THE CENSUS AND THE PLAGUE In chapters 11-21, the Holy Book talked about the fall of David, as a result of his slothfulness with sin for a few moments to remain for long years reaping its bitter fruits; although that bitterness turned into his glory, and the edification of many, through his consistent repentance. Now the Book ends with another serious fault, committed by David; namely, ordering a census of the people, to know the number of men who “drew the sword;” without seeking the counsel of God. As a result of his action, a severe chastisement came upon the people, that shook the depths of David; yet he knew how to regain the mercies of God. 1- Numbering the people 1-9 2- David realizes his transgression 10 3- The prophet Gad reviews God’s chastisements 11-14 4- A plague comes to Israel 15-17 5- The prophet Gad comes to David 18-25 1- Numbering the people: God’s anger against David was not because of the census in itself; as the prophet Moses did the same three or more times (Exodus 38: 26; Numbers 1: 2, 3; Numbers 26). our God is a God of order and not of chaos. God’s anger was because of the following reasons, or some of them: a- David did not seek God’s counsel as he usually did. b- David started to lean upon the number of his men, and upon his own capabilities; While, if he was to consider his whole life, since his youth, he would find himself going from caring for a few of his father’s sheep, to receiving a whole kingdom, by divine power, and not by his arm or that of others. In several situations, in his strife against enemies or adversaries, God interfered unexpectedly; which was often expressed by David in his psalms. c- David probably intended by that census, to start new wars, for the sake of extending his kingdom, and increasing his own glory. d- He probably intended to get the people to pay a heavy tax to his own account, or to that of the treasury, and not to the account of the tabernacle of meeting-the house of God e- It seems that his main motive was to proclaim his greatness, his capabilities, and resources; the way the surrounding kings used to do, to let the neighboring nations fear them. Because the people shared this spirit, that sin was counted for them as well, and not just for David; though David, with his compassionate heart, tried to refer it to himself and to his father’s house, and to concentrate the chastisement on him to spare his people. f- The people were in need to be chastised; God sometimes allows for a shepherd to err, in order to chastise his flock; the Book says: “Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, ’Go number Israel and Judas’” (2 Samuel 24: 1). g- Some scholars believe that David’s fault lied more, in his command to ‘Joab’ to 165 include in his census those younger than 20 years, if their appearances and energies seemed adequate for service; That action was against the law and statutes (1 Chronicles 27: 23-24). h- His fault was also demonstrated in not taking the half a shekel to the account of the tabernacle, as a ransom, in case a census is taken (Exodus 30: 12). Joab realized David’s fault, and tried to draw his attention to it, but David insisted. He said to him: “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundredfold more than there are, and may the eyes of my Lord see it. But why does my Lord desire this thing?” (2 Samuel 24: 3). Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army; so they abided by his orders. 2- David realizes his transgression: Probably one of the best of David’s attributes was that, once he realized his error, he did not try to cover it up or to justify it to the Lord; but in the simplicity of heart, together with plainness and hope, he quickly cried out and confessed his sin, with no hesitation: “So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; But now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly” (2 Samuel 24: 10). 3- Gad the prophet reviews the divine chastisements: Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king (2 Samuel 24: 9); But instead of thinking about them, and contemplating in his goals of getting them, David’s heart condemned him (2 Samuel 24: 10). He stayed the whole night in bitterness, anticipating the fruit of his serious iniquity. When he arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to him through the prophet Gad, David’s Seer, giving him the choice of one of three things: Seven years of famine; fleeing three months before his enemies, while pursuing him, or three days’ plague in his land. David, in great distress, said to Gad: “I am in great distress; Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; But do not let me fall into the hand of man” (2 Samuel 24: 14). So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba 70, 000 men of the people died. And when the angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel: “It is enough; Now restrain your hand” (2 Samuel 24: 16). The angel of the Lord was then, by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite; Some scholars believe that he was on the same Mount of Muriah, where Abraham offered his son Isaac a sacrifice to God...; as though the end of perdition was through the sacrifice of the beloved Son. 4- The plague came to Israel: Amid that severe and bitter chastisement, the Holy Book revealed David’s great love toward his people; when he saw them under affliction, he cried out to the Lord to let His hand be against him and his father’s house, instead of against the people. He, like His Master (The Lord of glory Jesus), was ready to bear the afflictions in place of his flock; and not to hide among them, seeking their care for his person. When he came to chose one of the chastisements, he did not choose the famine nor to 166 flee before the enemies, but the plague sent from God. He hoped for all to be safe; and to carry on the chastisement by himself; But when he found out how the people were afflicted, he cried out, saying: “Let your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.” He confessed that he, as their shepherd, had sinned and had done wickedly; and even if they did sin, it was he who should be punished because he had not managed to straighten their path; How great it is to confess one’s iniquity1!! Abraham, likewise, did not seek just his own benefit, but that of many; He exposed himself to danger; and asked the Lord for those who do not belong to him (the people of Sodom and Gomorrah)2. I wish we seek punishment for ourselves, when we sin against Him, whom we should not sin ... If we love Christ as we should, we are committed to seek punishment for ourselves when we sin3. St. John Chrysostom 5- The prophet Gad comes to David: God listened and responded to David’s cry out, full of love toward the people of God; He sent to him the prophet God, to instruct him to erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Aruanah the Jebusite, where he saw the angel of the Lord; confirming the following to him that: a- David was reconciled to the Lord; as the erecting of an altar, offering a sacrifice, and accepting it by the Lord, imply the realization of reconciliation. b- The reconciliation was realized through the sacrifice; a symbol of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. When Aruanah - a foreigner and a Jebusite-saw the angel; then saw the king coming toward him, he got very confused; and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. Asking him why he came, David told him, “To buy the threshing floor from him, to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people” (2 Samuel 24: 21). Aruanah wanted to offer the threshing floor free, together with oxen for the burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements, and the yokes of the oxen for wood; But David rejected the offer, and insisted on paying 50 shekels of silver; refusing to offer free burnt offerings to the Lord. The figure 50 refers to the freedom that man enjoys within by the Spirit (the Jubilee and the feast of Pentecost); Thus the altar, and the sacrifice, are connected to the Holy Spirit, the Grantor of freedom. On the same site, the temple of Solomon was built. Although Aruanah was a Gentile, he enjoyed seeing the angel. Because he was characterized by humility, love, and giving, the temple was erected on his land ... I wish our inner man, to be like Aruanah the Jebusite; to be worthy of having the temple of the Lord erected in us. 1On Rom. hom. 29. 2On 1Cor. hom. 25. 3On 2Cor. hom. 11.
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