T² W¹ 1-3-. The speaker. W² -3-7. His words.
W¹ X¹ 1. David's mouth. X² 2-3-. Not David's words.
930 to 923 B.C.
23)
1: Now these be the last words of David (hence their importance. "Words" = discource, message, oracle, revelation). David the son of Jesse said (Heb. nã’am = to speak with assurance and authority), and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God (Elohim) of Jacob (i.e. the God Who met Jacob when he had nothing and deserve nothing [but wrath], and promised him all = therefore "the God of all grace". Cp. Ps.146:5 and 1 Pet.5:10, referring to the grace which had called David), and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, (Key of David. Divine inspiration and intervention from God not the psalmist)
2: “The Spirit of the Lord (Yehovah) spoke by me (referring to the substance of the Divine revelation), and His word was in my tongue (Heb. millãh, used of a royal or Divine decree [Ps.19:14. Dan.3:22,28, &c.).
3: The God (Elohim) of Israel (the higher title [not Jacob], because human instrumentality not in question here) said (Heb. ’ãmar, referring to the matter of the Divine revelation), the Rock of Israel spoke to me, (See Ps.2)
W² n -3-. The ruler. Ideal. The Ruler, and his rule. o -3. The ideal rule. " o 4. The ideal rule. " n 5-7. The ruler. Actual. "
He that rules over mankind must be just,
ruling in the reverence (or love) of God (Elohim).
o p 4-. The light. Effect in heavens. This is the q -4-. Its clearness. order in q -4-. Its clearness. Hebrew p -4. The light. Effect on earth. "
4: And He shall be (translate in present tence, describing such an ideal rule) as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, (He is always the lght with youIF you look)
even a morning without clouds;
as the tender grass springing out of the earth
by clear shining after rain.
n r¹ 5. The ruler. r² 6,7. The ruled.
r¹ s 5-. David's house. t -5-. God's covenant with David. t -5-. God's covenant with David. s -5. David's house.
5: For is not my house thus through GOD (El)? (see 22:31);
For He has made a Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure (2 Sam.7):
For this Covenant is all my salvation, and all my desire,
For shall He no cuase my house to prosper?
r² u 6-. The sons of Belial. Put to flight. v -6. How they cannot be ruled. v 7-. How they can be ruled. u -7. The sons of Belial. Consumed.
6: But the sons of Belial (i.e. Satan) shall be all of them as thorns put to flight (chased away. He is speaking of the tares),
because they cannot be handled with hands:
7: But the man that shall touch them must be furnished with iron and the staff of a spear;
and they shall be utterly burned with fire on the spot.”
J Y 8-. Names. Z -8-24-. Principal. Z -24-39-. Subordinate. Y -39. Number.
8: These be the names of the mighty men whom David had (Heb. gibbor. This rehearsal comes at the end of David's reign, immediately before the setting up of the kingdom under Solomon. Even so will it be, at the time of the end, with the true David):
Z A w¹ -8-. Adino. x¹ -8. His achievement. w² 9. Eleazar. x² 10. His achievement. w³ 11. Shammah. x³ 12. His achievement. B 13-17. Three together. A w4 18-. Abishai. x4 -18,19. Achievement and rank. w5 20-. Benaiah. x5 -20-23. Achievement and rank. w6 24-. Asahel.
The Tachmonite that sat in the seat (A.V. marg. and R.V. text = "Jsheb-bassebt the Tachmonite". Really = Ish-bosheth, put for Ish-ball = "man of Baal, son of a Hachmonite" [cp. 1 Chron.11:11], altered later to Adino. Cp. St. Peter's exploit [Acts 2], and Stephen's [Acts 6:7]), chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred (see Chron = 300), whom he slew at one time.
9: And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away (This history follows the promise made. This is the time for true courage to be manifested. Cp. v.11. 2 Tim.1:15; 4:16,17):
10: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord (Yehovah) wrought a great victory that day (cp. .12, and see Acts 14:27; 15:4,12; 21:19); and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11: And after him was Shammah (like Acts 14:3) the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop (probably = the place, Lehi), where was a piece of ground full of lentiles (see 1 Chron.11:13): and the people fled from the Philistines (see "gone away", v.9).
12: But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord (Yehovah) wrought a great victory (God used him to accomplish the victory. See v.10).
13: And three of the thirty chief went down (see 1 Chron.27:1), and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Repha (a noted descendant of the Nephilim. See Gen.6:2,4).
14: And David was then in a fort (or garrison), and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15: And David longed, and said, “Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
16: And the three ( the 3 referred to in v.13) mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out to the Lord (Yehovah).
17: And he said, “Be it far from me, O Lord (Yehovah), that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went with their souls in their own hands?” ("soul" [nephesh], put by Fig., for "blood", which is another name for it. Cp. Gen.9:4. Lev.17:11. Deut.12:23.) therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. (Champions for God)
18: And Abishai (mentioned in 10:10,14; 16:9; 18:2; 19:2. 1 Sam.26:6-9), the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, he was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
19: Was he not most honourable of the second three? therefore he was their captain: however he attained not to the first three.
20: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab (men of Ariel.Ariel, proper name, occ. only here and twice in Isa.29:1,2): he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow (all these have the Article, as being a well-known exloit):
21: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man (of appearance. Heb. = a sight to see. 1 Chron.11:23 = stature): and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear (often done now spiritually by the servants of the true David).
22: These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23: He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
24: Asahel(the 3rd of the second 3) the brother of Joab (but not Joab. His name here but not himself, because when the time of the end comes, with its "last words", loyalty will be the one test. Joab remained true in Absalom's rebellion, but fell away in Adonijah's. Hence in 1 Cor.16:22 "love" is the test, in the light of "Maran-atha", not the "stifes" of Ch.3, or the wrong judgments of Ch.4, or the uncleanness of Ch.5, or going to law of Ch.6; not the fornication of Ch7, nor a wrong conscience of Chs.9,10, not ecclesitical disorders of Ch.11, not the misuse of special gifts Chs.12,13,14, not orthodoxy Ch.15, but "love" and loyalty to the person of Christ, the true David, David's son and David's Lord) was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25: Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26: Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27: Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28: Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29: Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30: Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31: Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32: Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33: Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34: Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the (probably "Hanan", the son, &c. [1 Chron.11:43], making the 3 named in this verse) son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel (but not Ahithophel himself, on account of his disloyalty. See v.24) the Gilonite,
35: Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36: Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37: Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab (Joab's armourbearer named, but not Joab himself. See v.24) the son of Zeruiah,
38: Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39: Uriah the Hittite (is doubly honoured, being named with his son; Bu Joab or Ahithophel are not named. Read Jer.9:23,24): thirty and seven in all (#37 = The Word of God.).
E A 1-. Yehovah. Anger. B -1-10. Sin committed. A 11-16-. Yehovah. Judgment. B -16-25. Sin expiated.
24)
1: And again (the history in this Chapter precedes Ch.23. by Fig. See 23:1) the anger of the Lord (Yehovah) was kindled against Israel,
B a -1,2. David. Command. b 3,4. Joab's objection. b 5-9. Joab' obedience. a 10-16. David. Confession.
and He moved David against them to say (He suffered him to be moved. By Hebrew idiom [and also by modern usage] a person is said to do that which he permits to be done. Here we have the historical fact. In 1 Cron.21:1. we have the real fact from the Divine standpoint. Here the exoteric, in 1 Chron.21:1. the esoteric. For examples, see Ex. 4:21; 5:22. Jer.4:10. Ezek.14:9; 20:25. Matt.11:25; 13:11. Rom.9:18; 11:7,8. 2 Thess.2:11. God's permission, but Satan's suggestion [Jas.1:13,14]; or yãsath, may be taken impersonally, "David was moved". Santan can wisper in your ear and play with your mind and put you on an ego trip IF you allow him to.), “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
2: For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, “Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number you all the People, that I may know the number of the People.” (God did not ask for this. David did not consult)
3: And Joab said to the king, “Now the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) add to the People, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” (this was by the military for the military, and they said we don't need it!)
4: Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the People of Israel. (Satan had prevailed in his mind)
5: And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city (i.e. the south side facing east) that lies in the midst of the river valley belonging to Gad which was the Jabbok, and toward Jazer:
6: Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi (site unknown. If translated = the lower parts of the country where the new moon was worshipped. Like Beth-shemesh = Hose of the Sun); and they came to Dan-jaan (= a judge [Dan] in the wood, perhaps Laish-Dan [Josh.19:47. Judg.18:29]), and passed round to Zidon,
7: And came to the strong hold of Tyre (cp. Josh.19:29), and to all the cities of the Hibites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out (some codices read "came in") to the south (= the Negeb. Some coices read "land". See Gen.13:1) of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.
8: So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days (the long time implies a period of great peace).
9: And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men (He's counting on his troops rather than God. Cp. 1 Chron.21:5, a different classification. Israel = 1,100,000, "all they of Israel that drew sword", i.e. all adults, not necessarily "valiant". Judah = 470,000 "men that drew sword"; not all of the "men" by 30,000).
10: And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the People. And David said to the Lord (Yehovah), “I have sinned greatly in that I have done (probably conviction of pride or other sinful motive): and now, I beseech you, O Lord (Yehovah), cause to pass over the iniquity of Your servant; for I have done very foolishly.” (This is the thing to do when you realize you messed up)
A c 11-13. Divine offers. d 14. David's decision made. d 15. David's decision carried out. c 16-. David's forebearance.
11: And when David rose up in the morning, the word of the Lord (Yehovah) came to the prophet Gad (cp. 1 Sam.9:9. Gad last mentioned, 1 Sam.22:5. Probably inspired to write this history), David's seer, saying,
12: “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), ‘I impose on you three things (a choise out of God's 4 sore judgments [Ezek.14:21]); choose you one of them, that I may do it to you.’ ’ ” (God's not going to let him get off the hook)
13: So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? (1 Chron.21:12 = 3 years; also Sept. The Hebrew numerical letters for 3 and 7 were probably much alike. Hence perhaps mistaken by an ancient scribe. Bth may be right = "seven, or even three") or will you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? or that there be three days' pestilence in your land? now consider (or know), and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.”
14: And David said to Gad, “I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord (Yehovah); for His compassions are manifold: and let me not fall into the hand of man.” (Do not cease from repenting or trusting in God no matter what)
15: So the Lord (Yehovah) sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed (the Sept. and Syr. say the plague lsted only till noon. So this "time" may mean for the evening sacrifice, 3 p.m. [cp. v.18]): and there died of the People from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. (God cut his census down)
16: And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, Yehovah repented Him of the evil,
B e -16,17. Entreaty for the Land. David's. f 18. David. Command given to. g h¹ 19. David's obedience. i¹ 20,21-. Araunah's reception. h² -21. David's request. i² 22,23. Araunah's offer. h³ 24. David's refusal. f 25-. David. Obedience. e -25. Entreaty for the Land. Yehovah.
and said to the angel that destroyed the People, “It is enough: stay now your hand.” And the angel of the Lord (Yehovah) was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite (Perhaps spared in the taking of Jebus. See 5:8. This is where the "Dome of the Rock" is today. Mt. Moriah where Christ rose, and where Isaac was offered. See Ezek.16).
17: And David spoke to the Lord (Yehovah) when he saw the angel that smote the People, and said, “Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let Your hand, I pray You, be against me, and against my father's house.”
18: And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, “Go up, rear an altar to Yehovah in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. (This is where the Eternal Temple will be)
19: And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up according as the Lord (Yehovah) commanded.
20: And Araunah looked down, and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. (He loved him and was loyal to him)
21: And Araunah said, “Why is my lord the king come to his servant?”
And David said, “To buy the threshingfloor of you, to build an altar to the Lord (Yehovah), that the plague may be stayed from the people.”
22: And Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.”
23: All these things did Araunah, as a king, give to the king. And Araunah said to the king, “Yehovah your Elohim accept you.”
24: And the king said to Araunah, “No; but I will surely buy it of you at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings to Yehovah my Elohim of that which does cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (50 = Jubilee, Pentecost. Heb. goren [Ruth 3:2], mentioned in vv. 16,18,21. [50 shekels of silver = aprox. 25 oz.] Not the "place", Heb. mãkõm, of 1 Chron.21:25 [Ruth 4:10], which was afterward the Temple area, about 8 acres, and for which David gave the much larger sum of 600 shekels of gold [= 180 lbs]. Two seperate purchases effected, the one here was hurried, as an earnest, and the other was made later).
25: And David built there an altar to the Lord (Yehovah) (see 1 Chron.22:1), and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
So the Lord (Yehovah) was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.