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1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, 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 ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? 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. 5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: 6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, 7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hibites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south 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. 9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto 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. 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. 11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 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. 14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 And David spake unto the LORD 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 thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. 18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. 20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. 21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto 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 unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. 24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
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[AD 1781] Richard Challoner on 2 Samuel 24:1
Stirred up: This stirring up was not the doing of God, but of Satan; as it is expressly declared, 1 Chron. or Paralip. 21. 1.
[AD 500] Salvian the Presbyter on 2 Samuel 24:2
You say these were the disgraceful acts of a few men and what was not done by all could not injure all. Indeed, I have said above quite often that the crime of one man was the destruction of many among the people of God, just as the people was ruined by Achan’s theft, just as pestilence arose from Saul’s jealousy, just as death came from the counting of the people by the holy David. The church of God is as the eye. As a speck of dirt, even though small, which falls into the eye blinds the sight completely, in the same way, if some, even though they are a few in the body of the church, commit filthy acts, they block almost all the light of the splendor of the church.

Source: THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 7.19
[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on 2 Samuel 24:10
The characters, then, of rulers are so assigned according to the merits of their subjects, that frequently they who seem to be good are soon changed by the acceptance of power. As holy Scripture observed of the same Saul that he changed his heart with his dignity. Whence it is written, “When you were little in your own eyes, I made you the head of the tribes of Israel.” The conduct of rulers is so ordered with reference to the characters of their subjects that frequently the conduct of even a truly good shepherd becomes sinful as a result of the wickedness of his flock. For that prophet David, who had been praised by the witness of God himself, who had been made acquainted with heavenly mysteries, being puffed up by the swelling of sudden pride, sinned in numbering the people. And yet, though David sinned, the people endured the punishment. Why was this? Because in truth the hearts of rulers are disposed according to the merits of their people. But the righteous judge reproved the fault of the sinner by the punishment of those very persons on whose account he sinned. But because he was not exempt from guilt, as displaying pride of his own free will, he himself endured also the punishment of his sin. For that furious wrath which struck the people in their bodies prostrated the ruler of the people by the pain of his inmost heart. But it is certain that the merits of rulers and people are so mutually connected that frequently the conduct of the people is made worse from the fault of their pastors and the conduct of pastors is changed according to the merits of their people.

Source: MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 25.16
[AD 1781] Richard Challoner on 2 Samuel 24:10
David's heart struck him, after the people were numbered: That is he was touched with a great remorse for the vanity and pride which had put him upon numbering the people.
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on 2 Samuel 24:14
Again, when David had ordered the people to be numbered, he was deeply afflicted in heart and said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in the command I have made, and now, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, because I have sinned exceedingly.” And the prophet Nathan was sent again to him to offer him the choice of three things, that he might select what he chose: a famine in the land for three years, flight from the face of his enemies for three months, or pestilence in the land for three days. And David answered, “These three things are a great distress to me, yet I shall fall into the hand of the Lord since his mercies are exceedingly great, and I shall not fall into the hands of men.” David’s fault was that he desired to know the number of all the people who were with him, and the knowledge of this he should have left to God alone.And it is said that when the pestilence came upon the people on the first day at dinner time, when David saw the angel striking the people, he said, “I have sinned, I, the shepherd, have done evil and this flock, what has it done? Let your hand be upon me and upon my father’s house.” So the Lord repented, and he bade the angel to spare the people, but David to offer sacrifice, for sacrifices were then offered for sin, but now they are sacrifices of penance. Thus, by his humility he became more acceptable to God, for it is not strange that people sin, but it is reprehensible if they do not acknowledge that they have erred and humble themselves before God.

Source: LETTER 3
[AD 420] Jerome on 2 Samuel 24:15
Bring a yet graver charge against God and ask him why, when Esau and Jacob were still in the womb, he said, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Accuse him of injustice because, when Achan the son of Carmi stole part of the spoil of Jericho, he butchered so many thousands for the fault of one. Ask him why for the sin of the sons of Eli the people were well-nigh annihilated and the ark captured. And why, when David sinned by numbering the people, so many thousands lost their lives.… Why should Christ’s coming have been delayed to the last times? Why should he not have come before so vast a number had perished? Of this last question the blessed apostle in writing to the Romans most wisely disposes by admitting that he does not know and that only God does. Do you too, then, condescend to remain ignorant of that into which you inquire. Leave to God his power over what is his own; he does not need you to justify his actions.

Source: LETTER 133.9
[AD 345] Aphrahat the Persian Sage on 2 Samuel 24:17
He is a most diligent pastor who delivered over himself on behalf of his sheep. He is an excellent leader who gave himself in behalf of his sheep.… And when David numbered the flock of his sheep, wrath came upon them, and they began to be destroyed. Then David delivered himself over on behalf of his sheep, when he prayed, saying, “O Lord God, I have sinned in that I have numbered Israel. Let your hand be on me and on my father’s house. These innocent sheep, how have they sinned?” So also [in this way] all the diligent pastors used to give themselves on behalf of their sheep.But those pastors who did not care for the sheep, those were hirelings who used to feed themselves alone.

Source: DEMONSTRATION 10.2-3
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on 2 Samuel 24:17
Good, therefore, is humility. It delivers those who are in danger and raises those who have fallen. This humility was known to him who said, “Behold, it is I that have sinned, and I the shepherd have acted wickedly; and these in this flock, what have they done? Let your hand be against me.” Well does David say this who made his kingdom subject to God and did penance and, having confessed his sin, asked pardon. He attained salvation through humility. Christ humbled himself to raise up all, and whoever follows the humility of Christ attains the rest of Christ.

Source: ON THE DEATH OF THEODOSIUS 27
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on 2 Samuel 24:17
Therefore since the apostle taught that a person who has passed out of this body will be with Christ, provided he deserves it, let us consider the nature of life and of death. We know from the teaching of Scripture that death is a freeing of the soul from the body, a kind of separation in man. For we are freed from this bond between soul and body, when we depart.… He [David] readily offered himself to death to atone for his offense against the Lord and presented himself, prepared to suffer God’s vengeance for the well-being of his afflicted people. He knew that it was more glorious to die for Christ than to rule in this world, for what is more excellent than to become a victim for Christ?

Source: DEATH AS A GOOD 3.8
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on 2 Samuel 24:17
And how is it possible (you say) that one should so love his neighbor as himself? If others had not done this, you might well think it impossible: but if they have done it, it is plain that from indolence it is not done by ourselves.And besides, Christ enjoins nothing impossible, seeing that many have even gone beyond his commands. Who has done this? Paul, Peter, all the company of the saints. No, indeed if I say that they loved their neighbors, I say no great matter: they so loved their enemies as no one would love those who were likeminded with himself. For who would choose for the sake of those likeminded to go away into hell when he was about to depart into a kingdom? No one. But Paul chose this for the sake of his enemies, for those who stoned him, those who scourged him. What pardon then will there be for us, what excuse, if we shall not show toward our friends even the very smallest portion of that love which Paul showed toward his enemies?
And before him too, the blessed Moses was willing to be blotted out of God’s book for the sake of his enemies who had stoned him. David also when he saw those who had stood up against him slain, said, “I, the shepherd, have sinned, but these, what have they done?” And when he had Saul in his hands, he would not slay him but saved him; and this when he himself would be in danger. But if these things were done under the old [covenant], what excuse shall we have who live under the new and do not attain even to the same measure with them? For … “unless our righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven,” how shall we enter in when we have even less than they?

Source: HOMILIES ON HEBREWS 19.4
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on 2 Samuel 24:18-21
Notice, brothers, that no place in the land of the Jews was found worthy for the altar of the Lord to be built; but in the land of the Gentiles a place is chosen where the angel is seen and the altar of the Lord is built, and thus the wrath of the almighty Lord is appeased. Then already was prefigured the fact that in the hearts of the Jews no worthy place could be found to offer spiritual victims; the land of the Gentiles, that is, the conscience of Christians, is chosen as the place for the Lord’s temple. This the apostle clearly indicates when he rebukes the Jews and says, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but since you have judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we now turn to the Gentiles.” This means [that] because you have rejected Christ and have not prepared a worthy place on which to set the Lord’s altar, we will put it in the land of the Gentiles, that is, in the hearts of all the people. For this reason the same apostle exclaims to us, “Holy is the temple of God, and you are this temple.” Now notice, dearly beloved, that the land of the Gentile king was chosen at the time when the Jewish people were struck by God’s plague. This we see fulfilled in the Lord’s passion; for when the Jewish people rejected the Lord and crucified him, then his altar was consecrated on the threshing floor of the Gentiles, that is, on every land. That is why the angel of the Lord stood on the threshing floor of the Gentile king; the true angel, Christ, visited the people of the Gentiles.

Source: SERMON 122.1
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on 2 Samuel 24:22-25
Therefore, the king himself offered blessed David the threshing floor and oxen for a burnt offering, but King David refused to accept them without first paying a price. This, too, was fulfilled at the coming of our Lord and Savior, for he refused to take the hearts of the Gentiles for himself without first giving his precious blood for them. What, then, did he give? “Fifty shekels of silver,” it says. In the number fifty the grace of the Holy Spirit is understood and the remission of sins is designated. Indeed, on the fiftieth day the Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles, and in the Old Testament the fiftieth year was dedicated to forgiveness and pardon. That David, to be sure, gave silver; our David, whose type the other prefigured, shed his precious blood. Thus, in order to buy the pagan king’s threshing floor David offered fifty shekels; in order to build an altar to himself on the threshing floor of the Gentiles Christ, the true David, gave the grace of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins on the fiftieth day. Therefore, brothers, since he has deigned to make a temple for himself in us and out of us, let him not suffer any insult in his home. If he does suffer injury because of our sins, he quickly withdraws, and woe to the unhappy soul from which he departs. Doubtless, if one is deserted by the light he will be seized by darkness. For this reason let us with his aid endeavor so to live that we may merit to have the good Lord not only as our guest but as a perpetual inhabitant: with the help of our same Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory together with the Father and the Holy Spirit world without end. Amen.

Source: SERMON 122.2