King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 5 notes
1And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2For 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.
Joab, Joab, the good, the bad and the ugly, or more appropriately the ugliest.
Joab really played dirty and would do anything to keep his rank.
He was also very useful and beneficial to the king 👑.
He did the king's dirty jobs at times, as in the case of Uriah, and could talk truth to power, as in when the king 👑 wept over Absalom to the detriment of his own people, and now here in restraining the king 👑 from numbering the people, though he was unsuccessful.
He played all kinds of roles in this kingdom.
David being a king, handling Joab was indeed a thorn in the flesh he could not seem to get rid of no matter what.
Joab played the game of politics really well and could not be replaced.
Despite the pain Joab caused to David, he had to use him here.
Leadership is not easy. David had much suffering because of Joab's excesses, but he had to manage him; despite the pain, he sent Joab to do this errand.
I can imagine the pain in David's heart ♥, yet all the while he sent and spoke with Joab.
Joab had killed many innocent lives, and it was a stain on David's reign.
David had to go to lengths to mourn such dead so that it becomes evident he had no hand in it.
Despite all this pain, David managed to live and work with Joab.
Lord, make me a wise leader, help me excel in all I do.
3And 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?
4Notwithstanding 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.
5And 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:
6Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon,
This thing which displeased the Lord so much 🙏 will inure to the benefit of the Lord in helping keep proper records.
God has a way of turning and making good that which was meant for evil 😈.
David and Israel got punished for this, but the records were not burnt or destroyed but kept for future use, as we see in the verse preceding.
7And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.
8So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9And 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.
10And 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.
11For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
When did Gad become David's seer? Where was Nathan? Meaning there was more than one active prophet in David's time to the palace and the throne.
Because later we see Nathan at David's deathbed, meaning they were still cordial and there was no animosity.
12Go 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.
13So 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.
The question 🙋 I ask is this: how in the world 🗺 could God orchestrate these things, being a spirit?
I get the famine part and the pestilence, but David fleeing before his enemies 🏃?
Does that mean the so-called enemies of David were actually stooges and tools in the hands 👐 of God to bring him glory?
So by implication all the wars of David and his victories were just God choosing which side should win, and this was easy since he had both sides of the divide ➗ in his pocket and chooses what he wants for each side.
Just that because David pleased 😌 him, he chose always.
That was a very rare feat, for one to win always.
David was indeed special in the heart of the Lord.
Oh Lord, help me walk in wisdom before thee all the days of my life.
14And 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.
15So 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.
16And 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.
17And 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.
18And 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.
19And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
20And 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.
21And 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.
22And 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.
23All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
24And 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.
This verse, used of many to raise support in the Church and compel congregants to give over and above their comfortabilities.
25And 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.