2 Samuel 24:1-25

David Sins By Numbering Israel Resulting In Pestilence From YHWH And A Final Act Of Atonement (2 Samuel 24:1-25 ).

The act of numbering the men of Israel would appear to have been seen as an act of rebellion against YHWH. According to 1 Chronicles 27:23-24 YHWH had promised that the number of the children of Israel would be as the stars of the heavens. They were thus not to be numbered arbitrarily (it was permitted in a general way for organisational purposes when mustering to battle but not otherwise - 2 Samuel 18:1) nor have any limit put on them. For in the end they were YHWH’s people, not David’s. To number them was thus an act of human arrogance and self-exaltation. It was to see them as David’s own people and at his disposal, rather than as YHWH’s people to be preserved by Him as He willed. David is seen as once more having got above himself. It was a similar act of arrogance to that of Moses smiting the rock in Numbers 20:10-12, something which also had painful consequences.

Both Joab (2 Samuel 24:3) and David (2 Samuel 24:10) in the end recognised what a sinful act David’s was. It was thus not an unconscious or unrecognised sin. The situation was that David had slipped into being simply ‘a king like all the nations’ instead of the unique Nagid (prince, war-leader) of YHWH. He had thus thrust YHWH into the background in his thinking, and that was why he had to be jolted out of it. The sad thing was that the people had to suffer for it because it was necessary to nullify the census by diminishing their numbers, but it should be noted that it is made quite clear that they suffered for their own sins and not for David’s (verse 1). They were thus not just being punished for what he did. For David it would mean a diminishing of the people over whom he ruled.

Other alternative suggestions have been made as to why the numbering was sinful, although they are nowhere specifically supported by the text. The following are examples:

· David was numbering his people in order to commence a period of external aggression which YHWH disapproved of.

· David was numbering Israel for military purposes because of the threats of an aggressor (satanas - 1 Chronicles 21:1). This would, however, have been allowable.

· David’s aim was to levy widespread taxation on God’s people over and above the tithe (compare1 Kings 9:15; 1 Kings 9:15).

· David’s aim was in order to prepare for dividing the people up for the purposes of compulsory levies for building programmes (compare1 Kings 5:13; 1 Kings 5:13; 1 Kings 9:21).

· David had neglected the paying of the atonement money (Exodus 30:12).

All these suggestion fail, however, on the basis that had they been correct the reason would surely have been mentioned by the writer.

The passage divides into three sections;

· The description of David’s sinful purpose to number Israel and the carrying out of that purpose (2 Samuel 24:1-10).

· YHWH’s choice of punishment is offered to David by Gad and is carried out (2 Samuel 24:11-15).

· YHWH’s chastisement is limited by His mercy as He shows compassion on Jerusalem. This is followed by David’s offering of atonement offerings (2 Samuel 24:16-25) (2 Samuel 24:16-25).