:3

by fire : Lev 9:24; Jdg 6:21, Jdg 13:20; 1Ki 18:24, 1Ki 18:38; 2Ch 3:1, 2Ch 7:1

TSK: 1Ch 21:27

the Lord : 1Ch 21:15, 1Ch 21:16; 2Sa 24:16; Psa 103:20; Heb 1:14

he put : 1Ch 21:12, 1Ch 21:20; Jer 47:6; Eze 21:30; Mat 26:52; Joh 18:11

TSK: 1Ch 21:29

the tabernacle : Exod. 40:1-38

Gibeon : 1Ch 16:39; 1Ki 3:4-15; 2Ch 1:3, 2Ch 1:13

TSK: 1Ch 21:30

he was afraid : 1Ch 21:16, 1Ch 13:12; Deu 10:12; 2Sa 6:9; Job 13:21, Job 21:6, Job 23:15; Psa 90:11; Psa 119:120; Jer 5:22, Jer 10:7; Heb 12:28, Heb 12:29; Rev 1:17, Rev 15:4

TSK: 1Ch 22:1

This is the house : David perhaps had some assurance that this was the place on which God designed that His house should be built; and perhaps it was this that induced him to buy not only the threshing-floor, but probably some adjacent ground also, as Calmet supposes, that there might be sufficient room for such a structure. 1Ch 21:18-28; Gen 28:17; Deu 12:5-7, Deu 12:11; 2Sa 24:18; 2Ch 3:1, 2Ch 6:5, 2Ch 6:6; Psa 78:60, Psa 78:67-69, Psa 132:13, Psa 132:14; Joh 4:20-22

and this is the altar : 2Ki 18:22; 2Ch 32:12

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 1Ch 21:1

As the books of Scripture are arranged in our Version, Satan is here for the first time by name introduced to us. He appears not merely as an "adversary"who seeks to injure man from without, but as a Tempter able to ruin him by suggesting sinful acts and thoughts from within. In this point of view, the revelation made of him here is the most advanced that we find in the Old Testament.

The difficulty in reconciling the statement here, "Satan provoked David,"etc. with that of Samuel, "the Lord moved David,"etc. 2Sa 24:1 is not serious. All temptation is permitted by God. When evil spirits tempt us, they do so by permission (Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Luk 22:31, etc.). If Satan therefore provoked David to number the peopIe, God allowed him. And what God allows, He may be said to do. (Another view is maintained in the 2Sa 24:1 note).

Barnes: 1Ch 21:5

In 2Sa 24:9 the numbers are different. The explanation there given is not so generally accepted as the supposition that the numbers have, in one passage or the other (or possibly in both), suffered corruption.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:6

To omit the Levites would be to follow the precedent recorded in Num 1:47-49. The omission of Benjamin must he ascribed to a determination on the part of Joab to frustrate the king’ s intention, whereby he might hope to avert God’ s wrath from the people.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:12

And the angel of the Lord destroying ... - These words are not in Samuel, which puts the third alternative briefly. They prepare the way for the angelic appearance 1Ch 21:16, on which the author is about to lay so much stress.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:16

Here a picture of awful grandeur takes the place of the bare statement of the earlier historian 2Sa 24:17. And here, as elsewhere, the author probably extracts from the ancient documents such circumstances as harmonize with his general plan. As the sanctity of the temple was among the points whereon he was most anxious to lay stress, he gives in full all the miraculous circumstances attending this first designation of what became the temple site (marginal reference "k") as a place "holy to the Lord."

David and the elders ... clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces - Facts additional to the narrative of Samuel; But facts natural in themselves, and in harmony with that narrative. Similarly, the narrative in 1Ch 21:20 is additional to the account in Samuel; but its parts hang together; and there is no sufficient ground for suspecting it.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:18

It has been observed that it is only in books of a late period that Angels are brought forward as intermediaries between God and the prophets. This, no doubt, is true; and it is certainly unlikely that the records, from which the author of Chronicles drew, spoke of Gad as receiving his knowledge of God’ s will from an angel. The touch may be regarded as coming from the writer of Chronicles himself, who expresses the fact related by his authorities in the language of his own day (see Zec 1:9, Zec 1:14, Zec 1:19; Zec 2:3; Zec 4:1; Zec 5:5; etc.); language, however, which we are not to regard as rhetorical, but as strictly in accordance with truth, since Angels were doubtless employed as media between God and the prophet as much in the time of David as in that of Zechariah.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:25

Compare the marginal reference and note. It may also be conjectured that we should read "six"for "six hundred"here; since, according to the later Jewish system, six gold shekels were nearly equal in value to fifty silver ones.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:26

He answered him from heaven by fire - This fact is not mentioned by the author of Samuel, since his object is to give an account of the sin of David, its punishment, and the circumstances by which that punishment was brought to a close, not to connect those circumstances with anything further in the history. With the writer of Chronicles the case is different. He would probably have omitted the whole narrative, as he did the sin of David in the matter of Uriah, but for its connection with the fixing of the temple site 1 Chr. 22. It was no doubt mainly the fact that God answered him by fire from heaven on this altar, which determined David, and Solomon after him, to build the temple on the spot so consecrated.

Barnes: 1Ch 21:30

David, knowing that by sacrifice on this altar he had caused the angel to stay his hand, was afraid to transfer his offerings elsewhere, lest the Angel should resume his task and pestilence again break out.

Barnes: 1Ch 22:1

This is the house of the Lord God - The double miracle - that of the angelic appearance and that of the fire from heaven - had convinced David that here he had found the destined site of that "house"which it had been told him that his son should build 1Ch 22:10. Hence, this public announcement.

Poole: 1Ch 21:1

Satan stood up Heb. stood , to wit, before the Lord and his tribunal to accuse David and Israel, and to beg God’ s permission to tempt David to number the people. Standing is the accuser’ s posture before men’ s tribunals; and consequently the Holy Scripture (which useth to speak of God, and of the things of God, after the manner of men, to bring them down to our capacities) elsewhere represents Satan in this posture, as 1Ki 22:21 Zec 3:1 . And so this agrees with 2Sa 24:1 , where the Lord is said to move David, i.e. to give Satan commission or permission to move him; for otherwise God tempteth no man , Jam 1:13 . But of this, and of this whole chapter, and of the variations and seeming contradictions between this narrative and that in Samuel, see my notes on 2Sa 24 .

Poole: 1Ch 21:3

Or, why will he be, or why should this be, a trespass, or a cause of trespass, or an occasion of punishment , (for Hebrew words signifying sin are oft used to note the punishment of sin,) or a desolation , or a cause of desolation or destruction , (for the verb whence this noun proceeds is oft used in that sense,) to or against Israel ? Why wilt thou provoke God by this sin to punish Israel? Thus he speaks, because God commonly punisheth the people for the sins of their rulers, because they are for the most part guilty of their sins in one kind or other; or at least God takes this occasion to punish people for all their sins.

Poole: 1Ch 21:6

Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them partly for the following reason, and principally by God’ s special and gracious providence to these two tribes; to Levi, because they were devoted to his service; and to Benjamin, because they were the least of all the tribes, having been almost extinct, Jud 21 , and because God foresaw that they would be faithful to the house of David in the division of the tribes, and therefore he would not have them diminished. And Joab presumed to leave these two tribes unnumbered, because he had specious pretences for it; for Levi, because they were no warriors, and the king’ s command reached only to those that drew sword , as appears from 1Ch 21:5 ; and for Benjamin, because they, being so small a tribe, and bordering upon Jerusalem their chief city, might easily be numbered afterward.

Poole: 1Ch 21:7

God was displeased with this thing because this was done without any colour of necessity, and out of mere curiosity, and ostentation, and carnal confidence, as David’ s own conscience told him, which therefore smote him, as it is related, 2Sa 24:10 .

Therefore he smote Israel which is particularly related in the following verses.

Poole: 1Ch 21:16

In sackcloth i.e. in mourning garments, humbling themselves before God for their sins, and deprecating his wrath against the people.

Poole: 1Ch 21:20

Or,

And Ornan turned back ( i.e. turned his face from the angel,) for , or when , (for the Hebrew vau is frequently used both those ways,)

he saw the angel and (so did) his four sons with him hiding themselves; partly because of the glory and majesty in which the angel appeared, which men’ s weak and sinful natures are not able to bear; and partly from the fear of God’ s vengeance, which was at this time riding circuit in the land, and now seemed to be coming to their family.

Poole: 1Ch 21:26

From heaven by fire Heb. by fire sent

from heaven which was the sign of God’ s acceptance. See Lev 9:24 1Ki 18:24,38 2Ch 7:1 .

Poole: 1Ch 21:28

When he perceived that his sacrifice there offered was acceptable to God, he proceeded to offer more sacrifices in that place, and did not go to Gibeon, as otherwise he should have done.

Poole: 1Ch 21:30

David could not i.e. durst not. Before it , i.e. before the tabernacle, where the altar stood.

To inquire of God Heb. to seek God , i.e. humbly to beg his favour by prayer and sacrifice.

Because of the sword of the angel of the Lord i.e. when he saw the angel stand with his drawn sword over Jerusalem, as is related above, 1Ch 21:15,16 , he durst not go away thence to Gibeon, lest the angel in the mean time should destroy Jerusalem; for the prevention whereof he thought it most proper to continue to worship God in that place, which he had consecrated by his special presence and gracious acceptance.

Poole: 1Ch 22:1

Then David said partly by his observation of this gracious and glorious appearance of God, and his command to erect an altar, and his acceptance of a sacrifice offered in this place; and partly by the instinct and direction of God’ s’ Spirit, by which, as he is said to have had the pattern of the house, porch, altar , &c., 1Ch 28:11,12,19 ; so doubtless he was also instructed as to the place where the house should be built. This is the house of the Lord God this is the place appointed by God for the building of his temple and altar.

PBC: 1Ch 21:1

See PB: 2Sa 24:1

Haydock: 1Ch 21:1

Satan. This shews that the Lord only (Haydock) permitted David's sin, (2 Kings xxiv.; Worthington) and in this sense only he is said to have instigated him; (Du Hamel) though we read this was done by the fury of the Lord, or by an evil spirit. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:3

Israel, who will be severely punished. (Calmet) ---

Sin is often used in this sense. (Vatable)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:5

The number, &c. The difference of the numbers here and [in] 2 Kings xxiv. 9., is to be accounted for, by supposing the greater number to be that which was really found, and the lesser to be that which Joab gave in; (Challoner) or the transcribers of this place have been inaccurate. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:6

Number. These might therefore escape the pestilence. (Du Hamel) ---

For. Hebrew, "because the king's word was abominable to Joab." We read that Benjamin was numbered unto David, chap. vii. 5, 11. But that might be on another occasion; or the register continued in the archives, and was not brought to the king. See chap. xxvii. 24. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:8

Iniquity. David was guilty, though he retained both faith and hope. (Worthington)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:9

Seer, or prophet, whom David kept at court and consulted. He was endued himself with the prophetic spirit.

Haydock: 1Ch 21:10

Three; a word omitted in Hebrew, but supplied by the Protestants. (Haydock) ---

"I will bring three things upon thee." (Septuagint)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:12

Three years' famine; which joined with the three foregoing years of famine, mentioned [in] 2 Kings xxi., and the seventh year of the land's resting, would make up the seven years proposed by the prophet, 2 Kings xxiv. 13. (Challoner) ---

Perhaps it would be as well to acknowledge a mistake, (2 Kings; Haydock) on account of the similitude of the Hebrew words signifying three and seven: (Tirinus) unless the prophet reduced the time from seven to three years; as in Ezechiel (iv. 15.) God mitigates the severity of his first threat. (Sanctius)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:13

Men. Susanna spoke on a different supposition, (Daniel xiii. 23., and Ecclesiasticus ii. 22.) of eternal punishment, in consequence of sin. David prefers to be punished by the hand of a tender father, rather than that of an enemy; (Tirinus; Estius) and he does not wish to screen himself from suffering in this world, but offers himself to share in the chastisement of his subjects. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:15

Took. Hebrew, "repented of evil," taking pity of unhappy victims. ---

Ornan, or Areuna. (Challoner) ---

He had been king of the Jebusites before David took Jerusalem. (Mariana; Tirinus)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:18

Altar. Hence it appears that holy men erected altars by God's command. (Du Hamel)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:20

Now. Hebrew, "and Oranan turned back." ---

Angel. Vatican Septuagint, the king and his four sons with him, along with Achabin." Other editions have, "and his four sons hidden with him." Arabic, "and the king, being come near to Aran, he saw David and his," &c. Syriac reads in like manner; but says nothing of the children either of David or of Ornan. We do not read that Ornan saw the angel, 2 Kings, but this circumstance may be here supplied. It is evident the Septuagint have read melec, "king," instead of malac, "angel." (Calmet) ---

Eupolemus says the angel Dianathan shewed David were to build the temple. (Eusebius, Præp. ix. 30.)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:22

Worth. Hebrew, "give it me for the full price," or "worth." Septuagint, "the money was weighed."

Haydock: 1Ch 21:25

Six hundred sicles, &c. This was the price of the whole place on which the temple was afterwards built: but the price of the oxen was fifty sicles of silver, 2 Kings xxiv. 24. (Challoner) ---

Or the fifty sicles were given for the threshing-floor alone. (Calmet) (Du Hamel)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:26

Fire, to testify his approbation. (Worthington; Tirinus) See Genesis iv. 4., and 2 Paralipomenon vii. 1. (Calmet) ---

This altar represented the cross, on which the Victim of our reconciliation [Jesus Christ] was offered. (Du Hamel)

Haydock: 1Ch 21:30

God. He performed what God had commanded. But he would have offered other voluntary victims at Gabaon, if he had been able. (Calmet) ---

The distance shewed the propriety of building the temple at Jerusalem, (Du Hamel) which was nearly in the centre of the country. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Ch 22:1

The house. Or the place where the temple shall be built. (Menochius) ---

The miraculous fire convinced David that God had made choice of this spot.

Gill: 1Ch 21:1-27

See Chapter Introduction

Gill: 1Ch 21:28

At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshing floor Of Ornan the Jebusite,.... The same with Araunah, 2Sa 24:16, with some small variation of the letters, and are of the same signification; both signifying the "ornus", as Hillerus ^m observes, the pine tree or ash; see Isa 44:14, in whose threshingfloor David now was, and where he had been praying and sacrificing; and God had accepted his prayer, as the Targum, and had answered him, by causing fire to come down on the sacrifice and consume it, and by ordering the angel to put up his sword in its sheath:

then he sacrificed there; again by the priests, and continued to do so, for he had sacrificed there before, 1Ch 21:26 and finding his sacrifices in that place were acceptable, he repeated them, and did not go to Gibeon, as follows.

Gill: 1Ch 21:29

For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made,.... Or ordered to be made by the command of God, and according to his direction:

and the altar of burnt offerings, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon; which was four or five miles from Jerusalem, and too far for David to go in that time of extremity; though he must have gone thither to sacrifice, had not the Lord bid him build an altar on the threshingfloor; for there was the altar of burnt offering, on which only, according to the law of Moses, sacrifices were to be offered: this high place is, in the Targum, called the sanctuary, it including, as Kimchi observes, the whole house, the tabernacle, and the altar in it; which had been here, and at Nob, fifty seven years, as the Jewish writers say ⁿ.

Gill: 1Ch 21:30

But David could not go before it to inquire of God,.... Which yet was the proper place to seek the Lord in: the reason follows:

for he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of the Lord; which had so terrified him, that he was so weak that he could not go; and he feared that, should he attempt to go, while he was going thither, at such a distance, the angel would make a terrible slaughter in Jerusalem, and therefore he durst not go and leave it; and besides, as the Lord had commanded him to build an altar there, he might fear it would displease him, should he depart from it; and the rather, as hereby he pointed out to him the place where the temple should be built, and sacrifices offered, as appears from what he says in the beginning of the next chapter.

Gill: 1Ch 22:1

Then David said,.... Within himself, or to some principal persons about him:

this is the house of the Lord God; the place where the temple was to be built, hinted at in Deu 12:5 and elsewhere; the meaning is, here, or in "this" place, shall be the house of God, so Noldius ^o, for as yet there were none; but it was now made known to David that here it should be built, and so the words in 2Ch 3:1 should be rendered:

then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, which was shown to David his father, which he prepared in the place of David, that which he bought in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite: and this is the altar for the burnt offering for Israel; not which he had built here; but this is the place where one should be built for the people of Israel to bring their offerings to, and to be here offered for them by the priests: this he said by a divine impulse upon his mind, or which he concluded from the acceptance of his sacrifice here, signified by fire that came down from heaven and consumed it; and this being in the threshingfloor of the Jebusites, might prefigure the church of God to be built up among the Gentiles.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:1

¹ tn Or “Satan.” The Hebrew word שָׂטָן (satan) can refer to an adversary in general or Satan in particular. There is no article accompanying the term here, which suggests it should be understood generally (cf. NAB “a satan”).

² tn Heb “stood against.”

³ tn Heb “and incited David to count Israel.” As v. 5 indicates, David was not interested in a general census, but in determining how much military strength he had.

sn The parallel text in 2 Sam 24:1 says, “The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel and he incited David against them, saying: ‘Go, count Israel and Judah!’“ The version of the incident in the Book of 2 Samuel gives an underlying theological perspective, while the Chronicler simply describes what happened from a human perspective. Many interpreters and translations render the Hebrew שָׂטָן as a proper name here, “Satan” (NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). However, the Hebrew term שָׂטָן, which means “adversary,” is used here without the article. Elsewhere when it appears without the article, it refers to a personal or national adversary in the human sphere, the lone exception being Num 22:22, 32, where the angel of the Lord assumes the role of an adversary to Balaam. When referring elsewhere to the spiritual entity known in the NT as Satan, the noun has the article and is used as a title, “the Adversary” (see Job 1:6-9, 12; 2:1-4, 6-7; Zech 3:1-2). In light of usage elsewhere the adversary in 1 Chr 21:1 is likely a human enemy, probably a nearby nation whose hostility against Israel pressured David into numbering the people so he could assess his military strength. For compelling linguistic and literary arguments against taking the noun as a proper name here, see S. Japhet, I & II Chronicles (OTL), 374-75.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:2

¹ tn Or “people.”

² tn Heb “Go, count Israel.” See the note on “had” in v. 1.

³ tn Heb “their number.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:3

¹ tn Or “people.”

² tn Heb “Why should it become guilt for Israel?” David’s decision betrays an underlying trust in his own strength rather than in divine provision. See also 1 Chr 27:23-24.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:4

¹ tn Heb “and the word of the king was stronger than Joab.”

² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:5

¹ tn Heb “and Joab gave to David the number of the numbering of the army [or “people”].”

² tn Heb “a thousand thousands and one hundred thousand.”

³ tc The parallel text in 2 Sam 24:9 has variant figures: “In Israel there were eight hundred thousand sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were five hundred thousands soldiers.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:6

¹ tn Heb “he”; the proper name (“Joab”) has been substituted for the pronoun here for stylistic reasons; the proper name occurs at the end of the verse in the Hebrew text, where it has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:7

¹ tn Heb “There was displeasure in the eyes of God concerning this thing.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:9

¹ tn Heb “seer.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:10

¹ tn Heb “Three I am extending to you; choose for yourself one of them and I will do it to you.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:12

¹ tc The parallel text in the MT of 2 Sam 24:13 has “seven,” but LXX has “three” there.

² tc Heb “or three months being swept away from before your enemies and the sword of your enemies overtaking.” The Hebrew term נִסְפֶּה (nisppeh, Niphal participle from סָפָה, safah) should probably be emended to נֻסְכָה (nusÿkhah, Qal infinitive from נוּס [nus] with second masculine singular suffix). See 2 Sam 24:13.

³ tn Heb “or three days of the sword of the Lord and plague in the land, and the messenger [or “angel”] of the Lord destroying in all the territory of Israel.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:13

¹ tn Heb “There is great distress to me; let me fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercy is very great, but into the hand of men let me not fall.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:15

¹ tn The parallel text of 2 Sam 24:15 reports that God sent a plague, while 24:16-17 attributes this to the instrumentality of an angel.

² tn Or “destroy.”

³ tn Heb “while he was destroying.”

⁴ tn Or “saw.”

⁵ tn Or “was grieved because of.”

⁶ tn Heb “concerning the calamity.”

⁷ tn For this nuance of the Hebrew word רַב (rav), see BDB 913 s.v. 1.f.

⁸ tn Heb “Now, drop your hand.”

⁹ tn In the parallel text in 2 Sam 24:16 this individual is called אֲרַוְנָא (’aravna’, “Aravna”), traditionally “Araunah.” The form of the name found here also occurs in vv. 18-28.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:16

¹ tn Heb “and David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:17

¹ tn “and doing evil I did evil.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite form of the verb for emphasis.

² tn Heb “let your hand be on me and on the house of my father.”

³ tn Heb “but on your people not for a plague.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:18

¹ tn Heb “that he should go up to raise up.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:19

¹ tn Heb “and David went up by the word of Gad which he spoke in the name of the Lord.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:21

¹ tn Heb “nostrils.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:22

¹ tn Heb “the place of the threshing floor.”

² tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive here indicates the immediate purpose/result: “so I can build.”

³ tn Heb “For full silver sell to me.”

⁴ tn Following the imperative and first person prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive, this third person prefixed verbal form with vav conjunctive introduces the ultimate purpose/result: “so the plague may be removed.” Another option is subordinate this form to the preceding imperative, but the latter may be taken as a parenthetical expansion of the initial request.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:23

¹ tn Heb “take for yourself.”

² tn Heb “what is good in his eyes.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:24

¹ tn Heb “No, for buying I will buy for full silver.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

² tc The parallel text in 2 Sam 24:24 has the plural “burnt sacrifices.”

³ tn Or “without [paying] compensation.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:25

¹ tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 24:24 says David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for “fifty pieces of silver.” This would have been about 20 ounces (568 grams) of silver by weight.

tn Heb “six hundred shekels of gold.” This would have been about 15 lbs. (6.8 kg) of gold by weight.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:26

¹ tn Or “tokens of peace.”

² tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:27

¹ tn Heb “spoke to the messenger.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 21:29

¹ tn Or “high place.”

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:1

And ^{( a )} Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

^{( a )} He tempted David, in setting before his eyes his excellency and glory, his power and victories, see (2Sa 24:1).

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:2

And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from ^{( b )} Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know [it].

^{( b )} That is, from south to north.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:3

And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they [be]: but, my lord the king, [are] they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of ^{( c )} trespass to Israel?

^{( c )} It was a thing indifferent and usual to number the people, but because he did it for ambitious reasons, as though his strength stood in his people, God punished him.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:5

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all [they of] Israel were ^{( d )} a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah [was] ^{( e )} four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

^{( d )} Joab partly for grief and partly through negligence gathered not the whole sum as it is here declared.

^{( e )} In Samuel 30,000 more are mentioned, which was either by joining to them some of the Benjamites who were mixed with Judah, or as the Hebrews write, here the chief and princes are left out.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:15

And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and ^{( f )} as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he ^{( g )} repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

^{( f )} Read (2Sa 24:16).

^{( g )} When God draws back his plagues, he seems to repent, read (Gen 6:6).

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:17

And David said unto God, [Is it] not I [that] commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but [as for] these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on ^{( h )} thy people, that they should be plagued.

^{( h )} Thus he both shows a true repentance and a fatherly care toward his people, who desire God to spare them, and to punish him and his.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:20

And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him ^{( i )} hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

^{( i )} If man hides himself at the sight of an angel who is a creature, how much more as a sinner able to appear before the face of God?

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:22

Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of [this] threshingfloor, that I may build an ^{( k )} altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

^{( k )} This he did by the command of God, (1Ch 21:18), or else it would have been abominable, unless he had either God's word, or revelation.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:24

And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full ^{( l )} price: for I will not take [that] which [is] thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

^{( l )} That is, as much as it is worth: for having enough of his own, and yet to have taken of another man's goods to offer to the Lord would had been theft and not acceptable to God.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:25

So David gave to Ornan for the place ^{( m )} six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

^{( m )} Read (2Sa 24:24).

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 21:26

And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he ^{( n )} answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

^{( n )} God declared that he heard his request, in that he sent down fire from heaven for they could use no fire in sacrifice but that which was reserved still upon the altar, (Lev 6:13) and came down from heaven, (Lev 9:24) as appeared by the punishment of Nadab and Abihu, (Lev 10:1).

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 22:1

Then David said, This [is] the ^{( a )} house of the LORD God, and this [is] the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

^{( a )} That is, the place in which he will be worshipped.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 1Ch 21:1-30

1 David, tempted by Satan, forces Joab to number the people.

5 The number of the people being brought, David repents of it.

9 David having three plagues propounded by God, chooses the pestilence.

14 After the death of seventy thousand, David by repentance prevents the destruction of Jerusalem.

18 David, by Gad's direction, purchases Ornan's threshing- floor; where having built an altar, God gives a sign of his favour by fire, and stays the plague.

28 David sacrifices there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel.

TSK Synopsis: 1Ch 22:1-19

1 David, foreknowing the place of the temple, prepares abundance for the building of it.

6 He instructs Solomon in God's promises, and his duty in building the temple.

17 He charges the princes to assist his son.

MHCC: 1Ch 21:1-30

No mention is made in this book of David's sin in the matter of Uriah, neither of the troubles that followed it: they had no needful connexion with the subjects here noted. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is related: in the atonement made for that sin, there was notice of the place on which the temple should be built. The command to David to build an altar, was a blessed token of reconciliation. God testified his acceptance of David's offerings on this altar. Thus Christ was made sin, and a curse for us; it pleased the Lord to bruise him, that through him, God might be to us, not a consuming Fire, but a reconciled God. It is good to continue attendance on those ordinances in which we have experienced the tokens of God's presence, and have found that he is with us of a truth. Here God graciously met me, therefore I will still expect to meet him.

MHCC: 1Ch 22:1-5

On occasion of the terrible judgment inflicted on Israel for the sin of David, God pointed out the place where he would have the temple built; upon which, David was excited to make preparations for the great work. David must not build, but he would do all he could; he prepared abundantly before his death. What our hands find to do for God, and our souls, and those round us, let us do it with all our might, before our death; for after death there is no device nor working. And when the Lord refuses to employ us in those services which we desired, we must not be discouraged or idle, but do what we can, though in a humbler sphere.

Matthew Henry: 1Ch 21:1-6

Numbering the people, one would think, was no bad thing. Why should not the shepherd know the number of his flock? But God sees not as man sees. It is plain it was wrong in David to do it, and a great provocation to God, because he did it in the pride of his heart; and there is no sin that has in it more of contradiction and therefore more of offence to God than pride. The sin was David's; he alone must bear the blame of it. But here we are told,

I. How active the tempter was in it (1Ch 21:1): Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to do it. Is is said (2Sa 24:1) that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David to do it. The righteous judgments of God are to be observed and acknowledged even in the sins and unrighteousness of men. We are sure that God is not the author of sin - he tempts no man; and therefore, when it is said that he moved David to do it, it must be explained by what is intimated here, that, for wise and holy ends, he permitted the devil to do it. Here we trace this foul stream to its foundation. That Satan, the enemy of God and all good, should stand up against Israel, is not strange; it is what he aims at, to weaken the strength, diminish the numbers, and eclipse the glory of God's Israel, to whom he is Satan, a sworn adversary. But that he should influence David, the man of God's own heart to do a wrong thing, may well be wondered at. One would think him one of those whom the wicked one touches not. No, even the best saints, till they come to heaven, must never think themselves out of the reach of Satan's temptations. Now, when Satan meant to do Israel a mischief, what course did he take? He did not move God against them to destroy them (as Job, Job 2:3), but he provoked David, the best friend they had, to number them, and so to offend God, and set him against them. Note, 1. The devil does us more mischief by tempting us to sin against our God than he does by accusing us before our God. He destroys none but by their own hands, 2. The greatest spite he can do to the church of God is to tempt the rulers of the church to pride; for none can conceive the fatal consequences of that sin in all, especially in church-rulers. You shall not be so, Luk 22:26.

II. How passive the instrument was. Joab, the person whom David employed, was an active man in public business; but to this he was perfectly forced, and did it with the greatest reluctance imaginable.

1. He put in a remonstrance against it before he began it. No man more forward that he in any thing that really tended to the honour of the king or the welfare of the kingdom; but in this matter he would gladly be excused. For, (1.) It was a needless thing. there was not occasion at all for it. God had promised to multiply them, and he needed not question the accomplishment of that promise. They were all his servants, and he needed not doubt of their loyalty and affection to him. Their number was as much his strength as he could desire. (2.) It was a dangerous thing. In doing it he might be a cause of trespass to Israel, and might provoke God against them. This Joab apprehended, and yet David himself did not. The most learned in the laws of God are not always the most quick-sighted in the application of those laws.

2. He was quite weary of it before he had done it; for the king's word was abominable to Joab, 1Ch 21:6. Time was when whatever king David did pleased all the people, 2Sa 3:36. But now there was a general disgust at these orders, which confirmed Joab in his dislike of them. so that, though the produce of this muster was really very great, yet he had no heart to perfect it, but left two tribes unnumbered (1Ch 21:5, 1Ch 21:6), two considerable ones, Levi and Benjamin, and perhaps was not very exact in numbering the rest, because he did not do it with any pleasure, which might be one occasion of the difference between the sums here and 2Sa 24:9.

Matthew Henry: 1Ch 21:7-17

David is here under the rod for numbering the people, that rod of correction which drives out the foolishness that is bound up in the heart, the foolishness of pride. Let us briefly observe,

I. How he was corrected. If God's dearest children do amiss, they must expect to smart for it. 1. He is given to understand that God is displeased; and that it is no small uneasiness to so good a man as David, 1Ch 21:7. God takes notice of, and is displeased with, the sins of his people; and no sin is more displeasing to him than pride of heart: nor is anything more humbling, and grieving, and mortifying to a gracious soul, than to see itself under God's displeasure. 2. He is put to his choice whether he will be punished by war, famine, or pestilence; for punished he must be, and by one of these. Thus, for his further humiliation, he is put into a strait, a great strait, and has the terror of all the three judgments impressed upon his mind, no doubt to his great amazement, while he is considering which he shall choose. 3. He hears of 70,000 of his subjects who in a few hours were struck dead by the pestilence, 1Ch 21:14. He was proud of the multitude of his people, but divine Justice took a course to make them fewer. Justly is that taken from us, weakened, or embittered to us, which we are proud of. David must have the people numbered: Bring me the number of them, says he, that I may know it. But now God numbers them after another manner, numbers to the sword, Isa 65:12. And David had another number of them brought, more to his confusion than was to his satisfaction, namely, the number of the slain - a black bill of mortality, which is a drawback to his muster-roll. 4. He sees the destroying angel, with his sword drawn against Jerusalem, 1Ch 21:16. This could not but be very terrible to him, as it was a visible indication of the anger of Heaven, and threatened the utter destruction of that beloved city. Pestilences make the greatest devastations in the most populous places. The sight of an angel, though coming peaceably and on a friendly errand, has made even mighty men to tremble; how dreadful then must this sight be of an angel with a drawn sword in his hand, a flaming sword, like that of the cherubim, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life! While we lie under the wrath of God the holy angels are armed against us, though we see them not as David did.

II. How he bore the correction. 1. He made a very penitent confession of his sin, and prayed earnestly for the pardon of it, 1Ch 21:8. Now he owned that he had sinned, had sinned greatly, had done foolishly, very foolishly; and he entreated that, however he might be corrected for it, the iniquity of it might be done away. 2. He accepted the punishment of his iniquity: "Let thy hand be on me, and on my father's house, 1Ch 21:17. I submit to the rod, only let me be the sufferer, for I am the sinner; mine is the guilty head at which the sword should be pointed."3. He cast himself upon the mercy of God (though he knew he was angry with him) and did not entertain any hard thoughts of him. However it be, Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great, 1Ch 21:13. Good men, even when God frowns upon them, think well of him. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. 4. He expressed a very tender concern for the people, and it went to his heart to see them plagued for his transgression: These sheep, what have they done?

Matthew Henry: 1Ch 21:18-30

We have here the controversy concluded, and, upon David's repentance, his peace made with God. Though thou wast angry with me, thy anger is turned away. 1. A stop was put to the progress of the execution, 1Ch 21:15. When David repented of the sin God repented of the judgment, and ordered the destroying angel to stay his hand and sheath his sword, 1Ch 21:27. 2. Direction was given to David to rear an altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan, 1Ch 21:18. The angel commanded the prophet Gad to bring David this direction. The same angel that had, in God's name, carried on the war, is here forward to set on foot the treaty of peace; for angels do not desire the woeful day. The angel could have given this order to David himself; but he chose to do it by his seer, that he might put an honour upon the prophetic office. Thus the revelation of Jesus Christ was notified by the angel to John, and by him to the churches. The commanding of David to build an altar was a blessed token of reconciliation; for, if God had been pleased to kill him, he would not have appointed, because he would not have accepted, a sacrifice at his hands. 3. David immediately made a bargain with Ornan for the threshing-floor; for he would not serve God at other people's charge. Ornan generously offered it to him gratis, not only in complaisance to the king, but because he had himself seen the angel (1Ch 21:20), which so terrified him that he and his four sons hid themselves, as unable to bear the brightness of his glory and afraid of his drawn sword. Under these apprehensions he was willing to do anything towards making the atonement. Those that are duly sensible of the terrors of the Lord will do all they can, in their places, to promote religion, and encourage all the methods of reconciliation for the turning away of God's wrath. 4. God testified his acceptance of David's offerings on this altar; He answered him from heaven by fire, 1Ch 21:26. To signify that God's anger was turned away from him, the fire that might justly have fastened upon the sinner fastened upon the sacrifice and consumed that; and, upon this, the destroying sword was returned into its sheath. Thus Christ was made sin and a curse for us, and it pleased the Lord to bruise him, that through him God might be to us, not a consuming fire, but a reconciled Father. 5. He continued to offer his sacrifices upon this altar. The brazen altar which Moses made was at Gibeon (1Ch 21:29), and there all the sacrifices of Israel were offered; but David was so terrified at the sight of the sword of the angel that he could not go thither, 1Ch 21:30. The business required haste, when the plague was begun. Aaron must go quickly, nay, he must run, to make atonement, Num 16:46, Num 16:47. And the case here was no less urgent; so that David had not time to go to Gibeon: nor durst he leave the angel with his sword drawn over Jerusalem, lest the fatal stroke should be given before he came back. And therefore God, in tenderness to him, bade him build an altar in that place, dispensing with his own law concerning one altar because of the present distress, and accepting the sacrifices offered on this new altar, which was not set up in opposition to that, but in concurrence with it. The symbols of unity were not so much insisted on as unity itself. Nay, when the present distress was over (as it should seem), David, as long as he lived, sacrificed there, though the altar at Gibeon was still kept up; for God had owned the sacrifices that were here offered and had testified his acceptance of them, 1Ch 21:28. On those administrations in which we have experienced the tokens of God's presence, and have found that he is with us of a truth, it is good to continue our attendance. "Here God had graciously met me, and therefore I will still expect to meet with him."

Matthew Henry: 1Ch 22:1-5

Here is, I. The place fixed for the building of the temple (1Ch 22:1): Then David said, by inspiration of God, and as a declaration of his mind, This is the house of the Lord God. If a temple must be built for God, it is fit that it be left to him to choose the ground, for all the earth is his; and this is the ground he makes choice of - ground that pertained to a Jebusite, and perhaps there was not a spot of ground besides, in or about Jerusalem, that did so - a happy presage of the setting up of the gospel temple among the Gentiles. See Act 15:16, Act 15:17. The ground was a threshing-floor; for the church of the living God is his floor, his threshing, and the corn of his floor, Isa 21:10. Christ's fan is in his hand, thoroughly to purge his floor. This is to be the house because this is the altar. The temple was built for the sake of the altar. There were altars long before there were temples.

II. Preparation made for that building. David must not build it, but he would do all he could towards it: He prepared abundantly before his death, 1Ch 22:5. This intimates that the consideration of his age and growing infirmities, which showed him his death approaching, quickened him, towards his latter end, to be very diligent in making this preparation. What our hands find to do for God, and our souls, and our generation, let us do it with all our might before our death, because, after death, there is no device nor working. Now we are here told,

1. What induced him to make such preparation. Two things he considered: - (1.) That Solomon was young and tender, and not likely to apply with any great vigour to this business at first; so that, unless he found the wheels set a-going, he would be in danger of losing a great deal of time at first, the rather because, being young, he would be tempted to put it off; whereas, if he found the materials got ready to his hand, the most difficult part of the work would be over, and this would excite and encourage him to go about it in the beginnings of his reign. Note, Those that are aged and experienced should consider those that are young and tender, and provide them what help they can, that they may make the work of God as easy to them as possible. (2.) That the house must be exceedingly magnificent, very stately and sumptuous, strong and beautiful, every thing about it the best in its kind, and for a good reason, since it was intended for the honour of the great God, the Lord of the whole earth, and was to be a type of Christ, in whom all fulness dwells and in whom are hid all treasures. Men were then to be taught by sensible methods. The grandeur of the house would help to affect the worshippers with a holy awe and reverence of God, and would invite strangers to come to see it, and the wonder of the world, who thereby would be brought acquainted with the true God. Therefore it is here designed to be of fame and glory throughout all countries. David foretold this good effect of its being magnificent, Psa 68:29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

2. What preparation he made. In general, he prepared abundantly, as we shall find afterwards; cedar and stones, iron and brass, are here specified, 1Ch 22:2-4. Cedar he had from the Tyrians and the Zidonians. The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, Psa 45:12. He also got workmen together, the strangers that were in the land of Israel. Some think that he employed them because they were generally better artists, and more ingenious in manual operations, than the Israelites; or, rather, because he would not employ the free-born Israelites in any thing that looked mean and servile. They were delivered from the bondage of making bricks in Egypt, and must not return to hew stone. These strangers were proselytes to the Jewish religion, but, though not enslaved, they were not of equal dignity with Israelites.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:1

"And Satan stood up against Israel, and incited David to number Israel."The mention of Satan as the seducer of David is not to be explained merely by the fact that the Israelites in later times traced up everything contrary to God's will to this evil spirit, but in the present case arises from the author's design to characterize David's purpose from the very beginning as an ungodly thing.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:2-14

The naming of the העם שׂרי along with Joab is in accordance with the circumstances, for we learn from 2Sa 24:4 that Joab did not carry out the numbering of the people alone, but was assisted by the captains of the host. The object of אלי והביאוּ , which is not expressed, the result of the numbering, may be supplied from the context. No objection need be taken to the simple כּהם of 1Ch 21:3, instead of the double וכהם כּהם in Samuel. The repetition of the same word, "there are so and so many of them,"is a peculiarity of the author of the book of Samuel (cf. 2Sa 12:8), while the expression in the Chronicle corresponds to that in Deu 1:11. With the words וגו אדני הלא , "Are they not, my lord king, all my lord's servants,"i.e., subject to him? Joab allays the suspicion that he grudged the king the joy of reigning over a very numerous people. In 2Sa 24:3 the thought takes another turn; and the last clause, "Why should it (the thing or the numbering) become a trespass for Israel?"is wanting. אשׁמה denotes here a trespass which must be atoned for, not one which one commits. The meaning is therefore, Why should Israel expiate thy sin, in seeking thy glory in the power and greatness of thy kingdom? On the numbers, 1Ch 21:5, see on 2Sa 24:9. In commenting on 1Ch 21:6, which is not to be found in Samuel, Berth. defends the statement that Joab did not make any muster of the tribes Levi and Benjamin, against the objections of de Wette and Gramberg, as it is done in my apologet. Versuche, Sa. 349ff., by showing that the tribe of Levi was by law (cf. Num 1:47-54) exempted from the censuses of the people taken for political purposes; and the tribe of Benjamin was not numbered, because David, having become conscious of his sin, stopped the numbering before it was completed (cf. also the remarks on 2Sa 24:9). The reason given, "for the king's word was an abomination unto Joab,"is certainly the subjective opinion of the historian, but is shown to be well founded by the circumstances, for Joab disapproved of the king's design from the beginning; (cf. 2Sa 24:3 and 1Ch 21:3). - In 1Ch 21:7, the author of the Chronicle, instead of ascribing the confession of sin on David's part which follows to the purely subjective motive stated in the words, "and David's heart smote him,"i.e., his conscience ( 2Sa 24:10 ), has ascribed the turn matters took to objective causes: the thing displeased God; and anticipating the course of events, he remarks straightway, "and He (God) smote Israel."This, however, is no reason for thinking, with Berth., that the words have arisen out of a misinterpretation or alteration of 2Sa 24:10 ; for such anticipatory remarks, embracing the contents of the succeeding verses, not unfrequently occur in the historical books (cf. e.g., 1Ki 6:14; 1Ki 7:2). - In reference to 1Ch 21:8-10, see on 2Sa 24:10-16. - In 1Ch 21:12, נספּה has not come into the text by mistake or by misreading נסך (2Sa 24:13), but is original, the author of the Chronicle describing the two latter evils more at length than Samuel does. The word is not a participle, but a noun formed from the participle, with the signification "perishing"(the being snatched away). The second parallel clause, "the sword of thine enemies to attaining"(so that it reach thee), serves to intensify. So also in reference to the third evil, the יהוה חרב which precedes בּארץ דּבר , and the parallel clause added to both: "and the angel of the Lord destroying in the whole domain of Israel."

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:15

ליר מלאך האלהים ויּשׁלח , "And God sent an angel towards Jerusalem,"gives no suitable sense. Not because of the improbability that God sent the angel with the commission to destroy Jerusalem, and at the same moment gives the contrary command, "Stay now,"etc. (Berth.); for the reason of this change is given in the intermediate clause, "and at the time of the destroying the Lord repented it,"and command and prohibition are not given "at the same moment;"but the difficulty lies in the indefinite מלאך (without the article). For since the angel of Jahve is mentioned in 1Ch 21:12 as the bringer of the pestilence, in our verse, if it treats of the sending of this angel to execute the judgment spoken of, המּלאך must necessarily be used, or המּלאך את המּלא , as in 1Ch 21:16; the indefinite מלאך can by no means be used for it. In 2Sa 24:16 we read, instead of the words in question, יר המּלאך ידו ויּשׁלח , "and the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem;"and Bertheau thinks that the reading האלהים (in the Chron.) has arisen out of that, by the letters ידו ה being exchanged for יהוה , and אלהים being substituted for this divine name, as is often the case in the Chronicle; while Movers, S. 91, on the contrary, considers the reading of the Chronicle to be original, and would read יהוה ישׁלח in Samuel. But in that way Movers leaves the omission of the article before מלאך in the Chronicle unexplained; and Bertheau's conjecture is opposed by the improbability of such a misunderstanding of a phrase so frequent and so unmistakeable as ידו ישׁלח , as would lead to the exchange supposed, ever occurring. But besides that, in Samuel the simple המּלאך is strange, for the angel has not been spoken of there at all before, and the lxx have consequently explained the somewhat obscure המּלאך by ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ . This explanation suggests the way in which the reading of our text arose. The author of the Chronicle, although he had already made mention of the יהוה מלאך in 1Ch 21:12, wrote in 1Ch 21:15 האלהים מלאך האלהי ויּשׁלח , "the angel of God stretched (his hand) out towards Jerusalem,"using האלהים instead of יהוה , - as, for example, in Jdg 6:20, Jdg 6:22; Jdg 13:6, Jdg 13:9, and Jdg 13:13, Jdg 13:15, Jdg 13:17. האלהים מלאך alternates with יהוה מלאך , and omitting ידו with ישׁלח , as is often done, e.g., 2Sa 6:6; Psa 18:17, etc. By a copyist מלאך and האלהים have been transposed, and מלאך was then taken by the Masoretes for an accusative, and pointed accordingly. The expression is made clearer by וּכהשׁחית , "And as he destroyed, Jahve saw, and it repented Him of the evil."The idea is: Just as the angel had begun to destroy Jerusalem, it repented God. רב , adverb, "enough,"as in 1Ki 19:4, etc., with a dativ commodi , Deu 1:6, etc. Bertheau has incorrectly denied this meaning of the word, connecting רב with בּעם in 2Sa 24:16, and desiring to alter our text to make it conform to that. In 2nd Samuel also רב is an adverb, as Thenius also acknowledges.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:16-19

The account of David's repentant beseeching of the Lord to turn away the primitive judgment, and the word of the Lord proclaimed to him by the prophet, commanding him to build an altar to the Lord in the place where the destroying angel visibly appeared, together with the carrying out of this divine command by the purchase of Araunah's threshing-floor, the erection of an altar, and the offering of burnt-offering, is given more at length in the Chronicle than in 2Sa 24:17-25, where only David's negotiation with Araunah is more circumstantially narrated than in the Chronicle. In substance both accounts perfectly correspond, except that in the Chronicle several subordinate circumstances are preserved, which, as being minor points, are passed over in Samuel. In 1Ch 21:16, the description of the angel's appearance, that he had a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, and the statement that David and the elders, clad in sackcloth (garments indicating repentance), fell down before the Lord; in 1Ch 21:20, the mention of Ornan's (Araunah's) sons, who hid themselves on beholding the angel, and of the fact that Ornan was engaged in threshing wheat when David came to him; and the statement in 1Ch 21:26, that fire came down from heaven upon the altar-are examples of such minor points. We have already commented on this section in our remarks on 2Sa 24:17-25, and the account in the Chronicle is throughout correct and easily understood. Notwithstanding this, however, Bertheau, following Thenius and Böttcher, conjectures that the text is in several verses corrupt, and wishes to correct them by 2nd Samuel. But these critics are misled by the erroneous presumption with which they entered upon the interpretation of the Chronicle, that the author of it used as his authority, and revised, our Masoretic text of the second book of Samuel. Under the influence of this prejudice, emendations are proposed which are stamped with their own unlikelihood, and rest in part even on misunderstandings of the narrative in the book of Samuel. Of this one or two illustrations will be sufficient. Any one who compares 2Sa 24:17 (Sam.) with 1Ch 21:16 and 1Ch 21:17 of the Chronicle, without any pre-formed opinions, will see that what is there (Sam.) concisely expressed is more clearly narrated in the Chronicle. The beginning of 1Ch 21:17, "And David spake unto Jahve,"is entirely without connection, as the thought which forms the transition from 1Ch 21:16 to 1Ch 21:17, viz., that David was moved by the sight of the destroying angel to pray to God that the destruction might be turned away, is only brought in afterwards in the subordinate clause, "on seeing the angel."This abrupt form of expression is got rid of in the Chronicle by the clause: "And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel ... and fell ... upon his face; and David spake to God."That which in Samuel is crushed away into an infinitive clause subordinate to the principle sentence, precedes in the Chronicle, and is circumstantially narrated. Under these circumstances, of course, the author of the Chronicle could not afterwards in 1Ch 21:17 make use of the clause, "on seeing the angel who smote the people,"without tautology. Berth., on the contrary, maintains that 1Ch 21:16 is an interpolation of the chronicler, and proposes then to cull out from the words and letters בעם המכה המלאך את בראתו (Sam.), the words בעם למנותי אמרתי בראתו (1Ch 21:17), great use being made in the process of the ever ready auxiliaries, mistakes, and a text which has become obscure. This is one example out of many. 1Ch 21:16 of the Chronicle is not an addition which the Chronicle has interpolated between 2Sa 24:16-17 of Samuel, but a more detailed representation of the historical course of things. No mention is made in 2nd Samuel of the drawn sword in the angel's hand, because there the whole story is very concisely narrated. This detail need not have been borrowed from Num 22:23, for the drawn sword is a sensible sign that the angle's mission is punitive; and the angel, who is said to have visibly appeared in 2nd Samuel also, could be recognised as the bearer of the judicial pestilence only by this emblem, such recognition being plainly the object of his appearance. The mention of the elders along with David as falling on their faces in prayer, clad in sackcloth, will not surprise any reader or critic who considers that in the case of so fearful a pestilence the king would not be alone in praying God to turn away the judgment. Besides, from the mention of the עבדים of the king who went with David to Ornan (2Sa 24:20), we learn that the king did not by himself take steps to turn away the plague, but did so along with his servants. In the narrative in 2nd Samuel, which confines itself to the main point, the elders are not mentioned, because only of David was it recorded that his confession of sin brought about the removal of the plague. Just as little can we be surprised that David calls his command to number the people the delictum by which he had brought the judgment of the plague upon himself. - To alter בּדבר , 1Ch 21:19, into כּדבר , as Berth. wishes, would show little intelligence. בּדבר , at Gad's word David went up, is proved by Num 31:16 to be good Hebrew, and is perfectly suitable.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:20-23

ארנן ויּשׁב , "and Ornan turned him about,"is translated by Berth. incorrectly, "then Ornan turned back,"who then builds on this erroneous interpretation, which is contrary to the context, a whole nest of conjectures. ויּשׁב is said to have arisen out of ויּשׁקף , the succeeding המּלאך out of המּלך , עמּו בּניו ערבּעת out of עליו עברים עבדיו (2Sa 24:20), "by mistake and further alteration."In saying this, however, he himself has not perceived that 2Sa 24:20 (Sam.) does not correspond to the 1Ch 21:20 of the Chronicle at all, but to the 1Ch 21:21, where the words, "and Araunah looked out ( ישׁקף ) and saw the king,"as parallel to the words, "and Ornan looked ( יבּט ) and saw David."The 1Ch 21:20 of the Chronicle contains a statement which is not found in Samuel, that Ornan (Araunah), while threshing with his four sons, turned and saw the angel, and being terrified at the sight, hid himself with his sons. After that, David with his train came from Zion to the threshing-floor in Mouth Moriah, and Araunah looking out saw the king, and came out of the threshing-floor to meet him, with deep obeisance. This narrative contains nothing improbable, nothing to justify us in having recourse to critical conjecture.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:24

The infinitive העלות is very frequently used in Hebrew as the continuation of the verb. fin. , and is found in all the books of the Old Testament (cf. the collection of passages illustrative of this peculiar form of brief expression, which We. gives, §351, c ), and that not only with regard to the infin. absol., but the infin. constr. also. David's answer to Ornan's offer to give him the place for the altar, and the cattle, plough, and wheat for the burnt-offering, was therefore: "no, I will buy it for full price; I will not take what belongs to thee for Jahve, and bring burnt-offerings without cost,"i.e., without having paid the price for them.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:25

As to the different statements of the price, cf. on 2Sa 24:24.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 21:26-30

In 2Sa 24:25 the conclusion of this event is shortly narrated thus: David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and Jahve was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. In the Chronicle we have a fuller statement of the יהוה יעתר in 1Ch 21:26 . David called upon Jahve, and He answered with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt- offering (1Ch 21:27); and Jahve spake to the angel, and he returned the sword into its sheath. The returning of the sword into its sheath is a figurative expression for the stopping of the pestilence; and the fire which came down from heaven upon the altar of burnt-offering was the visible sign by which the Lord assured the king that his prayer had been heard, and his offering graciously accepted. The reality of this sign of the gracious acceptance of an offering is placed beyond doubt by the analogous cases, Lev 9:24; 1Ki 18:24, 1Ki 18:38, and 2Ch 7:1. It was only by this sign of the divine complacence that David learnt that the altar built upon the threshing-floor of Araunah had been chosen by the Lord as the place where Israel should always thereafter offer their burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as is further recorded in 1Ch 21:28-30. and in 1Ch 22:1. From the cessation of the pestilence in consequence of his prayer and sacrifice, David could only draw the conclusion that God had forgiven him his transgression, but could not have known that God had chosen the place where he had built the altar for the offering demanded by God as a permanent place of sacrifice. This certainly he obtained only by the divine answer, and this answer was the fire which came down upon the altar of burnt-offering and devoured the sacrifice. This 1Ch 21:28 states: "At the time when he saw that Jahve had answered him at the threshing-floor of Ornan, he offered sacrifice there,"i.e., from that time forward; so that we may with Berth. translate שׁם ויּזבּח , "then he was wont to offer sacrifice there."In 1Ch 21:29 and 1Ch 21:30 we have still further reasons given for David's continuing to offer sacrifices at the threshing-floor of Ornan. The legally sanctioned place of sacrifice for Israel was still at that time the tabernacle, the Mosaic sanctuary with its altar of burnt-offering, which then stood on the high place at Gibeon (cf. 1Ch 16:39). Now David had indeed brought the ark of the covenant, which had been separated from the tabernacle from the time of Samuel, to Zion, and had there not only erected a tent for it, but had also built an altar and established a settled worship there (1 Chron 17), yet without having received any express command of God regarding it; so that this place of worship was merely provisional, intended to continue only until the Lord Himself should make known His will in the matter in some definite way. When therefore David, after the conquest of his enemies, had obtained rest round about, he had formed the resolution to make an end of this provisional separation of the ark from the tabernacle, and the existence of two sacrificial altars, by building a temple; but the Lord had declared to him by the prophet Nathan, that not he, but his son and successor on the throne, should build Him a temple. The altar by the ark in Zion, therefore, continued to co-exist along with the altar of burnt-offering at the tabernacle in Gibeon, without being sanctioned by God as the place of sacrifice for the congregation of Israel. Then when David, by ordering the numbering of the people, had brought guilt upon the nation, which the Lord so heavily avenged upon them by the pestilence, he should properly, as king, have offered a sin-offering and a burnt-offering in the national sanctuary at Gibeon, and there have sought the divine favour for himself and for the whole people. But the Lord said unto him by the prophet Gad, that he should bring his offering neither in Gibeon, nor before the ark on Zion, but in the threshing-floor of Ornan (Araunah), on the altar which he was there to erect. This command, however, did not settle the place where he was afterwards to sacrifice. But David - so it runs, 1Ch 21:29. - sacrificed thenceforward in the threshing-floor of Ornan, not at Gibeon in the still existent national sanctuary, because he (according to 1Ch 21:30) "could not go before it ( לפניו ) to seek God, for he was terrified before the sword of the angel of Jahve."This statement does not, however, mean, ex terrore visionis angelicae infirmitatem corporis contraxerat (J. H. Mich.), nor yet, "because he, being struck and overwhelmed by the appearance of the angel, did not venture to offer sacrifices elsewhere"(Berth.), nor, "because the journey to Gibeon was too long for him"(O. v. Gerl.). None of these interpretations suit either the words or the context. חרב מפּני נבעת , terrified before the sword, does indeed signify that the sword of the angel, or the angel with the sword, hindered him from going to Gibeon, but not during the pestilence, when the angel stood between heaven and earth by the threshing-floor of Araunah with the drawn sword, but - according to the context - afterwards, when the angelophany had ceased, as it doubtless did simultaneously with the pestilence. The words וגו נבעת כּי can therefore have no other meaning, than that David's terror before the sword of the angel caused him to determine to sacrifice thereafter, not at Gibeon, but at the threshing-floor of Araunah; or that, since during the pestilence the angel's sword had prevented him from going to Gibeon, he did not venture ever afterwards to go. But the fear before the sword of the angel is in substance the terror of the pestilence; and the pestilence had hindered him from sacrificing at Gibeon, because Gibeon, notwithstanding the presence of the sanctuary there, with the Mosaic altar, had not been spared by the pestilence. David considered this circumstance as normative ever for the future, and he always afterwards offered his sacrifices in the place pointed out to him, and said, as we further read in 1Ch 22:1, "Here ( הוּא זה , properly this, mas. or neut.) is the house of Jahve God, and here is the altar for the burnt-offering of Israel."He calls the site of the altar in the threshing-floor of Araunah יהוה בּית , because there Jahve had manifested to him His gracious presence; cf. Gen 28:17.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 22:1

With this chapter commences the second section of the history of David's kingship, viz., the account of the preparations, dispositions, and arrangements which he made in the last years of his reign for the establishment of his kingdom in the future under his successors. All these preparations and dispositions had reference to the firm establishment of the public worship of the Lord, in which Israel, as the people and congregation of Jahve, might show its faithfulness to the covenant, so as to become partakers of the divine protection, and the blessing which was promised. To build the temple-this desire the Lord had not indeed granted the fulfilment of to David, but He had given him the promise that his son should carry out that work. The grey-haired king accordingly made preparations, after the site of the house of God which should be built had been pointed out to him, such as would facilitate the execution of the work by his successor. Of these preparations our chapter treats, and in it we have an account how David provided the necessary labour and materials for the building of the temple (1Ch 22:2-5), committed the execution of the work in a solemn way to his son Solomon (1Ch 22:6-16), and called upon the chiefs of the people to give him their support in the work (1Ch 22:17-19).

Constable: 1Ch 10:1--29:30

II. THE REIGN OF DAVID chs. 10--29

In all of Chronicles the writer assumed his readers' acquaintance with the other Old Testament historical books. This is especially true regarding what Samuel and Kings contain.

"The reigns of Saul, David and Solomon over a united Israel are central to the concerns of the Chronicler, about half his narrative material being devoted to these three kings alone. Nearly all the many themes of his work are developed here, and it is in their light that the subsequent history of the people is assessed."³⁶

Constable: 1Ch 17:1--29:30

E. God's Covenant Promises to David chs. 17-29

The dominating theme in 1 Chronicles is the Davidic Covenant, the receiving of which was the most important event in David's life. God promised to give him an eternal kingdom, and He formalized that promise by making a covenant with him. The writer repeated three times that David's descendants would be God's instruments for bringing salvation to the nations.

The Chronicler referred to the Davidic Covenant seven times in his book (1 Chron. 17:11-14; 22:8-13; 28:6-7; 2 Chron. 6:8-9, 16; 7:17-18; 13:5; 21:7). Many students of Chronicles have regarded the Davidic Covenant as the heart of these books because it established David's kingly line with promises that relate to the temple and the priesthood. The temple and the priesthood are two major themes of these books. God brought them under Davidic rule forever, as the Chronicler revealed.

Another unifying theme is the steps taken toward the building of the temple.

"These include identification of the builder (ch. 17), the necessary political conditions (18-20), site (21), materials and plans (22, 28-29), and the personnel (the primary layer in 23-27)."⁵⁶

Constable: 1Ch 17:1--21:30

1. The first account of God's promises to David chs. 17-21

In some particulars the promises God gave David related to himself personally. However other promises pertained to his descendants and, in particular, to one descendant who would do for Israel much more than David could do. In chapters 17-21 the emphasis is on the promises that related to David personally. The writer evidently wanted to establish God's faithfulness in fulfilling these to encourage his readers to trust God to fulfill the yet unfulfilled promises concerning David's great Son.

In 17:8, God promised David victory over his enemies. The writer recorded that victory in chapters 18-20. In 17:9-12, God promised David that He would establish a place for Israel and a place for Himself within Israel (v. 12; cf. Deut. 12:1-11). The Chronicler documented the selection of that place in chapter 21. These verses contain promises central to the Chronicler's emphasis and purpose.

Constable: 1Ch 21:1-30

God's provision of a place for Israel ch. 21

Chapter 21 records the fulfillment of God's second personal promise to David, namely, that He would appoint a place where Israel could dwell securely (17:9). This was a promise of peace for Israel, but as the verses following 17:9 make clear God had more than this in mind. He intended to dwell among His people in the house Solomon would build (17:11-12). God's presence was the real source of Israel's security. By giving Israel a place, God would provide for Himself a place where He would dwell, specifically the temple. Chapter 21 records God's choice of the place where He would dwell, the site of the temple. There David's successor would build a temple for Yahweh (17:12).

"It may also be said that having empowered Israel to defeat their human foes, God provided a place of atonement and divine manifestation whereby they could defeat (or hold at bay) their nonhuman enemy, Satan."⁶⁶

The writer gave much attention to detail and background events because of the importance of the temple site. All these events point to God's ultimate purpose for the temple, that it would draw the Israelites and the Gentiles to Himself.

"Here, by divine command, is to be the site of the temple. It is a gift not from Ornan but from God. The grace of God, in giving this to His people as the place where ark and altar are to be brought together, is a thing to be wondered at."⁶⁷

Apparently David's lack of faith in God's ability to save His people led him to number the people (vv. 1-7). God did not approve of this attitude, and even though David confessed his sin and God removed his guilt, the consequences of his sin followed (vv. 8-12). David's words to Gad again model a proper response to God (v. 13). David volunteered to bear God's judgment in place of the innocent Israelites (vv. 16-17). However, God instructed him to build an altar at the place of God's judgment and to offer the sacrifice that the Mosaic Law required. That was the site God chose for His house (21:18-22:1). That place forever after, as long as Israel occupied the land, would be where the priests would atone for the Israelites' sins by sacrifice. The primary reason for including this incident involving David's sin was that it explains the site chosen for the temple.⁶⁸

The Hebrew word transliterated "Satan" (satan; 21:1) means adversary. Adversary would be a better translation here. This is the first time in Scripture the word appears without the definite article as a proper noun. It seems that the adversary God permitted to worry David into numbering the people was a foreign enemy (v. 12; cf. 1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Sam. 19:23; 24:1-25; 1 Kings 5:18; 11:14, 23, 25).⁶⁹ Of course Satan played a role in this temptation, but it was evidently fear of one of his neighbors that disturbed David's mind.⁷⁰

"The major reason for taking a census in Israel was to lay the basis for levying taxes (Exod 30:12; Num 3:40-51) or registering men for military service (Num 26:1-4)."⁷¹

David's response indicated his true repentance. He left the decision about punishment entirely in God's hands and did not seek to control it.

"Perhaps the one thing that impresses more than David's sins in his life are his repentances (cf. 2 Sam. 12:13ff., and, associated in its heading with the same incident, Ps. 51). We do well to let his willingness to come fully to terms with his deficiencies inform our own responses to our moral failures before God."⁷²

Chapters 17-21 give the first account of what God promised David in the Davidic Covenant that the writer recorded in Chronicles. The things God promised He provided in David's lifetime and shortly after that. They included victory in battle, expanded influence, and a glorious reputation. The record of this promise is in 17:8, and the fulfillment is in chapters 18-20. The second promise was a secure, peaceful place for Israel that made necessary a place for Yahweh to dwell among His people in fellowship. The record of this promise is in 17:9-12, and chapter 21 guarantees its fulfillment. These promises and their fulfillments would have given the original readers of Chronicles great confidence. They would have encouraged them that Yahweh would yet fulfill those promises in the Davidic Covenant that had not yet materialized but were still future for them. The record should have the same effect on us today.

Constable: 1Ch 22:1--27:34

2. The second account of God's promises to David chs. 22-27

In this section of chapters we have David's preparations for the fulfillment of those aspects of the covenant that extended beyond his reign. We can see David's belief that God would fulfill the rest of His promises in the ways he prepared for their fulfillment. He prepared in two ways: by gathering materials for the construction of the temple (ch. 22), and by appointing the officials who would guide Israel after his death (chs. 23-27).

David concerned himself with what God had promised. In this he was a godly example to the restoration Jews, and he is to us. He wanted to see God's kingdom come, namely, the kingdom that God had promised (cf. Matt. 6:10). The focus of the promise was the house for God that Solomon would build. David did all he could to pave the way for its coming into reality (cf. Ps. 69:9; John 2:17). The postexilic remnant demonstrated little zeal to rebuild the temple or to reestablish God's kingdom on earth (Hag. 1:2). The Book of Chronicles was one instrument God used to stir them up to action (cf. Hag. 2:20-23).

Constable: 1Ch 22:1-19

Preparations for temple construction ch. 22

This chapter is unique to Chronicles. It records David's plans to assemble building materials and workers for the construction of the temple. He instructed Solomon carefully in what God had promised so his son would carry out the work as God wanted (vv. 5-13). This is the first of three speeches by David that the Chronicler recorded: 22:2-19; 28:1-21; and 29:1-9.

The writer provided another reason God did not permit David to build the temple himself. God wanted a man characterized by peace to build His house (v. 8). David not only shed blood in obedience to God (14:10; 19:13), but he had also been guilty of excessive violence (cf. 2 Sam. 8:2). Solomon not only ruled in peaceful times, after David had subdued Israel's enemies, but his name even relates to the Hebrew word for peace (shalom). "Shalom" does not just mean the absence of war, however. It includes the fullness of Yahweh's blessing that Israel enjoyed because of David's reign.

If God's revelation to David (v. 8) took place at the same time as the one mentioned in 2 Samuel 7:2, Solomon's birth appears to have followed the giving of the Davidic Covenant (cf. v. 9). However it seems probable that God gave the revelation in verse 8 to David before Solomon was born (v. 9). He evidently repeated it after Solomon's birth when He gave David the covenant (2 Sam. 7:2). Such a repetition is very probable in view of David's great desire to build a house for the Lord. This was the passion of his life from the time he became king and from then on.

David also mentioned a qualification on God's promise: obedience to God's will (v. 13). Solomon would only prosper as he submitted obediently to God's authority. Solomon and all who followed him failed God. Consequently the original readers of Chronicles anticipated a Son of David who would yet come and complete what Solomon and the other kings of Judah could not. These promises were still unfulfilled in the returned exiles' day as they are in ours.

"David is here to Solomon much like Moses was to Joshua. David could do all the preparations for the temple but could not build it, just as Moses could not lead Israel into Canaan."⁷³

Guzik: 1Ch 21:1-30

1 Chronicles 21 - Where to Build the Temple

A. David commands a census to be taken.

1. (1-2) David is moved to take a census.

Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, "Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it."

a. Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel: In 2 Samuel 24:1, it tells us that this was initially prompted because the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel. So we see that Satan moved David yet the LORD expressly allowed it as a chastisement against David.

i. There is quite a gap in the historical record that the Chronicler passes over, including many family problems and a civil war. "His reasons for a gap of this length are not difficult to surmise: little of what transpired during those two decades would encourage a postexilic Judah, before whom Ezra was seeking to portray a piety that characterized David as his best." (Payne)

ii. "For the first time in Scripture, the word 'Satan' appears without the definite article as a proper noun." (Payne)

iii. "When Satan incites, he is interested merely in his own ends. He neither cares for righteous punishment nor looks for possible repentance, since they are as foreign to his nature as temptation to sin is to God's." (Selman)

b. Go, number Israel: This was dangerous because of a principle stated in Exodus 30:12: When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.

i. The principle of Exodus 30:12 speaks to God's ownership of His people. In the thinking of these ancient cultures, a man only had the right to count or number what belonged to him. Israel didn't belong to David; Israel belonged to God. It was up to the LORD to command a counting, and if David counted he should only do it at God's command and receiving ransom money to "atone" for the counting.

ii. "Numbering the hosts of Jehovah is not essentially or necessarily wrong; everything depends on the motive. . . . When it is born of pride, it is the subtlest of perils, inclining us to trust in the multitude of a host, and thus to cease to depend upon God." (Morgan)

iii. "When we are moved to number the people, we may rest assured that the impulse is Divine or Satanic, and we may determine which by the motive. If the motive is service, it is God. If the motive is pride, it is Satanic." (Morgan)

2. (3-4) Joab objects to the census.

And Joab answered, "May the LORD make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?" Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.

a. Why then does my lord desire this thing? Joab wasn't afraid to speak to David when he thought the king was wrong. With the best interest of both David and Israel in mind, Joab tactfully asked David to reconsider this foolish desire to count the nation.

i. Joab also hints at the motive behind the counting - pride in David. The this thing that David desired was the increase of the nation, and he perhaps wanted to measure the size of his army to know if he had enough force to conquer a neighboring nation. "He did it out of curiosity and creature-confidence." (Trapp)

ii. We gather from 2 Samuel 24 that this took place late in his reign. So late in his reign, David was tempted to take some of the glory in himself. He looked at how Israel had grown and prospered during his reign - it was remarkable indeed. The count was a way to take credit to himself. "The spirit of vainglory in numbers had taken possession of the people and the king, and there was a tendency to trust in numbers and forget God." (Morgan)

b. Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab: 2 Samuel 24:4 tells us that it wasn't only Joab who tried to tell David not to do this - the captains of the army also warned David not to count the soldiers in Israel. But David did so anyway.

3. (5-8) The census is made and David is immediately sorry.

Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword. But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's word was abominable to Joab. And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. So David said to God, "I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly."

a. Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king: he results showed that there were 1,300,000 fighting men among the twelve tribes, reflecting an estimated total population of about 6 million in Israel.

i. 2 Samuel 24:5-9 indicates that it took almost 10 months to complete the census. David should have called off this foolish census during the ten months, but he didn't.

ii. The number given in 2 Samuel 24:5-9 is different than the sum arrived at here. "To attempt to reconcile them in every part is lost labour; better at once acknowledge what cannot be successfully denied, that although the original writers of the Old Testament wrote under the influence of the Divine Spirit, yet we are not told that the same influence descended on all copiers of their words, so as absolutely to prevent them from making mistakes." (Clarke)

iii. But he did not count Levi and Benjamin: "The rabbis give the following reason for this: Joab, seeing that this would bring down destruction upon the people, purposed to save two tribes. Should David ask, Why have you not numbered the Levites? Joab purposed to say, Because the Levites are not reckoned among the children of Israel. Should he ask, Why have you not numbered Benjamin? he would answer, Benjamin has been already sufficiently punished, on account of the treatment of the woman at Gibeah: if, therefore, this tribe were to be again punished, who would remain?" (Clarke)

b. Therefore He struck Israel: God would strike Israel with a choice of judgments offered to David. Yet God had already struck Israel by deeply convicting the King of Israel with an acute sense of his sin.

c. I have sinned greatly: The man after God's heart was not sinless, but had a heart sensitive to sin when it was committed. David kept a short account with God.

i. "The chief interest of this chapter for us lies in the revelation of the true character of David. His sins were the lapses and accidents of his life. This is not to condone them. It is, however, to emphasize that the habitual set of his life was far otherwise than these sins suggest, and the deepest truth concerning him is revealed, not by the failures, but by his action afterwards." (Morgan)

d. Take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly: David now saw the pride and vainglory that prompted him to do such a foolish thing.

4. (9-12) David is allowed to choose the judgment.

And the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying, "Go and tell David, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you."'" So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Choose for yourself, either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the LORD; the plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me."

a. I offer you three things: God used David's sin and the resulting chastisement to reveal David's heart and wisdom. His choice of the following three options would test David:

· Three years of famine: This would surely be the death of some in Israel, but the wealthy and resourceful would survive. Israel would have to depend on neighboring nations for food

· Three months to be defeated by your foes: This would be the death of some in Israel, but mostly only of soldiers. Israel would have to contend with enemies among neighboring nations

· For three days . . . the plague in the land: This would be the death of some in Israel, but anyone could be struck by this plague - rich or poor, influential or anonymous, royalty or common

i. "This was a great mercy: David must be whipped; but he may choose his own rod." (Trapp)

b. Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me: God wanted David to use the prophet as a mediator, and to answer to the prophet instead of directly to God.

5. (13) David chooses the three days of plague.

And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

a. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD: This meant that David chose the three days of plague. In the other two options the king and his family could be insulated against the danger, but David knew that he had to expose himself to the chastisement of God.

i. "Had he chosen war, his own personal safety was in no danger, because there was already an ordinance preventing him from going to battle. Had he chosen famine, his own wealth would have secured his and his own family's support. But he showed the greatness of his mind in choosing the pestilence, to the ravages of which himself and his household were exposed equally with the meanest of his subjects." (Clarke)

b. Do not let me fall into the hand of man: This meant that David chose the three days of plague. In the other two options, Israel would either be at the mercy of neighbors (as in the famine) or attacked by enemies. David knew that God is far more merciful and gracious than man is.

B. The course of the plague

1. (14-15) The plague of destruction hits Israel severely.

So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the LORD looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

a. Seventy thousand men of Israel fell: This was a great calamity upon Israel - a devastating plague striking this many in such a short period of time.

b. The LORD looked and relented of the disaster: This justified David's wisdom in leaving himself in God's hands. He could not trust man to relent from destruction.

2. (16-19) David's intercession; and God's instruction.

Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. And David said to God, "Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued." Therefore, the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD.

a. Having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem: At this point God had relented from the severity of judgment, yet the threat was still imminent. So David and the elders humbled themselves before God and David repented.

b. Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father's house: Like a true shepherd, David asked that the punishment be upon him and his own household. Having another purpose to accomplish, God did not accept David's offer.

c. Erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite: This is where David met the Angel of the LORD, and where God relented from the plague before it came upon Jerusalem. Now God wanted David to meet Him there in worship.

i. "Threshing floors were usually on a height, in order to catch every breeze; some area to the north of David's city is indicated" (Baldwin)

ii. The threshing floor of Ornan had both rich history and a rich future. 2 Chronicles 3:1 tells us that the threshing floor of Ornan was on Mount Moriah; the same hill where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22:2), and the same set of hills where Jesus died on the cross (Genesis 22:14).

iii. "In fact, David's altar was the only one in pre-exilic times which God explicitly commanded to be built." (Selman)

iv. "The decision of God to establish his altar and temple at Moriah in Jerusalem has affected all history (cf. Revelation 11:1); for this mountain became the focus of the Holy City, where His Son was crucified. And it will continue to affect history; for from this 'city he loves', he will some day rule the nations of the earth (Isaiah 2:2-4)." (Payne)

3. (20-25) David buys the threshing floor or Ornan.

Now Ornan turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves, but Ornan continued threshing wheat. Then David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed before David with his face to the ground. Then David said to Ornan, "Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the LORD. You shall grant it to me at the full price, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people." And Ornan said to David, "Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all." Then King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing." So David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place.

a. Now Ornan turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves: "Partly because of the glory and majesty in which the angel appeared, which men's weak and sinful natures are not able to bear; and partly for the fear of God's vengeance, which was at this time riding circuit in the land, and now seemed to be coming to their family." (Poole)

b. Grant me the place of this threshing floor . . . at full price: David wanted to transform this place where chaff was separated from wheat into a place of sacrifice and worship. It would remain a place of sacrifice and worship, because this land purchased by David became the site of Solomon's temple (1 Chronicles 21:28-22:5).

i. "So David bought 'the site' - hammaqom, which may have included the whole area of Mount Moriah - for 240 ounces of gold. This was worth about one hundred thousand dollars. Second Samuel 24:24 notes a much smaller amount, 20 ounces of silver, for the threshing floor itself." (Payne)

c. Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes: Ornan had a good, generous heart and wanted to give David anything he wanted.

i. "Had Araunah's noble offer been accepted, it would have been Araunah's sacrifice, not David's; nor would it have answered the end of turning away the displeasure of the Most High." (Clarke)

d. No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing: David knew that it would not be a gift nor a sacrifice unto the LORD if it did not cost him something. He didn't look for the cheapest way possible to please God.

i. "He who has a religion that costs him nothing, has a religion that is worth nothing: nor will any man esteem the ordinances of God, if those ordinances cost him nothing." (Clarke)

ii. "Where there is true, strong love to Jesus, it will cost us something. Love is the costliest of all undertakings . . . But what shall we mind if we gain Christ? You cannot give up for Him without regaining everything you have renounced, but purified and transfigured." (Meyer)

4. (26-27) God is satisfied and the judgment relents.

And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering. So the LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

a. And offered burnt offerings and peace offerings: This shows that David understood that the death of the 70,000 in Israel in the plague did not atone for his and Israel's sin. Atonement could only be made through the blood of an approved substitute.

i. Burnt offerings were to atone for sin; peace offerings were to enjoy fellowship with God. This shows us from beginning to end, David's life was marked by fellowship with God.

ii. "We finally see the man after God's own heart turning the occasion of his sin and its punishment into an occasion of worship." (Morgan)

b. He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar: God showed His acceptance of David's sacrifice by consuming it with fire from heaven. God honored David's desire to be right and to fellowship with God by answering with Divine blessing from heaven. So it always is when God's children draw near to their God and Father for cleansing and fellowship.

i. The sending of fire from heaven answered a question that had burned in the heart of David for a long time. For many years, he had wondered where God wanted the temple to be built, and he sought for that place, as shown in Psalm 132:1-5:

LORD, remember David

And all his afflictions;

How he swore to the LORD,

And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

"Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,

Or go up to the comfort of my bed;

I will not give sleep to my eyes

Or slumber to my eyelids,

Until I find a place for the LORD,

A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

ii. The fire on the altar from heaven confirmed the previous word of the Prophet Gad that this was the place to build the altar and the temple. We see that God simply use Satan's provocation at the opening of this chapter to lead to the answer of this important question for David and for the nation of Israel. There were certainly other purposes of God at work, but this was one of them.

iii. The character of Ornan's threshing floor shows us something about where and how God wants to meet with men. Ornan's threshing floor was . . .

· A simple, unadorned place - not like a fancy church at all.

· A place of ordinary work.

· A place bought with money.

· A place where bread was brought forth from.

· A place where the justice of God was evident.

· A place where sin was confessed.

· A place where sacrifice was offered and accepted.

iv. "Do not believe for a moment that visible grandeur is necessary to the place where God will meet with you. Go to your threshing floor and pray; aye, while the unmuzzled oxen take their rest, bow your knee and cry to the Lord of the harvest, and you shall meet with God there amongst the straw and the grain. Fear not to draw nigh to God in these streets, but consecrate all space to the Lord your God." (Spurgeon)

5. (28-22:1) David decides to build the temple at the place where God showed mercy to Israel.

At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon. But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD. Then David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel."

a. When David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there: David knew that there was something special about this threshing floor; he understood that God had sanctified the place Himself with fire from heaven.

i. "Having seen his prayers answered and his sacrifices accepted, the site had already become a 'house of prayer' and a 'temple for sacrifices' cf. 2 Chronicles 7:12; Isaiah 56:7)." (Selman)

ii. "Abraham taught the fact of the sacrifice, while to David the reason of that sacrifice of Christ was explained. He was sacrificed to stay the plague - the plague of sin, the punishment of our iniquities." (Spurgeon)

b. This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel: David understood that the future temple should be built on this spot in Jerusalem. God had sanctified this humble threshing floor to Himself.

i. This is the house: "This is that very place foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 12:11)." (Trapp)

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Guzik: 1Ch 22:1-19

1 Chronicles 22 - David's Charge to Solomon

A. David gathers men, material, and a vision.

1. (2-4) David gathers men and material for building the temple.

So David commanded to gather the aliens who were in the land of Israel; and he appointed masons to cut hewn stones to build the house of God. And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails of the doors of the gates and for the joints, and bronze in abundance beyond measure, and cedar trees in abundance; for the Sidonians and those from Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

a. David commanded to gather the aliens who were in the land of Israel: 1 Kings 5:15-18 describes how these were actually put to work in the building of the temple in Solomon's day, some 70,000 slaves.

b. Cedar trees in abundance: The cedar trees of Lebanon were legendary for their excellent timber. This means David (and Solomon after him) wanted to build the temple out of the best materials possible.

i. It also means that they were willing to build this great temple to God with "Gentile" wood and using "Gentile" labor. This was a temple to the God of Israel, but it was not only for Israel. Only Jews built the tabernacle, "But the temple is not built without the aid of the Gentile Tyrians. They, together with us, make up the Church of God." (Trapp)

ii. Payne on iron in abundance: "The king's provision of 'a large amount of iron' reflects how conditions had changed during his time - known archaeologically as Iron I - due, no doubt, to the incorporation of iron-producing Philistines within the sphere of Hebrew control."

2. (5) David's vision for the preparation of the temple.

Now David said, "Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it." So David made abundant preparations before his death.

a. Solomon my son is young and inexperienced: Even after David's death, Solomon knew that he was young and inexperienced (1 Kings 3:7), so when offered anything he wanted wisdom to lead God's people.

b. The house to be built for the LORD must be exceeding magnificent: Solomon had the same vision for the glory of the temple, and he indeed built it according to David's vision of a magnificent, famous, and glorious building. Solomon had this vision breathed into him through his father's influence.

i. We can almost picture the old David and the young Solomon pouring over the plans and ideas for the temple together with excitement. David knew that it was not his place to build it, but had the right vision for what the temple should be in general terms, and he passed that vision on to his son.

ii. So David made abundant preparations before his death: This indicates that David was a peace with the idea that he himself could not build the temple and was content to prepare the way for his son to build it successfully. "This is a picture of a man who through stress and storm had found his way into the quiet calm assurance of his place in the divine economy. . . . It is a condition of peace and power." (Morgan)

iii. "The Chronicler was vitally concerned to insure support for the Jerusalem temple in his day. No more fitting stimulus for dedication in this regard could then be found than in the example set by David when he made preparations for the construction of that temple in his day." (Payne)

B. David's exhortation to his son Solomon.

1. (6-10) David's testimony of the call to build the temple.

Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. And David said to Solomon: "My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the LORD my God; but the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'"

a. And charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel: This was not a suggestion or an idea offered to Solomon. It was a sacred charge for him to fulfill. David knew that he could not fulfill this last great work of his life himself; he could only do it through Solomon after David went to his reward. There was a sense in which if Solomon failed, David failed also.

i. Specifically, David wanted to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. "That the temple was to be built 'for the Name of the LORD' means more than his reputation or honor but ultimately for his Person." (Payne)

b. You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name: This explaination was not previously recorded, either in 2 Samuel or in 1 Chronicles. Here we find one of the reasons why God did not want David to build the temple, and why He chose Solomon instead. God wanted a man of rest and peace to build a house unto Him.

i. It wasn't that David's wars were wrong or ungodly, or that the blood he shed was unrighteous. It was that God wanted His house built from the context of peace and rest and victory; He wanted it to be built after and from the victory, not from the midst of struggle.

ii. "Principally for mystical signification, to teach us that the church (whereof the temple was a manifest and a illustrious type) should be built by Christ, the Prince of peace, Isaiah 9:6; and that it should be gathered and built up, not by might or power, or by force of arms, but by God's Spirit, Zechariah 4:6, and by the preaching of the gospel of peace." (Poole)

2. (11-13) David warns Solomon to stay faithful to God and His word.

"Now, my son, may the LORD be with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the LORD your God, as He has said to you. Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the LORD charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed."

a. May the LORD be with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the LORD your God: The Chronicler emphasized David's legacy and Solomon's mission to build the temple. This would become by far Solomon's greatest accomplishment.

b. That you may keep the law of the LORD your God: David knew that Solomon could not be strong or courageous without obedient fellowship with God. In this place of obedient fellowship, Solomon would prosper in all that he did.

c. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed: Solomon could take courage and reject fear because God promised David that as long as his sons walked in obedience, they would keep the throne of Israel (1 Kings 2:1-4).

i. This is an amazing promise. No matter what the Assyrians or the Egyptians or the Babylonians did, as long as David's sons were obedient and followed God with their heart and with all their soul, God would establish their kingdom. He would take care of the rest.

3. (14-16) What David did to prepare for the building of the temple.

"Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the LORD one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them. Moreover there are workmen with you in abundance: woodsmen and stonecutters, and all types of skillful men for every kind of work. Of gold and silver and bronze and iron there is no limit. Arise and begin working, and the LORD be with you."

a. I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the LORD: David took seriously his mission to prepare the way by bringing both security and treasure to Israel and his successor Solomon. With these two resources he could build the house of the LORD.

i. The Bible tells us that Jesus - the greater Son of David - is also building a temple (Ephesians 2:19-22). He could only do this after security and treasure were won; but the greater Son of David made this peace and plundered the enemy Himself at the cross. Jesus could also say that He took much trouble to prepare for the house of the LORD and that He has prepared the building materials (his people, according to Ephesians 2:19-22).

b. One hundred thousand talents of gold: This is an enormous amount of gold. Some Bible commentators believe this large number is accurate and some feel it is a scribal error. Even allowing for possible scribal error, David clearly amassed significant resources for a temple he would never build.

i. Even so, David also told Solomon to receive these enormous resources and add to them. "Save as I have saved, out of the revenues of the state, and thou mayest also add something for the erection and splendour of his this house. This was a gentle though pointed hint, which was not lost on Solomon." (Clarke)

ii. "Cannot I put my hand on some young man's shoulder, and say to him, 'Thou mayest add thereto; thou hast a good voice; thou hast an active brain; begin to speak for God; there are numbers of godly men in the gospel ministry; if thou art called of God, thou mayest add thereto'?" (Spurgeon)

c. Arise and begin working, and the LORD be with you: David made all the preparation, but it was in vain if Solomon did not begin working. He had to actually do the work, and do it with the confidence that the LORD was with him.

i. David is an example of someone who works in the background, who receives none or little credit for his work, but the job cannot be done without him.

· David gathered the materials for the temple

· David prepared some of those materials

· David won the peace with surrounding nations that Israel needed to build the temple

· David found and purchased the site to build the temple

· David established the plans for the temple

· David organized and commanded the administration and servants of the temple

ii. Yet no one calls it "David's temple." It seems that all the credit, all the name, all the glory goes to Solomon. It doesn't seem to have bothered David, because he was a man after God's heart.

iii. "So, if you go to a country town or village, and you preach the gospel to a few poor folk, you may never have seemed very successful; but you have been preparing the way for somebody else who is coming after you." (Spurgeon)

iv. "But this is a terrible blow at self. Self says, 'I like to begin something of my own, and I like to carry it out; I do not want any interference from other people.' A friend proposed, the other day, to give you a little help in your service. You looked at him as if he had been a thief. You do not want any help; you are quite up to the mark; you are like a wagon and four horses, and a dog under the wagon as well! There is everything about you that is wanted; you need no help from anybody; you can do all things almost without the help of God! I am very sorry for you if that is your opinion." (Spurgeon)

4. (17-19) David's command to the leaders of Israel.

David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, "Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God. Therefore arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD."

a. David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son: David knew that one leader - even a great leader - was not enough to get a great work done. When God calls a leader He also calls other leaders . . . to help.

b. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God: This command of David's is interesting in its context. David gave this command in the context of work, not the context of leisurely repose before God. David knew that it was possible to keep one's heart set on seeking God even in the midst of doing a great work before the LORD.

i. "They must seek the LORD (v. 19) as David had sought him (cf. 13:3; 14:10, 14). David explains how to seek ('devote your heart and soul'; cf. REB, NEB, JB) and what it meant in practice (Build the sanctuary). As elsewhere, 'seeking' is an act of obedience rather than a search for guidance, and David will yet again underline its importance (1 Chronicles 28:8-9)." (Selman)

ii. "Thus Solomon came to the Jewish throne with every possible advantage. Had he made a proper use of his state and of his talents, he would have been the greatest as well as the wisest of sovereigns. But alas! How soon did this pure gold become dim! He began with an unlawful matrimonial connection; this led him to a commerce that was positively forbidden by the law of God: he then multiplied his matrimonial connections with pagan women; they turned his heart away from God, and the once wise and holy Solomon died a fool and an idolater." (Clarke)

iii. "Did David live in vain? Can it be truly said that he failed in the grandest project of his life? Assuredly not; he did all that he was permitted to do, and by making those elaborate preparations, he was really the means of the building of the temple." (Spurgeon)

iv. "God buries the workman, but the devil himself cannot bury the work. The work is everlasting, though the workmen die. We pass away, as star by star grows dim; but the eternal light is never-fading. God shall have the victory." (Spurgeon)

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Commentary -- Other

Contradiction: 1Ch 21:1

1. Does God incite David to conduct the census of his people (2 Samuel 4:1), or does Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1)?

(Category: misunderstood how God works in history)

This seems an apparent discrepancy unless of course both statements are true. It was towards the end of David's reign, and David was looking back over his brilliant conquests, which had brought the Canaanite, Syrian, and Phoenician kingdoms into a state of vassalage and dependency on Israel. He had an attitude of pride and self-admiration for his achievements, and was thinking more in terms of armaments and troops than in terms of the mercies of God.

The Lord therefore decided that it was time that David be brought to his knees, where he would once again be cast back onto the mercy of God. So he let him go ahead with his census, in order to find out just how much good it would do him, as the only thing this census would accomplish would be to inflate the national ego (intimated in Joab's warning against carrying out the census in 1 Chronicles 21:3). As soon as the numbering was completed, God intended to chasten the nation with a disastrous plague which would bring about an enormous loss of life (in fact the lives of 70,000 Israelites according to 2 Samuel 24:15).

What about Satan? Why would he get himself involved in this affair (according to 1 Chronicles 21:1) if God had already prompted David to commit the folly he had in mind? It seems his reasons were entirely malicious, knowing that a census would displease the Lord (1 Chronicles 21:7-8), and so he also incited David to carry it through.

Yet this is nothing new, for there are a number of other occurrences in the Bible where both the Lord and Satan were involved in soul-searching testings and trials:

a. In the book of Job, chapters one and two we find a challenge to Satan from God allowing Satan to bring upon Job his calamities. God's purpose was to purify Job's faith, and to strengthen his character by means of discipline through adversity, whereas Satan's purpose was purely malicious, wishing Job as much harm as possible so that he would recant his faith in his God.

b. Similarly both God and Satan are involved in the sufferings of persecuted Christians according to 1 Peter 4:19 and 5:8. God's purpose is to strengthen their faith and to enable them to share in the sufferings of Christ in this life, that they may rejoice with Him in the glories of heaven to come (1 Peter 4:13-14), whereas Satan's purpose is to 'devour' them (1 Peter 5:8), or rather to draw them into self-pity and bitterness, and down to his level.

c. Both God and Satan allowed Jesus the three temptations during his ministry on earth. God's purpose for these temptations was for him to triumph completely over the very tempter who had lured the first Adam to his fall, whereas Satan's purpose was to deflect the saviour from his messianic mission.

d. In the case of Peter's three denials of Jesus in the court of the high priest, it was Jesus himself who points out the purposes of both parties involvement when he says in Luke 22:31-32, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

e. And finally the crucifixion itself bears out yet another example where both God and Satan are involved. Satan exposed his purpose when he had the heart of Judas filled with treachery and hate (John 13:27), causing him to betray Jesus. The Lord's reasoning behind the crucifixion, however, was that Jesus, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world should give his life as a ransom for many, so that once again sinful man could relish in the relationship lost at the very beginning, in the garden of Eden, and thereby enter into a relationship which is now eternal.

Thus we have five other examples where both the Lord and Satan were involved together though with entirely different motives. Satan's motive in all these examples, including the census by David was driven by malicious intent, while the Lord in all these cases showed an entirely different motive. His was a benevolent motive with a view to eventual victory, while simultaneously increasing the usefulness of the person tested. In every case Satan's success was limited and transient; while in the end God's purpose was well served furthering His cause substantially.

(Archer 1982:186-188)

Contradiction: 1Ch 21:5

2. 2 Samuel 24:9 gives the total population for Israel as 800,000, whereas 1 Chronicles 21:5 says it was 1,100,000.

(Category: misunderstood the historical context or misunderstood the author's intent)

There are a number of ways to understand not only this problem but the next challenge as well, since they both refer to the same passages and to the same census.

It is possible that the differences between the two accounts are related to the unofficial and incomplete nature of the census (which will be discussed later), or that the book of Samuel presents rounded numbers, particularly for Judah.

The more likely answer, however, is that one census includes categories of men that the other excludes. It is quite conceivable that the 1 Chronicles 21:5 figure included all the available men of fighting age, whether battle-seasoned or not, whereas the 2 Samuel 24:9 account is speaking only of those who were ready for battle. Joab's report in 2 Samuel 24 uses the word 'is hayil, which is translated as "mighty men", or battle-seasoned troops, and refers to them numbering 800,000 veterans. It is reasonable that there were an additional 300,000 men of military age kept in the reserves, but not yet involved in field combat. The two groups would therefore make up the 1,100,000 men in the 1 Chronicles 21 account which does not employ the Hebrew term 'is hayil to describe them.

(Archer 1982:188-189 and Light of Life II 1992:189-190)

3. 2 Samuel 24:9 gives the round figure Of 500,000 fighting men in Judah, which was 30,000 more than the corresponding item in 1 Chronicles 21:5.

(Category: misunderstood the historical context)

Observe that 1 Chronicles 21:6 clearly states that Joab did not complete the numbering, as he had not yet taken a census of the tribe of Benjamin, nor that of Levi's either, due to the fact that David came under conviction about completing the census at all. Thus the different numbers indicate the inclusion or exclusion of particular unspecified groups in the nation. We find another reference to this in 1 Chronicles 27:23-24 where it states that David did not include those twenty years old and younger, and that since Joab did not finish the census the number was not recorded in King David's Chronicle.

The procedure for conducting the census had been to start with the trans-Jordanian tribes (2 Samuel 24:5) and then shift to the northern most tribe of Dan and work southward towards Jerusalem (verse 7). The numbering of Benjamin, therefore, would have come last. Hence Benjamin would not be included with the total for Israel or of that for Judah, either. In the case of 2 Samuel 24, the figure for Judah included the already known figure of 30,000 troops mustered by Benjamin. Hence the total of 500,000 included the Benjamite contingent.

Observe that after the division of the United Kingdom into the North and the South following the death of Solomon in 930 BC, most of the Benjamites remained loyal to the dynasty of David and constituted (along with Simeon to the south) the kingdom of Judah. Hence it was reasonable to include Benjamin with Judah and Simeon in the sub-total figure of 500,000, even though Joab may not have itemized it in the first report he gave to David (1 Chronicles 21:5). Therefore the completed grand total of fighting forces available to David for military service was 1,600,000 (1,100,000 of Israel, 470,000 of Judah-Simeon, and 30,000 of Benjamin).

(Archer 1982:188-189 and Light of Life II 1992:189)

Contradiction: 1Ch 21:12

4. 2 Samuel 24:13 mentions that there will be seven years of famine whereas 1 Chronicles 21:12 mentions only three.

(Category: misunderstood the author's intent, and misunderstood the wording)

There are two ways to look at this. The first is to assume that the author of 1 Chronicles emphasized the three-year period in which the famine was to be most intense, whereas the author of 2 Samuel includes the two years prior to and after this period, during which the famine worsened and lessened respectively.

Another solution can be noticed by observing the usage of words in each passage. When you compare the two passages you will note that the wording is significantly different in 1 Chronicles 21 from that found in a 2 Samuel 24. In 2 Samuel 24:13 the question is "shell seven years of famine come to you?" In 1 Chronicles 21:12 we find an alternative imperative, "take for yourself either three years of famine..." From this we may reasonably conclude that 2 Samuel records the first approach of the prophet Gad to David, in which the alternative prospect was seven years; whereas the Chronicles account gives us the second and final approach of Nathan to the King, in which the Lord (doubtless in response to David's earnest entreaty in private prayer) reduced the severity of that grim alternative to three years rather than an entire span of seven. As it turned out, however, David opted for God's third preference, and thereby received three days of severe pestilence, resulting in the deaths of 70,000 men in Israel.

(Archer 1982:189-190 and Light of Life II 1992:190)

Critics Ask: 1Ch 21:1

2 SAMUEL 24:1 —How can this passage claim that God moved David to number Israel when 1 Chronicles 21:1 claims that it was Satan?

PROBLEM: This passage reports the sin of David in numbering the people of Israel and Judah. Verse one affirms that God moved David to number the people. However, according to 1 Chronicles 21:1 , it was Satan who moved David to number the people. Who was responsible for prompting David to act?

SOLUTION: Both statements are true. Although it was Satan who immediately incited David, ultimately it was God who permitted Satan to carry out this provocation. Although it was Satan’s design to destroy David and the people of God, it was God’s purpose to humble David and the people and teach them a valuable spiritual lesson. This situation is quite similar to the first two chapters of Job in which both God and Satan are involved in the suffering of Job. Similarly, both God and Satan are involved in the crucifixion. Satan’s purpose was to destroy the Son of God ( John 13:2 ; 1 Cor 2:8 ). God’s purpose was to redeem humankind by the death of His Son ( Acts 2:14- 39 ).   

1 CHRONICLES 21:1—How can this passage claim that Satan moved David to number Israel when 2 Samuel 24:1 claims that God did?

(See discussion under 2 Sam. 24:1 .)

Critics Ask: 1Ch 21:5

2 SAMUEL 24:9 —Why do the numbers of men recorded in 2 Samuel 24:9 and in 1 Chronicles 21:5-6 disagree?

PROBLEM: When David was moved to number the people of Israel and Judah, he sent Joab to carry out the task. According to the report in 2 Samuel 24:9 , the number of the men of valor in Israel was 800,000, and the number of the men of valor in Judah was 500,000. However, according to 1 Chronicles 21:5-6 , the number of the men who drew the sword in Israel was 1,100,000, and the number of the men who drew the sword in Judah was 470,000. Which of these calculations is correct?

SOLUTION: This discrepancy involves the difference in who was included in each report. In the report in 2 Samuel, the number of men of valor who drew the sword was 800,000, but did not include the standing army of 288,000 described in 1 Chronicles 27:1-15 , or the 12,000 specifically attached to Jerusalem described in 2 Chronicles 1:14 . Including these figures gives the grand total of 1,100,000 men of valor who composed the entire army of the men of Israel. The figure of 470,000 in 1 Chronicles 21 did not include the 30,000 men of the standing army of Judah mentioned in 2 Samuel 6:1 . This is evident from the fact that the Chronicler points out that Joab did not complete the counting of the men of Judah ( 1 Chron. 21:6 ). Both calculations are correct according to the groups which were included and excluded from each report.   

Critics Ask: 1Ch 21:6

2 SAMUEL 24:9 —Why do the numbers of men recorded in 2 Samuel 24:9 and in 1 Chronicles 21:5-6 disagree?

PROBLEM: When David was moved to number the people of Israel and Judah, he sent Joab to carry out the task. According to the report in 2 Samuel 24:9 , the number of the men of valor in Israel was 800,000, and the number of the men of valor in Judah was 500,000. However, according to 1 Chronicles 21:5-6 , the number of the men who drew the sword in Israel was 1,100,000, and the number of the men who drew the sword in Judah was 470,000. Which of these calculations is correct?

SOLUTION: This discrepancy involves the difference in who was included in each report. In the report in 2 Samuel, the number of men of valor who drew the sword was 800,000, but did not include the standing army of 288,000 described in 1 Chronicles 27:1-15 , or the 12,000 specifically attached to Jerusalem described in 2 Chronicles 1:14 . Including these figures gives the grand total of 1,100,000 men of valor who composed the entire army of the men of Israel. The figure of 470,000 in 1 Chronicles 21 did not include the 30,000 men of the standing army of Judah mentioned in 2 Samuel 6:1 . This is evident from the fact that the Chronicler points out that Joab did not complete the counting of the men of Judah ( 1 Chron. 21:6 ). Both calculations are correct according to the groups which were included and excluded from each report.   

Introduction / Outline

JFB: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF CHRONICLES were also considered as one by the ancient Jews, who called them "words of days," that is, diaries or journals, being probably compiled from those registers that were kept by the king's historiographers of passing occurrences. In the Septuagint the title given them is Paraleipomenon, "of things omitted," that is, the books are supplementary because many things unnoticed in the former books are here recorded; and not only the omissions are supplied, but some narratives extended while others are added. The authorship is commonly ascribed to Ezra, whose leading object seems to have been to show the division of families, possessions, &c., before the captivity, with a view to the exact restoration of the same order after the return from Babylon. Although many things are restated and others are exact repetitions of what is contained in Kings, there is so much new and important information that, as JEROME has well said, the Chronicles furnish the means of comprehending parts of the New Testament, which must have been unintelligible without them. They are frequently referred to by Christ and the Apostles as forming part of "the Word of God" (see the genealogies in Mat. 1:1-16; Luk. 3:23-38; compare 2Ch 19:7 with 1Pe 1:17; 2Ch 24:19-21 with Mat 23:32-35).

JFB: 1 Chronicles (Outline)

• ADAM'S LINE TO NOAH. (1Ch. 1:1-23)
• SHEM'S LINE TO ABRAHAM. (1Ch 1:24-28)
• SONS OF ISHMAEL. (1Ch 1:29-31)
• SONS OF KETURAH. (1Ch 1:32-33)
• POSTERITY OF ABRAHAM BY ESAU. (1Ch 1:34-42)
• POSTERITY OF JUDAH. (1Ch 2:3-12)
• CHILDREN OF JESSE. (1Ch 2:13-17)
• POSTERITY OF CALEB. (1Ch. 2:18-55)
• SONS OF DAVID. (1Ch 3:1-9)
• HIS LINE TO ZEDEKIAH. (1Ch 3:10-16)
• SUCCESSORS OF JECONIAH. (1Ch 3:17-24)
• POSTERITY OF JUDAH BY CALEB THE SON OF HUR. (1Ch 4:1-8)
• OF JABEZ, AND HIS PRAYER. (1Ch 4:9-20)
• POSTERITY OF SHELAH. (1Ch 4:21-23)
• OF SIMEON. (1Ch. 4:24-43)
• THE LINE OF REUBEN. (1Ch 5:1-10)
• THE LINE OF GAD. (1Ch. 5:11-26)
• LINE OF THE PRIESTS. (1Ch. 6:1-48)
• OFFICE OF AARON AND HIS SONS. (1Ch. 6:49-81)
• SONS OF ISSACHAR. (1Ch 7:1-5)
• OF BENJAMIN. (1Ch 7:6-12)
• OF NAPHTALI. (1Ch 7:13)
• OF MANASSEH. (1Ch. 7:14-40)
• SONS AND CHIEF MEN OF BENJAMIN. (1Ch. 8:1-32)
• STOCK OF SAUL AND JONATHAN. (1Ch 8:33-40)
• ORIGINAL REGISTERS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH'S GENEALOGIES. (1Ch. 9:1-26)
• SAUL'S OVERTHROW AND DEATH. (1Ch 10:1-7)
• THE PHILISTINES TRIUMPH OVER HIM. (1Ch 10:8-14)
• DAVID MADE KING. (1Ch 11:1-3)
• HE WINS THE CASTLE OF ZION FROM THE JEBUSITES BY JOAB'S VALOR. (1Ch 11:4-9)
• A CATALOGUE OF HIS WORTHIES. (1Ch. 11:10-47)
• THE COMPANIES THAT CAME TO DAVID AT ZIKLAG. (1Ch. 12:1-22)
• THE ARMIES THAT CAME TO HIM AT HEBRON. (1Ch. 12:23-40)
• DAVID FETCHES THE ARK FROM KIRJATH-JEARIM. (1Ch 13:1-8)
• HIRAM'S KINDNESS TO DAVID; DAVID'S FELICITY. (1Ch 14:1-2)
• HIS WIVES. (1Ch 14:3-7)
• HIS VICTORIES OVER THE PHILISTINES. (1Ch 14:8-17)
• DAVID BRINGS THE ARK FROM OBEDEDOM. (1Ch. 15:1-24)
• DAVID'S FESTIVAL SACRIFICE AND LIBERALITY TO THE PEOPLE. (1Ch 16:1-6)
• HIS PSALM OF THANKSGIVING. (1Ch. 16:7-43)
• DAVID FORBIDDEN TO BUILD GOD A HOUSE. (1Ch 17:1-10)
• DAVID SUBDUES THE PHILISTINES AND MOABITES. (1Ch 18:1-2)
• DAVID SMITES HADADEZER AND THE SYRIANS. (1Ch 18:3-17)
• DAVID'S MESSENGERS, SENT TO COMFORT HANUN, ARE DISGRACEFULLY TREATED. (1Ch 19:1-5)
• JOAB AND ABISHAI OVERCOME THE AMMONITES. (1Ch 19:6-15)
• SHOPHACH SLAIN BY DAVID. (1Ch 19:16-19)
• RABBAH BESIEGED BY JOAB, SPOILED BY DAVID, AND THE PEOPLE TORTURED. (1Ch 20:1-3)
• THREE OVERTHROWS OF THE PHILISTINES AND THREE GIANTS SLAIN. (1Ch 20:4-8)
• DAVID SINS IN NUMBERING THE PEOPLE. (1Ch 21:1-13)
• HE BUILDS AN ALTAR. (1Ch 21:18-30)
• DAVID PREPARES FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (1Ch 22:1-5)
• HE INSTRUCTS SOLOMON. (1Ch 22:6-19)
• DAVID MAKES SOLOMON KING. (1Ch 23:1)
• NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES. (1Ch 23:2-6)
• SONS OF GERSHON. (1Ch 23:7-11)
• OF KOHATH. (1Ch 23:12-20)
• OF MERARI. (1Ch 23:21-23)
• OFFICE OF THE LEVITES. (1Ch 23:24-32)
• DIVISION OF THE SONS OF AARON INTO FOUR AND TWENTY ORDERS. (1Ch. 24:1-19)
• NUMBER AND OFFICE OF THE SINGERS. (1Ch 25:1-7)
• THEIR DIVISION BY LOT INTO FOUR AND TWENTY ORDERS. (1Ch. 25:8-31)
• DIVISIONS OF THE PORTERS. (1Ch 26:1-12)
• THE GATES ASSIGNED BY LOT. (1Ch 26:13-19)
• LEVITES THAT HAD CHARGE OF THE TREASURES. (1Ch 26:20-28)
• OFFICERS AND JUDGES. (1Ch 26:29-32)
• TWELVE CAPTAINS FOR EVERY MONTH. (1Ch 27:1-15)
• PRINCES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES. (1Ch 27:16-24)
• DAVID EXHORTS THE PEOPLE TO FEAR GOD. (1Ch 28:1-8)
• HE ENCOURAGES SOLOMON TO BUILD THE TEMPLE. (1Ch 28:9-20)
• DAVID CAUSES THE PRINCES AND PEOPLE TO OFFER FOR THE HOUSE OF GOD. (1Ch 29:1-9)
• HIS REIGN AND DEATH. (1Ch 29:26-30)

TSK: 1 Chronicles 21 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

1Ch 21:1, David, tempted by Satan, forces Joab to number the people; 1Ch 21:5, The number of the people being brought, David repents of it; 1Ch 21:9, David having three plagues propounded by God, chooses the pestilence; 1Ch 21:14, After the death of seventy thousand, David by repentance prevents the destruction of Jerusalem; 1Ch 21:18, David, by Gad’s direction, purchases Ornan’s threshing- floor; where having built an altar, God gives a sign of his favour by fire, and stays the plague; 1Ch 21:28, David sacrifices there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel.

TSK: 1 Chronicles 22 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

1Ch 22:1, David, foreknowing the place of the temple, prepares abundance for the building of it; 1Ch 22:6, He instructs Solomon in God’s promises, and his duty in building the temple; 1Ch 22:17, He charges the princes to assist his son.

Poole: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES

THE ARGUMENT

THESE Books of the CHRONICLES are not the same which are so called, 1Ki 14:19 , and elsewhere, (because some passages said to be there mentioned are not found here,) but other books, and written by other persons, and for other ends. Yet this same writer took out of those books such historical passages as were most useful or necessary. They were written after the Babylonish captivity, as appears from 2Ch 36:20 , &c., by Ezra; as may be gathered not only from the same words used in the place now quoted, and in the beginning of that book which goeth under the name of Ezra, but also from some other passages, which we may observe hereafter, and from the exactness and diligence here used in making catalogues of persons and families, which also is used in the Book of Ezra. If one or two passages seem to be of a later date, those were added by some other prophets; there being some few such additional passages in the Books of Moses. The chief design of these books is, to complete the history of the kings of Judah, and to gather up the fragments of sacred history which were omitted in the Books of Samuel and Kings, and to explain some passages there mentioned, and to give an exact account of the genealogies; which (though ignorant or inconsiderate persons may think trivial and useless) was a work of great necessity, to preserve the distinction of the tribes and families, that so it might appear that Christ came of that nation, and tribe, and family, of which he was to be born. And this account having been hitherto neglected, is most seasonably mentioned in these books, because this was to be in a manner the last part of the sacred and canonical history of the Old Testament, and therefore the fittest place to record those genealogies, upon which the truth and authority of the New Testament ill some sort depends. And whereas many things in these genealogies to us are obscure and doubtful, they were not so to the Hebrews; and all the persons here named were known to them by those very particular and exact genealogies, which they kept in their several families and in public registers; from whence this sacred penman, by the direction of God’ s Spirit, took those things which were of most importance.

Poole: 1 Chronicles 21 (Chapter Introduction)

CHRONICLES CHAPTER 21

David numbereth the people, 1Ch 20:1-6 . He repenteth of three judgments propounded, he chooseth the pestilence; and why, 1Ch 21:7-13 . David, by Gad’ s direction, buildeth an altar, and sacrificeth: the plague is stayed, 1Ch 21:14-30 .

Poole: 1 Chronicles 22 (Chapter Introduction)

CHRONICLES CHAPTER 22

David prepareth for the building of the temple, 1Ch 22:1-5 : instructeth Solomon in God’ s promises and his duty, 1Ch 22:6-16 . He chargeth the princes to assist his son, 1Ch 22:17-19 .

MHCC: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

The books of Chronicles are, in a great measure, repetitions of what is in the books of Samuel and of the Kings, yet there are some excellent useful things in them which we find not elsewhere. The FIRST BOOK traces the rise of the Jewish people from Adam, and afterward gives an account of the reign of David. In the SECOND BOOK the narrative is continued, and relates the progress and end of the kingdom of Judah; also it notices the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. Jerome says, that whoever supposes himself to have knowledge of the Scriptures without being acquainted with the books of Chronicles, deceives himself. Historical facts passed over elsewhere, names, and the connexion of passages are to be found here, and many questions concerning the gospel are explained.

MHCC: 1 Chronicles 21 (Chapter Introduction)

David's numbering the people.

MHCC: 1 Chronicles 22 (Chapter Introduction)

(1Ch 22:1-5) David's preparations for the temple.

(1Ch 22:6-16) David's instructions to Solomon.

(1Ch 22:17-19) The prices commanded to assist.

Matthew Henry: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Book of Chronicles

In common things repetition is thought needless and nauseous; but, in sacred things, precept must be upon precept and line upon line. To me, says the apostle, to write the same things is not grievous, but for you it is safe, Phi 3:1. These books of Chronicles are in a great measure repetition; so are much of the second and third of the four evangelists: and yet there are no tautologies either here or there no vain repetitions. We may be ready to think that of all the books of holy scripture we could best spare these two books of Chronicles. Perhaps we might, and yet we could ill spare them: for there are many most excellent useful things in them, which we find not elsewhere. And as for what we find here which we have already met with, 1. It might be of great use to those who lived when these books were first published, before the canon of the Old Testament was completed and the particles of it put together; for it would remind them of what was more fully related in the other books. Abstracts, abridgments, and references, are of use in divinity as well as law. That, perhaps, may not be said in vain which yet has been said before. 2. It is still of use, that out of the mouth of two witnesses every word may be established, and, being inculcated, may be remembered. The penman of these books is supposed to be Ezra, that ready scribe in the law of the Lord, Ezr 7:6. It is a groundless story of that apocryphal writer (2 Esdr. 14:21, etc.) that, all the law being burnt, Ezra was divinely inspired to write it all over again, which yet might take rise from the books of Chronicles, where we find, though not all the same story repeated, yet the names of all those who were the subjects of that story. These books are called in the Hebrew words of days - journals or annals, because, by divine direction, collected out of some public and authentic records. The collection was made after the captivity, and yet the language of the originals, written before, it sometimes retained, as 2Ch 5:9, there it is unto this day, which must have been written before the destruction of the temple. The Septuagint calls it a book Paraleipomenōn - of things left, or overlooked, by the preceding historians; and several such things there are in it. It is the rereward, the gathering host, of this sacred camp, which gathers up what remained, that nothing might be lost. In this first book we have, I. A collection of sacred genealogies, from Adam to David: and they are none of those which the apostle calls endless genealogies, but have their use and end in Christ, ch. 1-9. Divers little passages of history are here inserted which we had not before. II. A repetition of the history of the translation of the kingdom from Saul to David, and of the triumph of David's reign, with large additions, ch. 10-21. III. An original account of the settlement David made of the ecclesiastical affairs, and the preparation he made for the building of the temple, ch. 22-29. These are words of days, of the oldest days, of the best days, of the Old Testament church. The reigns of kings and dates of kingdoms, as well as the lives of common persons, are reckoned by days; for a little time often gives a great turn, and yet all time is nothing to eternity.

Matthew Henry: 1 Chronicles 21 (Chapter Introduction)

As this rehearsal makes no mention of David's sin in the matter of Uriah, so neither of the troubles of his family that followed upon it; not a word of Absalom's rebellion, or Sheba's. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is here related, because, in the atonement made for that sin, an intimation was given of the spot of ground on which the temple should be built. Here is, I. David's sin, in forcing Joab to number the people (1Ch 21:1-6). II. David's sorrow for what he had done, as soon as he perceived the sinfulness of it (1Ch 21:7, 1Ch 21:8). III. The sad dilemma (or trilemma rather) he was brought to, when it was put to him to choose how he would be punished for this sin, and what rod he would be beaten with (1Ch 21:9-13). IV. The woeful havoc which was made by the pestilence in the country, and the narrow escape which Jerusalem had from being laid waste by it (1Ch 21:14-17). V. David's repentance, and sacrifice, upon this occasion, and the staying of the plaque thereupon (1Ch 21:18-30). This awful story we met with, and meditated upon, 2 Sa. 24.

Matthew Henry: 1 Chronicles 22 (Chapter Introduction)

" Out of the eater comes forth meat." It was upon occasion of the terrible judgment inflicted on Israel for the sin of David that God gave intimation of the setting up of another altar, and of the place where he would have the temple to be built, upon which David was excited with great vigour to make preparation for that great work, wherein, though he had long since designed it, it should seem, he had, of late, grown remiss, till awakened by the alarm of that judgment. The tokens of God's favour he received after those of his displeasure, I. Directed him to the place (1Ch 22:1). II. Encouraged and quickened him to the work. 1. He set himself to prepare for the building (1Ch 22:2-5). 2. He instructed Solomon, and gave him a charge concerning this work (1Ch 22:6-16). 3. He commanded the princes to assist him in it (1Ch 22:17-19). There is a great deal of difference between the frame of David's spirit in the beginning of the former chapter and in the beginning of this. There, in the pride of his heart, he was numbering the people; here, in his humility, preparing for the service of God. There corruption was uppermost (but the well of living water in the soul, though it may be muddied, will work itself clear again); grace here has recovered the upper hand.

Constable: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

The earliest Hebrew title for the Books of Chronicles translates as, "The Things Left Behind." This name describes Chronicles as containing remnants of the monarchy history not recorded in the preceding Old Testament historical books. A later title that appears in most copies of the Hebrew Bible is, "The Accounts of the Days," or "Daily Matters." This title emphasizes the nature of Chronicles as official annals (cf. Esth. 2:23; 1 Kings 14:19). Chronicles contains the official records of the kings of Israel, especially those of the Southern Kingdom after the kingdom split. The English title "Chronicles" comes down to us from this later Hebrew one.

As was true of Samuel and Kings, the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Hebrew Old Testament was responsible for dividing the single Book of Chronicles into 1 and 2 Chronicles. Scribes divided these long books to make them easier for copyists, publishers, and readers to handle. We could translate the Septuagint title as, "Things Omitted." This title implies that Chronicles contains material left out of other inspired histories of Israel. This is true. Of course, it also contains much material that the former historical books included.

Writer and Date

Early Jewish tradition recorded in the Talmud ascribed the authorship of Chronicles to Ezra. Recent studies of the linguistic differences that exist between the Books of Ezra and Chronicles have led some modern scholars to reject this ancient view.¹ Internal evidence suggests that if the writer was not Ezra he was probably a contemporary of Ezra.

There is quite a bit of difference of opinion even among conservative evangelical scholars regarding the date of composition. Most of these people place it within Ezra's lifetime (ca. 450-400 B.C.).² This date would make Chronicles one of the last if not the last historical book of the Old Testament. The date of composition of Ezra was probably about 446 B.C. The Book of Nehemiah probably came into existence between 420 and 400 B.C. The date of writing of Esther was probably shortly after 473 B.C.

"It is now clear from comparison of Chronicles with the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek translations of the Pentateuch that the text Chronicles used was more like these texts than the MT [Masoretic Text]."³

Scholars vary greatly in their ideas concerning the date of composition. Some of them hold a date as early as the middle of the fifth century B.C. (450 B.C.) while others date Chronicles as late as 200 B.C.⁴

Scope and Purpose

Chronicles covers a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. It begins with Adam and ends with Anani who lived eight generations after King Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:24). If we allow 25 years for each generation, the birth of Anani would have been between 425 and 400 B.C.

"In Near Eastern antiquity, the generation (that is the years between a man's birth and his begetting his first-born son) is ordinarily 25 years or less."⁵

Since the writer had great interest in David's family it is unlikely that any of David's descendants after Anani were alive when he wrote the book. If they had been, the writer probably would have included their names.

Other Old Testament books, especially Genesis, Samuel, and Kings, cover over half the material that Chronicles contains. There are two main reasons for this repetition. First, the writer wanted to give his readers another version of those events. In this respect Chronicles and the other historical books are similar to the Gospels in the New Testament. Each gives a unique interpretation and emphasis. Each writer selected the historical materials that would present what he wanted to emphasize. Chronicles is more similar to John's Gospel than the other Gospels. Both books are very sermonic, and each has a purpose that is easy to identify (John 20:30-31; 2 Chron. 7:14). Chronicles is also similar to Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch, which also preaches by recalling history.

Second, the writer of Chronicles explained and expounded the meaning of many events in Israel's history much as the writers of modern commentaries do. This was especially important since the original readers of Chronicles needed to remember their history and the spiritual issues that had molded and would mold their destiny. These observations would guide them as they sought to reestablish Israel in the Promised Land after the Babylonian captivity.

"The purpose of these two volumes [1 and 2 Chronicles] is to review the history of Israel from the dawn of the human race to the Babylonian captivity and Cyrus' edict of restoration. This review is composed with a very definite purpose in mind, to give to the Jews of the Second Commonwealth the true spiritual foundations of their theocracy as the covenant people of Jehovah. This historian's purpose is to show that the true glory of the Hebrew nation was found in its covenant relationship to God, as safeguarded by the prescribed forms of worship in the temple and administered by the divinely ordained priesthood under the protection of the divinely authorized dynasty of David. Always the emphasis is upon that which is sound and valid in Israel's past as furnishing a reliable basis for the task of reconstruction which lay ahead. Great stress is placed upon the rich heritage of Israel and its unbroken connection with the patriarchal beginnings (hence the prominence accorded to genealogical lists)."⁶

". . . the Chronicler' is no mere chronicler! He is a theologian, sharing with all the biblical writers the burden of interpreting God's ways to human beings."⁷

The writer saw principles operating in history. He selected unmistakable instances of them and applied them to his own times.

"If Kings, composed after the final collapse of the kingdom in 586 B.C., concentrates on how sin leads to defeat (2 Kings 17:15, 18), then Chronicles, coming after the two returns from exile in 537 and 458 B.C., recounts, from the same record, how faith is the victory' (2 Chron. 20:20, 22)."⁸

". . . the Chronicler goes even further than the Deuteronomic historian [i.e., the writer of 1 and 2 Kings] in attempting to correlate blessing with faithfulness and judgment with disobedience within each separate generation."⁹

Another statement of the purpose of Chronicles is as follows:

". . . to rally the returned remnant to hopeful temple worship . . . by demonstrating their link with the enduring Davidic promises."¹⁰

"The past is explained so that its institutions and religious principles become relevant to the present, and the ways of the present are legitimized anew by being connected to the prime source of authority--the formative period in the people's past."¹¹

Three major features of Chronicles appear when we isolate the material the writer included that is not in Samuel or Kings. First, the genealogies reflect the writer's goal of encouraging Israel's racial and religious purity. Second, the emphases on the temple, ark, and worship show his desire that the returned exiles reestablish worship according to the Mosaic Law.¹² Third, the record of David's glories and the victories God gave his successors were his way of encouraging his original readers as they sought to reestablish their nation in the Promised Land.¹³

Conservative students of Chronicles differ in their opinion concerning the amount of Messianic expectation the Chronicler held out to his readers. My belief is that he did present some hope of a coming Messiah who would fulfill the promises given to David in the Davidic Covenant. I will point this out at the appropriate places in the notes that follow.¹⁴

Passages Unique to Chronicles (In probable chronological order)15
Genealogies	The genealogical tables	1 Chron. 1-9
David	The list of the men who came to David at Ziklag	1 Chron. 12:1-7
	The list of the men who joined David on his way to Ziklag	1 Chron. 12:19-22
	Data concerning the number of warriors who made David king	1 Chron. 12:23-40
	The Gadites who "separated themselves unto David"	1 Chron. 12:8-15
	David's hymn of praise when he moved the ark	1 Chron. 16:4-36
	David's final preparations for the building of the temple	1 Chron. 22:1-19
	The national convention	1 Chron. 23:1-9:22
Solomon	The making of the altar of brass	2 Chron. 4:1
	The close of Solomon's dedicatory prayer	2 Chron. 6:40-42
Rehoboam	The adherence of the Levites in all Israel to Rehoboam	2 Chron. 11:13-14
	The immigration of other pious Israelites to Judah	2 Chron. 11:16-17
	Rehoboam's fortifications	2 Chron. 11:5-12
	Rehoboam's family	2 Chron. 11:18-23
Abijah	Abijah's family	2 Chron. 13:21
Asa	The ten years of peace under Asa	2 Chron. 14:1
	Asa's defense policy	2 Chron. 14:6-8
	Asa's victory over Zerah the Ethiopian	2 Chron. 14:9-15
	The warning of the prophet Azariah	2 Chron. 15:1-7
	The four years of peace under Asa	2 Chron. 15:19
	The renewal of the covenant	2 Chron. 15:9-15
	The warning of the prophet Hanani	2 Chron. 16:7-9
	Asa's transgression	2 Chron. 16:10
Jehoshaphat	Jehoshaphat's strengthening of his kingdom	2 Chron. 17:1-7
	The mission of the princes, Levites and priests	2 Chron. 17:7-9
	Jehoshaphat's increasing power	2 Chron. 17:10-8:1
	The prophet Jehu's judgment on Jehoshaphat	2 Chron. 19:1-3
	Jehoshaphat's further reforms in worship and law	2 Chron. 19:4-11
	The deliverance from Moab and Ammon on Mt. Seir	2 Chron. 20:1-30
Jehoram	The posthumous message of Elijah to Jehoram	2 Chron. 21:12-15
	The invasion of the Philistines and Arabians	2 Chron. 21:16-17
	Jehoram's illness	2 Chron. 21:18
Joash	Joash's matrimonial affairs	2 Chron. 24:3
	The temple worship	2 Chron. 24:14
	The death of Jehoiada	2 Chron. 24:15-16
	The sins of Joash	2 Chron. 24:17-19
	The stoning of Zechariah	2 Chron. 24:20-22
	The reverses of Judah due to Hazael's operations	2 Chron. 24:23-24
Amaziah	Amaziah's planned expedition against Edom	2 Chron. 25:5
	Amaziah's hiring of 1000 mercenaries out of Israel and dismissing them	2 Chron. 25:6-10
	The pillage of the cities of Judah by the dismissed mercenaries	2 Chron. 25:13
	Amaziah's further wickedness	2 Chron. 25:14-16
Uzziah	Uzziah's success in war	2 Chron. 26:6-8
	Uzziah's building and farming	2 Chron. 26:9-10, 15
	Uzziah's army	2 Chron. 26:11-14
	Uzziah's fame	2 Chron. 26:8, 15
Jotham	Jotham's subjugation of the Ammonites	2 Chron. 27:5-6
Ahaz	Obed the prophet's obtaining the release of the Jewish captives during Ahaz's war with Rezin and Pekah	2 Chron. 28:9-15
	The Edomite and Philistine invasions under Ahaz	2 Chron. 28:17-19
Hezekiah	The cleansing of the temple by Hezekiah	2 Chron. 29:3-19
	The consecration of the temple	2 Chron. 29:20-36
	Preparations for the Passover	2 Chron. 30:1-12
	The keeping of the Passover	2 Chron. 30:13-22
	The keeping of "other seven days"	2 Chron. 30:23-27
	Hezekiah's further religious reforms	2 Chron. 31:2-21
	Hezekiah's wealth and building	2 Chron. 32:27-30
	Sennacherib's second entry into Judah for invasion	2 Chron. 32:1
	Hezekiah's precautions in view of Sennacherib's second entry into Judah for invasion	2 Chron. 32:2-8
	Hezekiah's renewed prosperity	2 Chron. 32:23
Manasseh	Manasseh's captivity	2 Chron. 33:11
	Manasseh's repentance and restoration	2 Chron. 33:12-13
	The acts of Manasseh after his restoration	2 Chron. 33:14-16
	The spiritual condition of the people	2 Chron. 33:17
Josiah	Josiah's early reformations	2 Chron. 34:3-7
Captivity	The length of the captivity	2 Chron. 36:20-21
	Cyrus' proclamation permitting return from the captivity	2 Chron. 36:22-23

Message¹⁶

The central subject of 1 and 2 Chronicles is the temple of God. Someone evidently wrote these books at the end of the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites to reestablish Israel's national life in the Promised Land. In view of this purpose the northern kingdom of Israel was of little interest to the writer. Judah is the kingdom in view, and David is the king in view. The central passion in David's life is in view, namely the building of the temple. Furthermore the reason for David's passion for the temple is in view. He saw that the recognition of God is of supreme importance in national life.

This is the message of the book. The recognition of God is of supreme importance in national life formally as well as really. The writer demonstrated this fact in the genealogies, and he illustrated it in David's life in the rest of 1 Chronicles.

The genealogies demonstrate the supreme importance of recognizing God in national life.

What was the writer emphasizing by his selective genealogy? This genealogy (chs. 1-9) shows that God has chosen to bless some individuals and not others. This was His plan from Adam to Nehemiah. God also chose to bring blessing to those who obeyed Him regardless of their other personal abilities or disabilities. Obedience is key to success. We can see a heart for God in obedience to God's will. There are two reasons God blesses people: His sovereign choice to bless, and our obedience to Him. Character grows out of obedience. Likewise God chose to bring cursing on those who were disobedient to Him regardless of their other personal rights and privileges.

The reason God chose to bless some individuals was to accomplish one ultimate goal. This goal was the fulfillment of His plans for His own glorification including the fulfillment of His promises to humanity. All the details of His choices of individuals contributed to His ultimate goal.

The genealogies teach us this lesson. The way to achieve permanence and success in individual life, and the way to achieve stability and success in national life, is to recognize God in life. Throughout history people and nations have succeeded or failed as they recognized God. This is a major point the writer was demonstrating in the genealogies. God has been selecting, changing, interrupting, and moving through history inexorably toward His ultimate goal.

The life of David, as narrated here, illustrates the supreme importance of recognizing God in national life (chs. 10-29).

The writer presented David as a strong model king. He selected four pictures from David's life. The first of these was his crowning that shows God's choice of him. The second was his capture of Jerusalem that was the victory that led to the temple. The third picture was his mighty men. It shows his influence on personal character and his true power. The fourth was the gathering of multitudes behind his leadership that shows his influence on the masses. All of these pictures are in a sense background for what follows concerning David.

What made David the great king he was? The writer showed that it was his attitude toward God that expressed itself in his attitude toward the temple. David's care for the ark (a symbol of God's grace) and his desire to build the temple (a symbol of worship that responds to God's grace) reveal his deepest passion in life. His master passion was that Israel should never forget the God who had chosen her for special blessing in the world. We can see that his great desire was not simply to build the temple. When God told him through Nathan not to build it, David accepted this. He was content to gather materials and to make plans because he saw the temple as a way of helping Israel remember her God.

The writer of 1 Chronicles wanted to show the importance of what the temple symbolized, namely Israel's national recognition of God. David's great desire was that Israel recognize God and express that recognition publicly.

As king, David ruled under the authority of God. As warrior, he executed the will of God. As poet, he constantly extolled the reign of God. He glorified God in every aspect of his life. He also appreciated the importance of recognizing God nationally.

The message of this book is still a timeless one for us today. The recognition of God is still extremely important in life nationally and individually. Just as God governs all individuals, He also governs all nations, not just Israel. Amos made the point that God governs all nations, not just Israel. All nations are accountable to Him (cf. Deut. 32). Even today one of the Jews' favorite names for God is "king of the universe."

It is important that we recognize God because of His selective activity that the genealogies highlight. Throughout all of history God has been choosing, selecting, lifting up, and casting down. He selects new people in every generation. If they fail, He selects others and keeps moving ahead. If the person we would normally expect God to use is not ready or is unqualified, God will choose another (cf. Saul and David). If the person with privilege does not respond to his opportunity, God will pass him by, find some other perhaps obscure person, and move on. How foolish it is for nations and individuals not to recognize Him in view of God's sovereign progress.

It is also important that we recognize God because of the effect recognizing Him has on life. Take God out of the life of nations and individuals and what happens? There is no moral standard. An English politician once said, "If there is no Bible, where is your textbook of morals? There is the supreme difficulty. We must teach morals, and there is no textbook or standard in the world if we take the Bible away."¹⁷

When we lose our moral standard we lose individual character. When we lose individual character we lose the basis for civilized society. These things build on each other. Awareness of the throne of God and the government of God is foundational for any social order.

It is extremely important for every nation to build the temple of God, to recognize God in its life. This creates an opportunity for people to deal with God. Movements that advocate removing recognition of God from national life are pernicious. The person who points people to God is the true patriot. David wrote, "Zeal for your house has eaten me up." What is God's temple today? It is the church (Matt. 16:18). As the church we must point people to God. This was the "point" of church steeples in the past, to point people to God.

Constable: 1 Chronicles (Outline)

Outline

I. Israel's historical roots chs. 1-9

A. The lineage of David chs. 1-3

B. The house of Israel chs. 4-7

1. The family of Judah 4:1-23

2. The family of Simeon 4:24-43

3. The families of Transjordan ch. 5

4. The family of Levi ch. 6

5. The remaining families of Israel ch. 7

C. The lineage of Saul chs. 8-9

II. The reign of David chs. 10-29

A. The death of Saul ch. 10

B. David's coronation and capital 11:1-9

C. David's mighty men 11:10-12:40

D. David and the ark chs. 13-16

1. The removal of the ark from Kiriath-jearim ch. 13

2. Restoring fellowship with Yahweh ch. 14

3. The importance of the priests and Levites 15:1-15

4. The joy produced by God's presence 15:16-16:6

5. David's concern for the universal worship of Yahweh 16:7-43

E. God's covenant promises to David chs. 17-29

1. The first account of God's promises to David chs. 17-21

2. The second account of God's promises to David chs. 22-27

3. The third account of God's promises to David chs. 28-29

(Continued in notes on 2 Chronicles)

Constable: 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles

Bibliography

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST BOOK OF PARALIPOMENON.

INTRODUCTION.

These Books are called by the Greek Interpreters, Paralipomenon; ( Greek: Paraleipomenon, ) that is, of things left out, or omitted; because they are a kind of supplement of such things as were passed over in the Books of Kings. The Hebrews call them, Dibre Hajamim; that is, The words of the days, or The Chronicles. Not that they are the books which are so often quoted in the Kings, under the title of, The Words of the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Juda; for the Books of Paralipomenon were written after the Books of Kings; but because, in all probability, they have been abridged from those ancient words of the days, by Esdras, or some other sacred author. (Challoner) --- The author of this compilation refers to the same works, 2 Paralipomenon xvi. 11., &c. These journals were principally composed by prophets, though there were other people appointed to write the most important occurrences, 2 Kings viii. 16., and 4 Kings xviii. 18. The genealogies of families, particularly of the Levites, and the interests of piety and religion, are kept most in view. (Calmet) --- The variations which appear between this work and the other parts of Scripture, are owing to the faults of transcribers; and, though they could not be satisfactorily explained, it would be rashness to condemn the author of inaccuracy, at this distance of time, when we know so little of those transactions. (Haydock) --- Who calls in question the history of Alexander, though the different authors of it scarcely agree in one calculation of the number of troops, nations conquered, &c.?" Yet the work before us is of far higher authority, as it was dictated by the Holy Ghost. (Calmet) --- "Without it, a person would in vain pretend to understand the Scriptures." It is "an epitome of the Old Testament," and "explains many difficulties of the gospels." (St. Jerome) --- The author does not, however, seem to have designed to draw up an exact epitome, or to supply the deficiencies of the other works. (Calmet) --- The first nine chapters contain various genealogical histories. In the 10th, we have the election and death of Saul; and in the remainder of the first book, the transactions of David, (Worthington) till the year [of the world] 2990, where the second book commences with the reign of Solomon, and brings us to the end of the captivity. (The year of the world 3468.; Calmet)

Gill: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES

This and the following book were reckoned by the Jews as one book, as appears by the Masoretic note at the end of the second book, and as is affirmed by Origen ^a and Jerom ^b; and they were by the ancients ^c called Chronicles, as they are by us; but they are different from the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah, so often mentioned in the preceding books, seeing several things there referred to, as in them, are not to be found here; though no doubt many things here recorded were taken from thence under a divine direction. In the Greek version, and so in the Vulgate Latin version after that, they are called "Paralipomena", that is, things passed over or omitted, because they contain several anecdotes which are not to be found in the books of Samuel and Kings. The Hebrew title of them is, "Dibre Hayamim", words of days, day books or diaries, and what the Greeks call "Ephemerides"; though, as "yamim" sometimes signifies years, they may be named "annals"; and so the Arabic inscription is,

"the Books of Annals;''

and because they chiefly respect the kings of Judah, the Syriac inscription is,

"the Book of the Things that were done in the Times of the Kings of Judah.''

The Targum is,

"the Book of Genealogies, the Words of Days, which were from the Days of the World;''

because the first ten chapters consist of genealogies beginning from Adam. The inspired penman of these books must live after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, since he carries down the genealogy of the kings and princes of Judah beyond that time, 1Ch 3:17. It is generally thought by the Jews and Christians that Ezra was the writer of them, with which agrees the age in which he lived; and as it may seem, from the last of these books ending with the same words with which that under his name begins: so the Talmudists ^d say, that Ezra wrote his own book, and the genealogy of the chronicles unto his own, or unto Velo, "and he had brethren", 2Ch 21:2 and Jarchi affirms that he wrote them by the hand or means of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, inspired prophets; though some Jewish writers ^e suppose they were written partly by him, and partly by Nehemiah; that all to 2Ch 21:2 were written by Ezra, and the rest by Nehemiah. Kimchi thinks that Ezra was not the first author and writer of these books, but that the books of Chronicles and Annals of the kings of Judah, and of the kings of Israel, were separately written before him; but that he only revised them, and with the men of the great synagogue added the genealogies, and put them into the canon of the Scriptures ^f. Spinosa ^g fancies they were written after Judas Maccabaeus had restored the temple, since the historian tells what families dwelt in Jerusalem in the times of Ezra, 1Ch 9:1 and speaks of the porters, 1Ch 9:17 two of which are mentioned, Neh 11:19 as if Ezra could not describe the families that lived when he did, or name the porters of the temple, since it was finished and dedicated in his time, Ezr 6:15, but however there is no doubt to be made of the authenticity of these books, since not only they have always been acknowledged by the Jews as a part of the canonical Scripture, and by ancient Christians, as appears by the catalogues of Melito ^h and Origen ⁱ; but there are plain references to them in the New Testament. The genealogy of Christ, by the evangelists, is formed out of them; the doxology in Rev 5:12 as some have observed, comes very near to what is used by David, 1Ch 29:11 and the passages in Act 7:48 contain the sense of what is expressed in 2Ch 2:5. The use and design of these books are chiefly to give a larger account of the kingdom of Judah, especially after the division of it from the ten tribes, and of the kings thereof, than what is given in the preceding books, as in the last of these books; and particularly they ascertain the genealogy of Christ, that it might be clear and plain of what tribe and family the Messiah came, that he descended from the tribe of Judah, and from the kings of the house of David, as in this first book. They both contain an history from Adam, to the deliverance of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The first of these books reaches, according to Hottinger ^k, to A. M. 2985, and the latter is an history of four hundred and seventy two years. According to Bishop Usher ^l the former contains a course of 2990 years, and the latter of four hundred and seventy eight.

Gill: 1 Chronicles 21 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 21

Excepting the three last verses, is contained in 2Sa 24:1 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there.

Gill: 1 Chronicles 22 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 22

In this chapter we read of the place David pitched upon by divine direction for building the temple on, 1Ch 22:1, the preparation he made of artificers to build it, and of matter to build it of, as iron, brass, and wood, 1Ch 22:2, the charge and instructions he gave to Solomon to set about it, 1Ch 22:6 and to the princes of Israel to assist him in it, 1Ch 22:7.