March 21, 2026
Last week was grim. We learned that forgiveness and judgment can exist at the same time and that sometimes God’s judgment is not intervening, instead allowing the harvest of the choices we make. That is a lot for sinful humans to take on board. We want to do what we want to do – but we don’t want any negatives that may come as a result.
We also learned that sin changes people. The David after Bathsheba was a very different man from the David before Bathsheba and that reality prolonged and intensified the judgment he, his family and the nation experienced.
Turning our attention now to the final chapters of 2nd Samuel and 1st Chronicles, we encounter the 1st of 2 calamities to strike Israel during David’s reign, although the timing of both is uncertain. So, it is important to note that the following is topical rather than chronological.
The 1st – 3 years of famine – was a judgment against Israel for the actions of Saul in his attempt to exterminate the Gibeonites – which violated the covenant made between Gibeon and Joshua early in the conquest (see Joshua 9).
Interestingly, this violation is not mentioned anywhere and it is unclear why Saul would try to exterminate this group of people.
Seeking to make atonement, David went to the Gibeonites. He offered them money, but, instead, they sought justice by asking that 7 of Saul’s descendants be executed (see Numbers 35:33-34). It does not appear that David consulted God, he just took the 2 sons of Saul’s concubine, Rizpah, and the 5 sons of Saul’s daughter, Merab, and gave them to the Gibeonites.
However, the famine continued until after these men were given an honorable burial. They were buried in the tomb of Kish, Saul’s father, along with the bones of Saul and Jonathan, which were reburied there. Only then did the famine end.
Some scholars interpret this as a sign that God was displeased with David’s actions.
Some scholars also propose that this execution was the reason why Shimei accused David of bloodshed.
2 Samuel 21:15-22 is a repeat of the battles between Israel and the Philistines that we covered 2 weeks ago in 1st Chronicles 20, but it includes an extra detail not previously revealed: While David was fighting the Philistines, he became exhausted and was in real danger of being killed by Ishvi-Benob, a descendant of the Rapha. Abishai came to David’s rescue and Ishvi-Benob died instead. At that point David’s men swore that he would never go into battle again. This declaration, provides us with a plausible reason why David was in Jerusalem, “in the spring when all kings go off to war.”
• 2nd Samuel 22 records the song David sang when Yahweh delivered him from Saul and all his enemies (also Psalm 18).
• 2nd Samuel 23 records the final words of David.
The 2nd calamity was the result of David’s decision to take a census to determine Israel’s fighting strength.
In the original (1st Chronicles), it was an unidentified “enemy” that incited David, not “the enemy”, which most interpret as meaning Satan. It is possible that David’s decision was in response to an external military threat.
Joab strongly objected, cautioning David that what he was doing was wicked – he was overruled.
The census took 9 months and 20 days and here are the numbers Joab reported to David:
• 2nd Samuel = 800,000 in Israel and 500,000 in Judah
• 1st Chronicles = 1,100,000 in Israel and 470,000 in Judah. However, Joab did not count the men from Levi or Bemjamin because the king’s command “repulsed him.” (see reference to this event in 1 Chronicles 27:23-24)
Apparently, the census was evil in the sight of Yahweh.
On the surface this might confuse us because Yahweh had ordered the taking of a census on 2 prior occasions – so why view David’s act as one of wickedness?
Because God had not authorized this census and to call for it demonstrated just where David placed his confidence.
The young man, who had boldly said, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of El Shaddai, the God of the armies of Israel,” and then had picked up 5 rocks to face a fully kit-ed out giant, had become the king whose pride, ambition and self-confidence drove him to take a census that would prove just how strong and prosperous Israel was – with or without God.
David’s conscience finally kicked in and he realized his sin.
This was David’s one redeeming quality – his willingness to confess his sins and his genuine sorrow and repentance.
Here again we see that forgiveness can co-exist with judgment.
I would suggest that if you are ever tempted to justify yourself by saying, “what I am doing isn’t hurting anyone,” to think of this story.
Yahweh instructed Gad, David’s seer, to deliver the following message, “I am giving you 3 options, choose 1.”
• 3 years of famine
• 3 months being on the run from your enemies
• 3 days of plague on the land
All 3 were listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-25 as consequences for breaking the covenant.
David decided that 3 days of plague was the least costly judgment and so, for 3 days a plague enveloped the land and 70,000 men of Israel died. Then the angel turned toward Jerusalem…
When David saw the avenging angel, he prayed, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O Yahweh my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."
He was instructed to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
Instead of taking David’s money, Araunah offered the threshing floor, the firewood, and the sacrifice to David as a gift.
But David replied, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to Yahweh my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
David bought the threshing floor, built an altar, and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
1 Chronicles 21:27-30 - Then Yahweh spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
1 Chronicles 22:1 - Then David said, "The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
David now decided it was time to start gathering the materials for the Temple.
When he had gathered everything, he called Solomon and charged him with building the Temple, “May Yahweh be with you, and may you have success and build His House, as he said you would. May he give you discretion and understanding, so that you may keep His law. You will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that Yahweh gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Here is everything I have collected so far…. (as of 03/17/2026).
• 100,000 talents of Gold (7,500,000 lbs) = $602,028,000,000
• 1,000,000 talents of Silver (75,000,000 lbs) = $96,108,000,000
• Bronze and Iron beyond weight
• Wood and stone
There are many workmen, stone cutters, masons, and carpenters who are ready to go to work. Now begin the work, and Yahweh be with you."
In David’s last years as king, he worked to make sure there was a smooth transition of power after he died.
At the beginning of 1st Chronicles 23, he officially named Solomon as his successor. Then he called for a national convention and proceeded to outline the organizational structures for both the kingdom and the services in the future Temple (see chaps. 23-27).
At the conclusion of the convention, David charged the people of Israel to support Soloman. He gave Solomon the plans for the Temple and charged him with the sacred task of building it, “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for Yahweh searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever….. Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for Yahweh, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of is finished.”
Addressing the group again, David said, “Here is the list of everything I have collected for the construction of the Temple, gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, precious stones, antimony, and alabaster. Above and beyond that - I have personally given an additional:
• 3000 talents of Gold (225,000 lbs) = $18,060,840,000
• 7000 talents of Silver (525,000 lbs) = $672,756,000
Now we are going to take up an offering”
The people gave willingly and with all their hearts:
• 5000 talent + 10,000 darics of Gold (375,000 lbs) = $30,101,400,000 + 10,000 daric
• 10,000 talents of Silver (750,000 lbs) = $961,080,000
• 18,000 talents of Copper (1,350,000 lbs) = $7,797,6000 (approx. 62,000 lbs to make Statue of Liberty = 31 tons)
• 100,000 talents of Iron (7,500,000 lbs)
• Precious stones
Total collected:
• Gold: 81,000,000 lbs + 10,000 darics = $650,190,240,000 + 10,000 darics
• Silver: 76,275,000 lbs = $97,741,836,000
• Copper: 1,350,00 lbs = $7,797,000
• Precious stones
• Iron 7,500,000 lbs + “beyond weight”
• Bronze (mix of copper and tin) “beyond weight”
The people rejoiced and David expressed his gratitude and thanksgiving with another Psalm. Then turning to the whole assembly, he said, "Praise the LORD your God."
David’s story concludes in 1st Kings:
• David was old and cold - he could not get warm, so his servant decided to find a young beautiful (virgin) woman who would attend the king and keep him warm. Abishag was chosen and she attended the king for the rest of his life.
• Adonijah, David’s 4th son, proclaimed himself king with the support of Joab (general) and Abiathar (priest), while David was still alive – creating another royal crisis in David’s house. David was unaware of Adonijah’s actions and when Bathsheba went to him about it, he proclaimed that Solomon would be king.
After Zadok anointed Solomon, Adonijah and those who supported him, scattered. He ran and clung to the horns of the altar because he was afraid that Solomon would have him killed. He asked that his life be preserved and Solomon said that if he proved himself a “worthy man” his life would be spared - Adonijah was sent home.
The situation between Adonijah and Solomon will not be resolved until after David’s death.
David’s final instructions to Solomon:
• Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe what Yahweh your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.
• Regarding Joab. You know what he did – killing Absalom as well as Abner and Amasa “shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle.” Deal with him according to your wisdom, but don’t let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
• Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.
• Finally, remember Shimei, who called down bitter curses on me. I swore to him by Yahweh that I would not put him to death. But now, do not consider him innocent. You are wise and will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.
Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. He had reigned 40 years over Israel – 7 years in Hebron and 33 years in Jerusalem.
Until Next Time…………..
