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英文原文
As this rehearsal makes no mention of David's sin in the matter of Uriah, so neither of the troubles of his family that followed upon it; not a word of Absalom's rebellion, or Sheba's. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is here related, because, in the atonement made for that sin, an intimation was given of the spot of ground on which the temple should be built. Here is, I. David's sin, in forcing Joab to number the people, 1Ch 21:1-6. II. David's sorrow for what he had done, as soon as he perceived the sinfulness of it, 1Ch 21:7,8. III. The sad dilemma (or trilemma rather) he was brought to, when it was put to him to choose how he would be punished for this sin, and what rod he would be beaten with, 1Ch 21:9-13. IV. The woeful havoc which was made by the pestilence in the country, and the narrow escape which Jerusalem had from being laid waste by it, 1Ch 21:14-17. V. David's repentance, and sacrifice, upon this occasion, and the staying of the plaque thereupon, 1Ch 21:18-30. This awful story we met with, and meditated upon, 2Sa 24:1-25
1-6
The Giants Subdued (1017 BC)
巨人被制伏（主前1017年）
¹ 撒但起来攻击以色列人，激动大卫数点他们。 ² 大卫对约押和众军长说：你们去，从别是巴直到但，数点以色列人，将总数告诉我。 ³ 约押说：愿耶和华使他的民比现在加增百倍。我主我王啊，他们不都是我主的仆人吗？我主为何吩咐行这事呢？为何使以色列人陷在罪里呢？ ⁴ 但王的命令胜过约押。于是约押出去，走遍以色列，回到耶路撒冷。 ⁵ 约押将百姓的总数奏告大卫。以色列人拔刀的勇士共有一百一十万；犹大人拔刀的共有四十七万。 ⁶ 惟有利未人和便雅悯人没有数在其中，因为约押厌恶王的命令。
数点百姓，人以为并非恶事。牧人为何不可知道羊群的数目呢？但神的看法与人不同。大卫行这事显然是错的，大大惹动神的怒气，因为他是在心中的骄傲里行的；没有一样罪比骄傲更充满违抗，因此更得罪神。这罪是大卫的；唯有他当承担其责。但此处告诉我们：
I. 试探者何等活跃（代上21:1）：撒但起来攻击以色列人，激动大卫去行这事。撒下24:1说耶和华向以色列人发怒，就激动大卫去行。人在罪恶和不义之中，当观察并承认神公义的判断。我们确知神不是罪的根源——他不试探人；所以当说他激动大卫行这事，必须用此处所暗示的话来解释：为着智慧圣洁的目的，他许可魔鬼去行。我们在此把这污流追溯到它的源头。撒但是神和一切良善的仇敌，他起来攻击以色列人，并不奇怪；他的目标正是要削弱神之以色列的力量，减少他们的数目，遮蔽他们的荣耀——对这以色列，他就是撒但，是已立的仇敌。但他竟能影响大卫这个合神心意的人去行错事，确实令人惊奇。人必以为他是恶者所不能触及的人。不，连最圣洁的人，直到进入天堂之前，都不可以为自己已脱离撒但试探的范围。如今撒但要加害以色列，他采取的是什么策略呢？他不像对待约伯那样激动神来毁灭他们（伯2:3），而是激动大卫——他们最好的朋友——去数点他们，借此得罪神，使神与他们为敌。当知：一、魔鬼借试探我们得罪自己的神，比在我们神面前控告我们，给我们造成更多的损害。他除灭人，无非借人自己的手。二、他对神的教会所能行的最大恶毒，就是试探教会的治理者骄傲；因为无人能想象这罪在众人中、尤其在教会治理者中所能带来的致命后果。基督说：你们不可这样（路22:26）。
II. 工具何等被动。大卫所用的约押，在公务上原是积极之人；但在这一件事上，他完全是被迫的，并以极大的不愿去行。
一、他在动手之前先提出反对。凡真有利于君王尊荣或国家福祉之事，无人比他更热心；但在这事上他巴不得求免。因为（一）这是不必要的事。毫无必要。神已应许使他们增多，他不必怀疑这应许的成就。他们都是他的仆人，他不必怀疑他们的忠诚与爱戴。他们的数目已是他所能愿望的力量。（二）这是危险的事。行了这事，他可能使以色列人陷在罪里，并惹动神攻击他们。约押想到这一点，大卫自己却没有想到。最精通神律法的人，不总是最快看出律法的应用。
二、他做完之前已极其厌倦；因为王的命令在约押看为可憎（代上21:6）。从前大卫王所行的一切，众民无不喜悦（撒下3:36）。但如今众人对这命令普遍反感，这坚固了约押的不悦，所以虽然这次登记的数目实在极大，他却没有心力去完成，留下两个支派未数（代上21:5-6）——利未和便雅悯这两个重要的支派；或许数点其余各支派也不甚仔细，因为他毫无乐趣地行这事，这或许就是此处数目与撒下24:9不同之故。
英文原文
The Giants Subdued (1017 BC)
¹ And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
² And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
³ And Joab answered, The LORD make his people a hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
⁴ Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
⁵ And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
⁶ But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
Numbering the people, one would think, was no bad thing. Why should not the shepherd know the number of his flock? But God sees not as man sees. It is plain it was wrong in David to do it, and a great provocation to God, because he did it in the pride of his heart; and there is no sin that has in it more of contradiction and therefore more of offence to God than pride. The sin was David's; he alone must bear the blame of it. But here we are told,
I. How active the tempter was in it (1Ch 21:1): Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to do it. Is is said (2Sa 24:1) that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David to do it. The righteous judgments of God are to be observed and acknowledged even in the sins and unrighteousness of men. We are sure that God is not the author of sin—he tempts no man; and therefore, when it is said that he moved David to do it, it must be explained by what is intimated here, that, for wise and holy ends, he permitted the devil to do it. Here we trace this foul stream to its foundation. That Satan, the enemy of God and all good, should stand up against Israel, is not strange; it is what he aims at, to weaken the strength, diminish the numbers, and eclipse the glory of God's Israel, to whom he is Satan, a sworn adversary. But that he should influence David, the man of God's own heart to do a wrong thing, may well be wondered at. One would think him one of those whom the wicked one touches not. No, even the best saints, till they come to heaven, must never think themselves out of the reach of Satan's temptations. Now, when Satan meant to do Israel a mischief, what course did he take? He did not move God against them to destroy them (as Job, Job 2:3), but he provoked David, the best friend they had, to number them, and so to offend God, and set him against them. Note, 1. The devil does us more mischief by tempting us to sin against our God than he does by accusing us before our God. He destroys none but by their own hands, 2. The greatest spite he can do to the church of God is to tempt the rulers of the church to pride; for none can conceive the fatal consequences of that sin in all, especially in church-rulers. You shall not be so, Lu 22:26.
II. How passive the instrument was. Joab, the person whom David employed, was an active man in public business; but to this he was perfectly forced, and did it with the greatest reluctance imaginable.
1. He put in a remonstrance against it before he began it. No man more forward that he in any thing that really tended to the honour of the king or the welfare of the kingdom; but in this matter he would gladly be excused. For, (1.) It was a needless thing. There was not occasion at all for it. God had promised to multiply them, and he needed not question the accomplishment of that promise. They were all his servants, and he needed not doubt of their loyalty and affection to him. Their number was as much his strength as he could desire. (2.) It was a dangerous thing. In doing it he might be a cause of trespass to Israel, and might provoke God against them. This Joab apprehended, and yet David himself did not. The most learned in the laws of God are not always the most quick-sighted in the application of those laws.
2. He was quite weary of it before he had done it; for the king's word was abominable to Joab, 1Ch 21:6. Time was when whatever king David did pleased all the people, 2Sa 3:36. But now there was a general disgust at these orders, which confirmed Joab in his dislike of them, so that, though the produce of this muster was really very great, yet he had no heart to perfect it, but left two tribes unnumbered (1Ch 21:5,6), two considerable ones, Levi and Benjamin, and perhaps was not very exact in numbering the rest, because he did not do it with any pleasure, which might be one occasion of the difference between the sums here and 2Sa 24:9.
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David's Numbering the People (1017 BC)
大卫数点百姓（主前1017年）
⁷ 神不喜悦这灾，所以击打以色列人。 ⁸ 大卫对神说：我行这事大有罪了；现在求你除掉仆人的罪孽，因我所行的甚是愚昧。 ⁹ 耶和华吩咐大卫的先见迦得说： ¹⁰ 你去告诉大卫说，耶和华如此说：我给你三样灾，随你选择一样，我好降与你。 ¹¹ 于是迦得来见大卫，对他说：耶和华如此说，你可以随意选择： ¹² 或三年的饥荒；或在你敌人面前被刀剑追赶三个月；或耶和华的刀剑，就是三日的瘟疫临到这地，并有耶和华的使者在以色列四境施行毁灭。现在你要想一想，我好回复那差我来的。 ¹³ 大卫对迦得说：我甚为难；我愿落在耶和华的手里，因为他有丰盛的怜悯；我不愿落在人的手里。 ¹⁴ 于是耶和华降瘟疫给以色列人，以色列人就死了七万。 ¹⁵ 神差遣使者去毁灭耶路撒冷；正要毁灭的时候，耶和华看见，就后悔降这灾，对灭城的天使说：够了，现在住手吧。那时耶和华的使者站在耶布斯人阿珥楠的禾场那里。 ¹⁶ 大卫举目，看见耶和华的使者站在天地之间，手里有拔出来的刀，伸在耶路撒冷以上。大卫和以色列的长老都身穿麻布，面伏于地。 ¹⁷ 大卫对神说：吩咐数点百姓的不是我吗？犯罪的乃是我，行恶的实在是我；这群羊作了什么呢？愿耶和华我神的手攻击我和我的父家；不要攻击你的民，使他们受灾瘟。
大卫在此因数点百姓而受责罚——那责罚的杖，要打出心中所存的愚妄，就是骄傲的愚妄。让我们简要观察：
I. 他如何受责罚。神最亲爱的儿女若行了错，也当预备为此受苦。一、他被告知神不喜悦（代上21:7）；对大卫这样的好人而言，这是不小的不安。神留意并厌恶他百姓的罪；没有罪比心中的骄傲更得罪他；也没有什么比看见自己在神的不悦之下，更叫一个蒙恩之人的心谦卑、忧伤、受折磨。二、他被放在选择之中——是受战争、饥荒或瘟疫的刑罚；因为刑罚不可避免，必出于这三者之一。这样，为叫他更加降卑，他被放在困境之中，极大的困境，三种审判的恐怖都印在他心上，当他权衡该选哪一样时，无疑是大为惊惶。三、他听说在几小时之内，他的臣民有七万人死于瘟疫（代上21:14）。他原以百姓的众多为傲，但神圣的公义却以另一种方式使他们减少。凡我们所引以为傲的，公义地被夺去、削弱，或使之对我们变为苦涩。大卫原要数点百姓：将他们的数目拿来给我，使我可以知道。 如今神却以另一种方式数点他们，数归于刀下（赛65:12）。于是给大卫带来了另一个数目，比从前令他满意更令他羞愧——就是被杀之人的数目——一份黑暗的死亡册，成了他点兵册上的减项。四、他看见灭城的天使，拔出刀指向耶路撒冷（代上21:16）。这对他必然极其可怕，因为这是天上忿怒的可见记号，又威胁着那蒙爱之城的全然毁灭。瘟疫在人口最稠密之处造成的毁坏最大。即使天使和平而来、带着友善的使命，单是看见天使，已足以使勇士颤抖；那么看见一位手中有拔出之刀的天使——一把火焰的剑，正如那四面转动要把守生命树道路的基路伯的剑——又是何等可畏呢！当我们仍在神的震怒之下，圣天使虽非可见如大卫所见，却已武装与我们为敌。
II. 他如何忍受这责罚。一、他对罪作了极其悔改的认罪，并恳切求赦免（代上21:8）。如今他承认自己犯了罪，犯了极大的罪，行了愚妄，行了甚大的愚妄；他恳求无论如何可以因此受罚，但这罪孽得以除掉。二、他接受了罪的刑罚："愿你的手攻击我和我的父家（代上21:17）。我顺服这杖，只是让我作受苦者，因为我是那犯罪者；该受刀剑指向的，是我这有罪的头。" 三、他投靠神的怜悯（虽知道神向他发怒），却对他并无半点刚硬的想法。无论如何，我们要落在耶和华的手里，因他的怜悯广大（代上21:13）。虔诚的人即使神向他皱眉，也仍想到他的好处。他虽杀我，我仍要信靠他。 四、他对百姓表达了极温柔的关切，看见他们因他的过犯受灾瘟，他心为之破碎：这群羊作了什么呢？
英文原文
David's Numbering the People (1017 BC)
⁷ And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
⁸ And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
⁹ And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
¹⁰ Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
¹¹ So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
¹² Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
¹³ And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
¹⁴ So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
¹⁵ And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
¹⁶ And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
¹⁷ And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
David is here under the rod for numbering the people, that rod of correction which drives out the foolishness that is bound up in the heart, the foolishness of pride. Let us briefly observe,
I. How he was corrected. If God's dearest children do amiss, they must expect to smart for it. 1. He is given to understand that God is displeased; and that it is no small uneasiness to so good a man as David, 1Ch 21:7. God takes notice of, and is displeased with, the sins of his people; and no sin is more displeasing to him than pride of heart: nor is anything more humbling, and grieving, and mortifying to a gracious soul, than to see itself under God's displeasure. 2. He is put to his choice whether he will be punished by war, famine, or pestilence; for punished he must be, and by one of these. Thus, for his further humiliation, he is put into a strait, a great strait, and has the terror of all the three judgments impressed upon his mind, no doubt to his great amazement, while he is considering which he shall choose. 3. He hears of 70,000 of his subjects who in a few hours were struck dead by the pestilence, 1Ch 21:14. He was proud of the multitude of his people, but divine Justice took a course to make them fewer. Justly is that taken from us, weakened, or embittered to us, which we are proud of. David must have the people numbered: Bring me the number of them, says he, that I may know it. But now God numbers them after another manner, numbers to the sword, Isa 65:12. And David had another number of them brought, more to his confusion than was to his satisfaction, namely, the number of the slain—a black bill of mortality, which is a drawback to his muster-roll. 4. He sees the destroying angel, with his sword drawn against Jerusalem, 1Ch 21:16. This could not but be very terrible to him, as it was a visible indication of the anger of Heaven, and threatened the utter destruction of that beloved city. Pestilences make the greatest devastations in the most populous places. The sight of an angel, though coming peaceably and on a friendly errand, has made even mighty men to tremble; how dreadful then must this sight be of an angel with a drawn sword in his hand, a flaming sword, like that of the cherubim, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life! While we lie under the wrath of God the holy angels are armed against us, though we see them not as David did.
II. How he bore the correction. 1. He made a very penitent confession of his sin, and prayed earnestly for the pardon of it, 1Ch 21:8. Now he owned that he had sinned, had sinned greatly, had done foolishly, very foolishly; and he entreated that, however he might be corrected for it, the iniquity of it might be done away. 2. He accepted the punishment of his iniquity: "Let thy hand be on me, and on my father's house, 1Ch 21:17. I submit to the rod, only let me be the sufferer, for I am the sinner; mine is the guilty head at which the sword should be pointed." 3. He cast himself upon the mercy of God (though he knew he was angry with him) and did not entertain any hard thoughts of him. However it be, Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great, 1Ch 21:13. Good men, even when God frowns upon them, think well of him. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. 4. He expressed a very tender concern for the people, and it went to his heart to see them plagued for his transgression: These sheep, what have they done?
18-30
Ornan's Threshing-Floor (1017 BC)
阿珥楠的禾场（主前1017年）
¹⁸ 耶和华的使者吩咐迦得告诉大卫，叫大卫上去，在耶布斯人阿珥楠的禾场上为耶和华筑一座坛。 ¹⁹ 大卫就照迦得奉耶和华名所说的话上去了。 ²⁰ 阿珥楠回头看见天使；他和四个儿子与他一同藏起来。那时阿珥楠正在打麦子。 ²¹ 大卫到了阿珥楠那里；阿珥楠观看，见大卫，就从禾场上出来，脸伏于地向大卫下拜。 ²² 大卫对阿珥楠说：你将这禾场的地给我，使我可以为耶和华筑一座坛；你要按足价卖给我，使瘟疫在民中止住。 ²³ 阿珥楠对大卫说：你拿去吧；愿我主我王凭自己的心意而行；看哪，我把牛给你作燔祭，把打粮的器具当柴，把麦子作素祭；这一切我都给你。 ²⁴ 大卫王对阿珥楠说：不然；我必用足价向你买；我决不将属你的献给耶和华，也不献白得的燔祭。 ²⁵ 于是大卫为那地方，按分量给了阿珥楠六百舍客勒金子。 ²⁶ 大卫在那里为耶和华筑了一座坛，献燔祭和平安祭，求告耶和华；耶和华就从天上降火在燔祭坛上，应允了他。 ²⁷ 耶和华吩咐使者；他就把刀收回鞘中。 ²⁸ 那时大卫见耶和华在耶布斯人阿珥楠的禾场上应允了他，就在那里献祭。 ²⁹ 因摩西在旷野所造的耶和华的帐幕和燔祭坛，那时都在基遍的邱坛上。 ³⁰ 只是大卫不能进前求问神，因为他惧怕耶和华使者的刀。
我们在此看到争论结束，大卫既已悔改，便与神和好。你虽曾向我发怒，你的怒气却已转消。 一、刑罚的执行被止住（代上21:15）。当大卫悔改其罪，神便后悔其审判，吩咐灭城的天使住手、收刀入鞘（代上21:27）。二、有指示给大卫，要在阿珥楠的禾场上筑坛（代上21:18）。天使吩咐先知迦得把这指示传给大卫。那奉神之名执行争战的同一位天使，如今主动发起和议；因为天使并不喜悦那可悲的日子。天使本可亲自将这命令传给大卫；但他选择借他的先见而行，使先知的职任得着尊荣。因此耶稣基督的启示，也是由天使通知约翰，再由他通知众教会。吩咐大卫筑坛，是和好的美好记号；因为神若决意杀他，就不会指定，也不会悦纳他手中的祭。三、大卫立即与阿珥楠就禾场讲价；因为他不愿用人家的费用来事奉神。阿珥楠慷慨地白白献给他，不仅因对君王的礼貌，也因他自己看见了天使（代上21:20），天使的光辉使他惊恐，他和四个儿子便藏起来，因为他无法承受他荣耀的光辉，又惧怕他拔出的刀。在这种惊恐之下，他甘心尽其所能为赎罪而作。凡深切感觉神的可畏之人，必尽力在其岗位上促进敬虔，鼓励一切为挽回神怒气而设的和解之法。四、神在此坛上明证他悦纳大卫的祭；他从天上降火应允他（代上21:26）。为表明神的怒气已转离，那本可公义地燃及罪人的火，却燃在祭物上将其烧尽；这样，灭命的刀便收鞘。如此，基督替我们成为罪、成为咒诅，耶和华喜悦将他压伤，好叫神借着基督，对我们不再是灭人的烈火，而是和好的父。五、他继续在这坛上献祭。摩西所造的铜坛在基遍（代上21:29），以色列众祭物都在那里献上；但大卫一见天使的刀便惊恐，不能到那里去（代上21:30）。瘟疫已起，这事当速速而行。亚伦必须速去，不，必须跑去赎罪（民16:46-47）。此处情形同样紧迫；大卫没有时间往基遍去；他也不敢任天使拔刀悬在耶路撒冷之上，恐怕未及回来致命的一击已经发出。因此神出于体恤，吩咐他在那地筑坛，因眼前急难而豁免自己关于单一祭坛的律法，又悦纳这新坛上所献的祭——这坛并非与那坛对立而立，乃是与那坛同心而立。合一的记号不如合一的本身那样被坚持。不仅如此，当眼前急难过去之后（似乎如此），大卫一生仍在那里献祭，虽然基遍的坛仍照旧存留；因为神已经印证在此处所献的祭，明证他悦纳了它们（代上21:28）。在那些我们曾经历神同在的记号、又实在认出他与我们同在的事奉上，我们当继续持守。"神曾在此恩惠地遇见我，所以我仍要在此等候与他相遇。
英文原文
Ornan's Threshing-Floor (1017 BC)
¹⁸ Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
¹⁹ And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
²⁰ And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
²¹ And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
²² Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
²³ And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.
²⁴ And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
²⁵ So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
²⁶ And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
²⁷ And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
²⁸ At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
²⁹ For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
³⁰ But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
We have here the controversy concluded, and, upon David's repentance, his peace made with God. Though thou wast angry with me, thy anger is turned away. 1. A stop was put to the progress of the execution, 1Ch 21:15. When David repented of the sin God repented of the judgment, and ordered the destroying angel to stay his hand and sheath his sword, 1Ch 21:27. 2. Direction was given to David to rear an altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan, 1Ch 21:18. The angel commanded the prophet Gad to bring David this direction. The same angel that had, in God's name, carried on the war, is here forward to set on foot the treaty of peace; for angels do not desire the woeful day. The angel could have given this order to David himself; but he chose to do it by his seer, that he might put an honour upon the prophetic office. Thus the revelation of Jesus Christ was notified by the angel to John, and by him to the churches. The commanding of David to build an altar was a blessed token of reconciliation; for, if God had been pleased to kill him, he would not have appointed, because he would not have accepted, a sacrifice at his hands. 3. David immediately made a bargain with Ornan for the threshing-floor; for he would not serve God at other people's charge. Ornan generously offered it to him gratis, not only in complaisance to the king, but because he had himself seen the angel (1Ch 21:20), which so terrified him that he and his four sons hid themselves, as unable to bear the brightness of his glory and afraid of his drawn sword. Under these apprehensions he was willing to do anything towards making the atonement. Those that are duly sensible of the terrors of the Lord will do all they can, in their places, to promote religion, and encourage all the methods of reconciliation for the turning away of God's wrath. 4. God testified his acceptance of David's offerings on this altar; He answered him from heaven by fire, 1Ch 21:26. To signify that God's anger was turned away from him, the fire that might justly have fastened upon the sinner fastened upon the sacrifice and consumed that; and, upon this, the destroying sword was returned into its sheath. Thus Christ was made sin and a curse for us, and it pleased the Lord to bruise him, that through him God might be to us, not a consuming fire, but a reconciled Father. 5. He continued to offer his sacrifices upon this altar. The brazen altar which Moses made was at Gibeon (1Ch 21:29), and there all the sacrifices of Israel were offered; but David was so terrified at the sight of the sword of the angel that he could not go thither, 1Ch 21:30. The business required haste, when the plague was begun. Aaron must go quickly, nay, he must run, to make atonement, Nu 16:46,47. And the case here was no less urgent; so that David had not time to go to Gibeon: nor durst he leave the angel with his sword drawn over Jerusalem, lest the fatal stroke should be given before he came back. And therefore God, in tenderness to him, bade him build an altar in that place, dispensing with his own law concerning one altar because of the present distress, and accepting the sacrifices offered on this new altar, which was not set up in opposition to that, but in concurrence with it. The symbols of unity were not so much insisted on as unity itself. Nay, when the present distress was over (as it should seem), David, as long as he lived, sacrificed there, though the altar at Gibeon was still kept up; for God had owned the sacrifices that were here offered and had testified his acceptance of them, 1Ch 21:28. On those administrations in which we have experienced the tokens of God's presence, and have found that he is with us of a truth, it is good to continue our attendance. "Here God had graciously met me, and therefore I will still expect to meet with him."
正如本卷书重述大卫的事迹时并未提及他在乌利亚一事上所犯的罪，此处也未曾提及随之而来的家族内乱——无论是押沙龙的叛变，还是示巴的叛变，都只字未提。然而大卫数点百姓的罪却在此处被记下，因为在为这罪所作的赎罪之工中，神预示了将来圣殿所要建造的那块地。本章记载：I. 大卫强令约押数点百姓的罪（代上 21:1-6）。II. 大卫一旦察觉此事有罪，便立即为此忧伤痛悔（代上 21:7-8）。III. 他被置于一个可悲的两难——不，是三难——境地之中：神让他选择要以何种方式为这罪受罚，愿受哪一根杖的责打（代上 21:9-13）。IV. 瘟疫在国中所造成的可怖屠戮，以及耶路撒冷几乎要被灭尽，却险险得以幸免（代上 21:14-17）。V. 大卫在此事中的悔改与献祭，以及瘟疫因此止息（代上 21:18-30）。这一令人敬畏的故事，我们此前已在撒下 24:1-25 中读见过并默想过。