Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Samuel
Book: 2 Samuel
Chapter: 24
Overview:
David Numbers the people.
(1-9) He chooses the pestilence.
(10-15) The staying the pestilence.
(16,17) David's
Sacrifice,
The
Plague removed.
(18-25)
1-9 For the people's
Sin David was left to act wrong, and in
his chastisement they received
Punishment. This
Example throws
Light upon
God's government of the world, and furnishes a useful
lesson. The pride of
David's
Heart, was his
Sin in numbering of
the people. He thought thereby to appear the more formidable,
trusting in an
Arm of
Flesh more than he should have done, and
though he had written
So much of trusting in
God only.
God
Judges not of
Sin as we do. What appears to us harmless, or, at
least, but a small
Offence, may be a great
Sin in the
Eye of
God, who discerns the thoughts and intents of the
Heart. Even
ungodly men can discern evil tempers and wrong conduct in
believers, of which they themselves often remain unconscious.
But
God seldom allows those whom he loves the pleasures they
sinfully covet.
10-15 It is
Well, when a
Man has sinned, if he has a
Heart
within to smite him for it. If we confess our sins, we may pray
in
Faith that
God would forgive them, and take away,
By
pardoning
Mercy, that
Sin which we cast away
By sincere
Repentance. What we make the matter of our pride, it is just in
God to take from us, or make
Bitter to us, and make it our
Punishment. This must be such a
Punishment as the people have a
large share in, for though it was
David's
Sin that opened the
sluice, the sins of the people all contributed to the
Flood. In
this difficulty,
David chose a
Judgment which came immediately
from
God, whose mercies he knew to be very great, rather than
from men, who would have triumphed in the miseries of
Israel,
and have been thereby hardened in their
Idolatry. He chose the
pestilence; he and his family would be as much exposed to it as
the poorest Israelite; and he would continue for a shorter time
under the Divine rebuke, however severe it was. The rapid
Destruction By the pestilence shows how easily
God can bring
down the proudest sinners, and how much we owe daily to the
Divine patience.
16,17 Perhaps there was more wickedness, especially more pride,
and that was the
Sin now chastised, in
Jerusalem than elsewhere,
therefore the
Hand of the
Destroyer is stretched out upon that
City; but the
Lord repented him of the evil, changed not his
mind, but his way. In the very place where
Abraham was stayed
from slaying his son, this
Angel,
By a like countermand, was
stayed from destroying
Jerusalem. It is for the sake of the
great
Sacrifice, that our forfeited lives are preserved from the
destroying
Angel. And in
David is the
Spirit of a true
Shepherd
of the people,
Offering himself as a
Sacrifice to
God, for the
Salvation of his subjects.
18-25 God's encouraging us to offer to him spiritual
sacrifices, is an evidence of his reconciling us to himself.
David purchased the ground to build the
Altar.
God hates
Robbery
for burnt-
Offering. Those know not what religion is, who chiefly
care to make it cheap and easy to themselves, and who are best
pleased with that which costs them least pains or
Money. For
what have we our substance, but to honour
God with it; and how
can it be better bestowed? See the
Building of the
Altar, and
the
Offering proper sacrifices upon it. Burnt-offerings to the
Glory of
God's
Justice; peace-offerings to the
Glory of his
Mercy.
Christ is our
Altar, our
Sacrifice; in him alone we may
expect to escape his wrath, and to find favour with
God.
Death
is destroying all around, in
So many forms, and
So suddenly,
that it is
Madness not to expect and prepare for the close of
Life.