Au. Ver.-2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through [or, compass] all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, &c. he, (i. e., some one, any one, or every one) | Ἰούδα, ἀπὸ Δὲν καὶ ἕως Βηρσαβεέ, καὶ calls his name, Ps. cx. 7; πην της περ, ἐπίσκεψαι τὸν λαὸν, κ.τ.λ. from the torrent (i. e., the abundance of spiritual waters which shall then abound) in the way, shall one (any one, every one) drink: 2 Sam. xxiv. 1, 7, so (one, some one) tempts David; which is supplied, 1 Chron. xxi. 1, by, an adversary. We must not, therefore, take the name of God found in the preceding context, in order to supply this ellipsis, as some have imprudently done, nor charge the text with the inconsistencies which have arisen purely out of our own ignorance. This sort of construction frequently occurs. So also in the objective voice,, it hath been called to thee, i. e., thou hast been named, Isaiah xlviii. 8, equivalent to the Arabic & J. See also v. 11, T, how would it be profaned? Houb. 2 1, Et numerate: Græci Intt. Chaldæus et Syrus numero sing. efferunt numera; quippe legunt, vel, quod amplectendum. Nam de uno Joab in superioribus mentio facta fuit. Ver. 4. Au. Ver.--And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. Houb.-4'' ......., Exiit ante regem. Lege, à conspectu regis. Ita Vulgatus, et ita Syrus, qui op, à coram. Non licet convertere, exiit ante regem, cùm ipse rex non fuerit egressus. Codex Orat. 42 Dathe.-1 Rursus Jova ira in Israëlitas commotus concitavit Davidem, ut juberet,, mutato utriusque verbi ordine, Israëlitas et Judæos numerari. quales multæ erant ordinis perturbationes, Hæc verba intelligenda sunt ex more in codicibus iis, unde Biblia Hebraica loquendi Hebræorum de providentia divina, primùm impressa fuerunt. de quo jam ad Jud. ii. 17 observavimus, omnes hominum actiones, tam bonas quam Ver. 5. וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְבֵּן וַיַּחֲנוּ בַעֲרוֹעֶר ,Hebreos solere omnia hujus mundi eventa יְמִין הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַנַּחַל הַגָּד | ,malas, immediate Dei voluntati tribuere Deumque ipsum omnium rerum auctorem s. causam efficientem primariam vocare, Houb.-1, Ut accenderetur in Israel. Post supplendum ex Paralipomenis, lib. i., cap. 21, v. 1, pow " , et stetit Satan adversùs Israel, ut sequatur ♫“, et pepulit; ita ut intelligatur Satan, non Deum, pepulisse Davidem, ut populi censum fieri juberet. Nisi hæc supplentur, ignorabitur, quæ fuerit causa cur Deus Israeli esset iratus, et ira Dei erit ipsa causa cur Deus excitârit Davidem ad populum numerandum, quod incredibile videtur, ubi tacetur, quæ fuerit iræ divinæ causa. Cùm potiùs ex ipso contextu perspicuum fiat, idcircò fuisse iratum Deum, quia Satan Davidem pepulerat, ut populum suum numeraret. Omittendorum verborum, quæ in Libro Paralipomenon non omittuntur, occasio fuit in vocabulo, quod bis legebatur, scribâ ex uno ad alterum saltum faciente. Ver. 2. ev 'Apoǹp ék deέiwv tŷs tólews tŷs év péow καὶ διέβησαν τὸν Ἰορδάνην, καὶ παρενέβαλον τῆς φάραγγος Γὰδ καὶ Ελιέζερ.. Au. Ver. 5 And they passed over side of the city, that lieth in the midst of the Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right river [or, valley] of Gad, and toward Jazer. River [or, valley] see notes on Numb. vol. i., pp. 703, 704. xxiv. 6, vol. i., p. 610; and on Deut. xxi. 4, Pool. Of the river of Gad, i. e., of the river which lay in the tribe of Gad, or upon called Arnon, Deut. ii. 36. Toward Jazer, the borders of Gad and Reuben, which was or, near Jazer, which also was upon the river Arnon. Bp. Patrick. In the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer.] We nowhere read of such a river which, in the margin, is translated the valley of Gad. But Jazer was a town in that tribe (Numb. xxxii. 35). Bp. Horsley. For my 127, I would read, "and by Jazer of Gad." They crossed the Jordan, and pitched first וְעַד־בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע וּפִקְדוּ אֶת־הָעָם וגו' Δίελθε δὴ πάσας φυλὰς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ on the right of Aroer, and next by the banks of the Jazer. Aroer was the city in the midst of the river, and the river in the midst of which it lay was the Arnon. See note on Deut. ii. 36. Arnon was not, but Jazer was, a river of Gad's territory. Ged., Booth.-5 And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped on the right side of Aroer, a city that lieth within the river [Ged., within the torrent] of Gad, and toward Jazer. Aroer. This is not Aroer on the Arnon, but Aroer by Raba. this place was is not exactly known: some think that the words refer to a newly-conquered country, as our margin, the nether land newly inhabited; and if so, this was probably the country eastward of Gilead, which the Israelites, in the time of Saul, had conquered from the Hagarites, and dwelt in themselves. See 1 Chron. v. 10, where this transaction is recorded. To Dan-jaan.] Or, to Dan of the woods. This is the place so frequently mentioned, Within the torrent; i. e., on the interior situated at the foot of Mount Libanus [so side of the torrent. Ged. Dathe.-5 Jordanum trajecerunt castraque posuerunt prope Aroërem ad dextram oppidi, quod est in insula Gad et ad Jaëserem. Houb.-5 Et trajecto Jordane, in Aroer consederunt ad latus dexterum sylvæ ejus, quæ est in mediâ valle Gad et prope Jazer. Pool], near to the source of the Jordan, the most northern city of all the possessions of the Israelites in what was called the promised land, as Beer-sheba was the most southern: hence the common form of speech, From Dan to Beer-sheba, i. e., from north to south. Houb.-67, Dan Jahan. Penitus ימין 4d dexteram urbis. Nos, ימין העיר 5 , ad dexteram sylvæ. Cur abjicienda ignoratur quæ urbs, et ubi sita fuerit. Vulsit scriptio, docemur ex eo ipso, quod gatus sylvestria, ex scriptura, quam nos mox dictum est, eos qui ad populi censum superiori versu restituimus. Melius Edm. iter faciebant, consedisse in Aroer, vel prope Calmet antefert, fontem, quoniam prope Aroer. Nam si in Aroer, vel prope Aroer Dan erant fontes, præcipue fons Jordanis.... consederunt, non igitur prope alteram urbem, 20: Lege, et girarunt (ad Sidonem). quæ non nominetur; et hoc ipsum, non Ita Græci Intt. Kaì èkúkλwσay. Ita etiam nominari urbem istam, ubi duæ aliæ urbes Syrus et Vulgatus. Aroer et Jazer nominantur, indicat non tangi urbem, quæ certè etiam nominaretur, Ver. 9. וַיִּתֵּן יוֹאָב אֶת־מִסְפַּר מִפְקַד הָעָם sylvam, que esset in valle, היער sed potius אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתְּהִי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת ; Gad nominata. Erat Aroer in tribu Ruben אֶלֶף אִישׁ־חַיִל שְׁלֶף הֶרֶב וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה propterea non licet Gad accipere ut tribum tribumian? Gad, sed ut nominationem huic valli, quæ Ver. 6. καὶ ἔδωκεν Ἰωάβ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς ἐπισκέψεως τοῦ λαοῦ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· καὶ ἐγένετο Ἰσραὴλ, ὀκτακόσιαι χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν δυνάμεως σπωμένων ῥομφαίαν· καὶ ἀνὴρ Ἰούδα, πεντακόσιαι χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν μαχητῶν. and there were in Israel eight hundred צִידוֹן : καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Γαλαὰδ καὶ εἰς γῆν Θαβασών, ἢ ἐστιν ̓Αδασαὶ, καὶ παρεγένοντο εἰς Δανιδὰν καὶ Οὐδὲν, καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν Σιδῶνα. Au. Ver.-6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi [or, nether land newly inhabited], and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon. Au. Ver.-9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. Pool.-Eight hundred thousand. Object. In 1 Chron. xxi. 5, they are numbered 1,100,000. Answ. The sum here expressed is only of such as were not in the ordinary Pool.-Tahtim-hodshi; a place so called. and settled militia waiting upon the king, Or, the lowland lately gained, i. e., not given which being 24,000 for every month, as is by Joshua, but taken lately from the largely related, 1 Chron. xxvii., amounts to Hagarites by Saul; which was near Gilead, 288,000, which either with their several 1 Chron. v. 10. commanders, or with the soldiers placed in Dr. A. Clarke.-Tahtim-hodshi.] Where several garrisons, might very well make up 300,000. Or 288,000 may pass in such | eight thousand, make just three hundred accounts for 300,000; it being frequent in thousand: which, added to the eight hunsuch great sums to neglect a smaller num-dred thousand here mentioned, make up the ber. But in the Book of the Chronicles, eleven hundred thousand mentioned in the which was to gather up the fragments Chronicles. The like account Bochartus omitted in the former books, both sorts gives of the next difficulty, that if twentyare put together, and so they amount to four thousand legionary soldiers be added of 1,100,000. Five hundred thousand. In the tribe of Judah to the four hundred and 1 Chron. xxi. 5, but 470,000. Answ. Either, seventy thousand, it comes near to five 1. They were exactly no more, but are called hundred thousand (Hieroz., par. i., lib. ii., 500,000 in a round sum, as is usual in cap. 38). But others think there is no need Scripture and other authors. Or, 2. The of this; it being usual in Scripture to mengarrison soldiers, and such as were employed tion a round sum: either of men or of years, in other services about the king, are here when some were wanting. So that though included, which are there excluded. Or, 3. there were no more than four hundred and They were 500,000 when Joab gave up the seventy thousand, yet they might be said to number to the king, though presently after be five hundred thousand. Or, as they say that they were but 470,000; 30,000 being in Halicoth Olam., the tribe of Benjamin slain by the plague in the tribe of Judah; (who were neighbours to Judah) are reckoned which being David's own tribe, it was but here in this book, who were omitted in the just and fit it should suffer more than the Chronicles (1 Chron. xxi. 6). rest for this sin. And though it be true that Bp. Horsley.-The numbers in 1 Chron. Joab gave up the sum before the plague xxi. 5, are more probable, viz., "Israel, begun, yet the sacred penman of the Book eleven hundred thousand-Judah, four hunof Chronicles thought fit to make a defalca-dred and seventy thousand." tion of them who had been swept away by Dr. A. Clarke.-In Israel eight hundred the plague, that the judgment of God thousand the men of Judah were five therein might be observed. Or, 4. There hundred thousand.] In the parallel place, are included here the 30,000 which belonged 1 Chron. xxi. 5, the sums are widely difto the thirty colonels mentioned chap. xxiii., ferent: in Israel one million one hundred who are excluded 1 Chron. xxi., although it thousand, in Judah four hundred and seventy be questionable whether those were all of thousand. Neither of these sums is too the tribe of Judah. great, but they cannot be both correct; and Bp. Patrick. The men of Judah were which is the true number is difficult to say. five hundred thousand men.] There is a The former seems the most likely; but more great difference between this account and corruptions have taken place in the numbers that in the Chronicles. For there (1 Chron. of the historical books of the Old Testament, xxi. 5), the men of Israel are said to be than in any other part of the sacred records. three hundred thousand more than are here To attempt to reconcile them in every part mentioned; and, on the contrary, the men is lost labour; better at once acknowledge of Judah are said to be thirty thousand less. what cannot be successfully denied, that Of the former of which there is a plain account, although the original writers of the Old that in this book the standing legions are not Testament wrote under the influence of the numbered: which were very well known, Divine Spirit, yet we are not told that the they serving under twelve commanders so same influence descended on all copiers of many months (1 Chron. xxvii. 1, &c.); but their words, so as absolutely to prevent in the book of the Chronicles all these are them from making mistakes. They might taken into the number there mentioned. mistake, and they did mistake; but a careful For the Jews observe in Halicoth Olam, collation of the different historical books that there being twenty-four thousand who serves to correct all essential errors of the waited every month (which makes in all scribes. See the Dissertations of Dr. Kentwo hundred eighty-eight thousand), allow-nicott. ing a thousand officers (as we cannot well Houb.-9 ND, Octingenta (millia). allow less) to every twenty-four thousand, 1 Par. xxi. 5 legitur undecies centena millia, there will be twelve thousand wanting; quæ duæ scripturæ simul stare non possunt, which added to the eight hundred eighty- de qua re vide quæ dicimus ad locum supra dictum. Utra scriptura præstet incertum : | David had a covetous project in his mind, וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־ as a reason why the number of the people אֶת־הָעָם ,23 .was not taken exactly, 1 Chron. xxvii יְהוָה חָטָאתִי מְאֹד אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי וְעַתָּה הַעֲבֶר-נָא אֶת־עֲיִן עַבְדְּךָ כִּי פסקא באמצע הפסוק and seems to imply, that there was a general καὶ ἐπάταξε καρδία Δαυὶδ αὐτὸν μετὰ τὸ number of them, for this might seem to ἀριθμῆσαι τὸν λαόν· καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ πρὸς Κύριον, Ημαρτον σφόδρα ὃ ἐποίησα νῦν Κύριε· Taрaßißaσov dǹ tǹv dvoμíav toû dovλov σov, ὅτι ἐμωράνθην σφόδρα. Au. Ver.-10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. Pool. For I have done very foolishly, because I am sensible of my sin and folly, as it is more fully expressed, Psalm li. 5, 6. Or, although, as this particle is oft used. savour of infidelity, and mistrust of God's Bp. Patrick.-I have sinned greatly in that I have done.] It is made a great doubt by interpreters what this sin was, and wherein the heinousness of it consisted. The common opinion is, that as there was something of vanity and ostentation in him, when he had a mind to know how populous his country was, so it quite made him forget the half-shekel that was due upon such occasions, by the appointment of the law, Exod. xxx. 12. And this was no small sin, not to pay God his dues, in such plenty and abundance as they now enjoyed. But if that was the meaning of Moses, it cannot well be thought that David was either ignorant nor unmindful of it, having made the Dr. A. Clarke.-I have sinned greatly.] law his study day and night. Bertram We know not exactly in what this sin contherefore thinks his fault was, that he num- sisted. I have already hinted, ver. 1, that bered those who were under twenty years probably David now began to covet an exold, contrary to the order in the law, Exod. tension of empire, and purposed to unite xxx. iv.; xxxviii. 26, &c., but I see no some of the neighbouring states with his foundation for this; but rather the quite own; and having, through the suggestions contrary is asserted in the Book of the of Satan or some other adversary (for so Chronicles. Therefore Dr. Lightfoot fancies the word implies) given way to this covetous disposition, he could not look to God for help, and therefore wished to know whether the thousands of Israel and Judah might be deemed equal to the conquests which he meditated. When God is offended and refuses assistance, vain is the help of man. μῆνας φεύγειν σε ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, καὶ ἔσονται διώκοντές σε, ἢ γενέσθαι τρεῖς ἡμέρας θάνατον ἐν τῇ γῇ σου· νῦν οὖν γνῶθι καὶ ἴδε τί ἀποκριθῶ τῷ ἀποστείλαντί με ῥῆμα. Au. Ver.-13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. Seven years. Grotius, Bochart., Houb., Pilkington, Ken., Clarke, Ged., Booth.-Three years. Dathe.-Prorsus assentior Ill. Michaeli, qui consilium Davidis in numerando populo acute indagasse videtur; nempe non superbia impulsus jussit David populum numerari. Neque in eo peccavit, quod dimidium siclum ex lege Exod. xxx. 12 colligere neglexerit; quæ duæ rationes vulgo ab interpretibus allatæ fuerunt ad factum Davidis reprehendendum. Sed consilium Davidis fuit, omnes Israëlitas ad Pool.-Seven years of famine. Object. perpetua belli servitia cogendi, (das ganze In 1 Chron. xxi. 12, it is only three years of Volk als Soldaten zu enrolliren,) sine dubio famine. Answ. 1. Some conceive that here majora bella, quam hactenus gesserat, ma- was an error in the transcriber, and that the joresque aggressiones molitus. Quam sen- true reading is three years, as the LXX read tentiam maxime probabilem et tantum non it in this place, being supposed to have certam esse, probant sequentia argumenta: found it so in their copies, and that other1) Joabo hæc res maxime displicebat. Quod wise they durst never have presumed to profecto non fuisset, si rex tantum in causa make so great a change in the text. 2. In aliqua ad religionem pertinente peccasset. Chronicles he speaks exactly of those years Hujus enim non adeo strenuus erat defensor of famine only which came for David's sin; Joabus. Voluntati Davidis in Uria occi- but here he speaks more confusedly and dendo sine hæsitatione obtemperaverat, comprehensively, including those three years quidni ergo in numeratione populi, re per se innoxia, neminem lædente? Sed videbat Joabus, hanc rem adversari libertati populi. Hanc igitur laudabili studio defendebat, et improbabat illud consilium, quod omnes libertate privabat. 2) Ad hanc populi numerationem non magistratus, sive sacerdotes, uti alias, adhibebantur, sed exercitus sec. vers. 5. Ex quo apparet, Davidem motus in populo metuisse, ad quos opprimendos milites mittebantur. Vid. hæc pluribus edisserentem Michaëlem cum in notis ad vers. bibl. Germ. tum in jure Mos., p. III., §. 174, et S. R. Niemeyer in Characterist. Bibl., p. IV., p. 329. of famine sent for Saul's sin, chap. xxi. And this sin of David's was committed in the year next after them, which was in a manner a year of famine; either because it was the sabbatical year, wherein they might not sow nor reap; or rather, because not being able to sow in the third year, because of the excessive drought, they were not capable of reaping this fourth year. And three years more being added to these four, make up the seven here mentioned. So the meaning of the words is this, As thou hast already had four years of famine, shall three years more come? And that it is said of these seven years, that they shall come, it is a synecdochical expression frequent in Scripture, because part of the years were yet to come; even as it is said of the Israelites, that years, Numb. xiv. 33, when part of that Bp. Patrick.-Shall seven years of famine come unto thee, &c.] In the book of the Chronicles only three years of famine are pro7 pounded; which is far more likely than seven : for it better agrees with the three months fight before his enemies, and the three days' pestilence. And therefore, not only Grotius, καὶ εἰσῆλθε Γάδ πρὸς Δαυίδ, καὶ ἀνήγγειλε, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, ἔκλεξαι σεαυτῷ γενέσθαι, εἰ ἔλθῃ σοι τρία ἔτη λιμὸς ἐν τῇ γῇ σου, ἢ τρεῖς VOL. II. 4 x |