2 Samuel 24:13
Read 2 Samuel 24:13 Using Other Translations
What does 2 Samuel 24:13 mean?
So Gad came to David, and told him
Said nothing to him about his sin, but correction for it; which
confirms it that David was made sensible of his sin before he
came to him:
and said unto him, shall seven years of famine come unto
thee in thy
land?
in ( 1
Chronicles 21:12 ) , only "three years" are mentioned, and so
the Septuagint version here; but Josephus F4, the
Targum, the Syriac and Arabic versions, have the number "seven";
three seems to be more agreeable to the numbers after mentioned,
and no more as to come were designed, though seven are here
expressed; for the reconciling of which let it be observed, that
there had been three years of famine already on account of the
sin of Saul, ( 2 Samuel
21:1 ) ; and in the current year, through the rains not
falling in the proper time, the land was barren and unfruitful;
or through the penury of the preceding years the famine would be
continued at least until the harvest; and then three years more
now proposed made seven years; or, if these three years would
have immediately followed the other three, the following in
course would be a sabbatical year, in which were no ploughing,
sowing, nor reaping, or the current year was such an one: and the
sense is, shall there be a continuance of seven years of famine,
that is, three more added to what had been? which must be most
dreadful to think of; but a learned writer
F5 thinks it a mistake of the copier, writing (z) , "seven", for (g) , "three":
or wilt thou
flee three months before thine enemies, while they
pursue
thee?
be in such a condition as not to be able to face or fight his
enemies, or, if he did, would not be able to stand his ground,
but be forced to flee before them, and be pursued by them three
months running; during which time a prodigious number might well
be thought to be slain, sad devastations made in the land, and
great shame and disgrace endured, and what a man of David's
spirit could not bear the thoughts of:
or that
there be three days' pestilence in thy land?
which in ( 1
Chronicles 21:12 ) is called "the sword of the Lord", in
distinction from the sword of man, it coming immediately from
him, and the destroying angel, in all the coasts of the land;
being inflicted by means of one:
now advise,
and see what answer I shall return to him that sent
me;
that is, consult with himself, or with his friends, or both, what
answer the prophet must return to the Lord that sent him; for him
he means.
F4 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 13. sect. 2.
F5 Dr. Kennicott's Dissert. 1. p.
474.
