2 Samuel 24

2 Samuel 24:15-25 . HIS INTERCESSION TO GOD; THE PLAGUE CEASES.

15. from the morning--rather that morning when Gad came [ 2 Samuel 24:18 ], till the end of the three days.
there died of the people . . . seventy thousand men--Thus was the pride of the vainglorious monarch, confiding in the number of his population, deeply humbled.

16. the Lord repented him of the evil--God is often described in Scripture as repenting when He ceased to pursue a course He had begun.

17. David . . . said--or, "had said,"
I have sinned . . . but these sheep, what have they done?--The guilt of numbering the people lay exclusively with David. But in the body politic as well as natural, when the head suffers, all the members suffer along with it; and, besides, although David's sin was the immediate cause, the great increase of national offenses at this time had ( 2 Samuel 24:1 ) kindled the anger of the Lord.

18. Araunah--or Ornan ( 1 Chronicles 21:18 ), the Jebusite, one of the ancient inhabitants, who, having become a convert to the true religion, retained his house and possessions. He resided on Mount Moriah, the spot on which the temple was afterwards built ( 2 Chronicles 3:1 ); but that mount was not then enclosed in the town.

21. to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed--It is evident that the plague was not stayed till after the altar was built, and the sacrifice offered, so that what is related ( 2 Samuel 24:16 ) was by anticipation. Previous to the offering of this sacrifice, he had seen the destroying angel as well as offered the intercessory prayer ( 2 Samuel 24:17 ). This was a sacrifice of expiation; and the reason why he was allowed to offer it on Mount Moriah was partly in gracious consideration to his fear of repairing to Gibeon ( 1 Chronicles 21:29 1 Chronicles 21:30 ), and partly in anticipation of the removal of the tabernacle and the erection of the temple there ( 2 Chronicles 3:1 ).

23. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give--Indicating, as the sense is, that this man had been anciently a heathen king or chief, but was now a proselyte who still retained great property and influence in Jerusalem, and whose piety was evinced by the liberality of his offers. The words, "as a king," are taken by some to signify simply, "he gave with royal munificence."

24. Nay; . . . I will . . . buy it of thee at a price--The sum mentioned here, about fifty dollars, was paid for the floor, oxen and wood instruments only, whereas the large sum ( 1 Chronicles 21:25 ) was paid afterwards for the whole hill, on which David made preparations for building the temple.

25. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings--There seem to have been two sacrifices; the first expiatory, the second a thanksgiving for the cessation of the pestilence