2 Samuel 24:25

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) Built there an altar.—The parallel place in Chronicles states that the tabernacle “and the altar of burnt offering were at that season in the high place at Gibeon,” and that David was afraid to go before it “because of the sword of the angel,” i.e., the pestilence. It also mentions that when David “offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD,” “He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.” David then fixed upon this as “the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel” (1Chronicles 22:1).

Thus, with David’s repentance and reconciliation to God after his second great sin closes this narrative and this book. David’s reign and life were now substantially ended—a witness to all time of the power of Divine Grace over human infirmity and sin, of God’s faithfulness and mercy to those that trust in Him, and of the triumph of an earnest and humble faith notwithstanding some very great and grievous falls.

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Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 24:25. David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings — Burnt- offerings were, in effect, prayers to God, that he would remove this plague and peace-offerings were acknowledgments of God’s goodness, who had already given David hopes of this mercy. Delaney supposes that the ninety- first Psalm was written by David in commemoration of his deliverance from this calamity.

As the history of David is the principal subject of the two books of Samuel, and as his is a very distinguished character, we shall here, in the conclusion of our notes on these books, present our readers with a short sketch of it, drawn by a masterly hand, but, as we think, in rather too glowing colours. “David’s is a character which stands single, in the accounts of the world equally eminent and unrivalled. For, not to insist on his great personal accomplishments, such as beauty, stature, strength, swiftness, and eloquence, his character is sufficiently distinguished by the noblest qualities, endowments, and events. Exalted from an humble shepherd to a mighty monarch, without any tincture of pride, disdain, or envy. Quite otherwise: remarkably humble in exaltation; or, rather, humbled by it. Exalted, unenvied. Exalted himself, and equally exalting the state he ruled: raising it from contempt, poverty, and oppression, to wealth, dignity, and sway. A man experienced in every vicissitude of fortune and life, and equal to them all. Thoroughly tried in adversity, and tempted by success, yet still superior. Cruelly and unjustly persecuted, yet not provoked to revenge. In the saddest and most sudden reverse of fortune, depressed by nothing but the remembrance of guilt; and, in consequence of that, unhumbled to any thing but God.

“To sum up all; a true believer, and zealous adorer of God; teacher of his law and worship, and inspirer of his praise; a glorious example, a perpetual and inexhaustible fountain of true piety; a consummate and unequalled hero, a skilful and a fortunate captain; a steady patriot, a wise ruler, a faithful, a generous, and a magnanimous friend; and, what is yet rarer, a no less generous and magnanimous enemy; a true penitent, a divine musician, a sublime poet, and an inspired prophet. By birth, a peasant; by merit, a prince. In youth, a hero; in manhood, a monarch; in age, a saint.” — Delaney.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:18-25 God's encouraging us to offer to him spiritual sacrifices, is an evidence of his reconciling us to himself. David purchased the ground to build the altar. God hates robbery for burnt-offering. Those know not what religion is, who chiefly care to make it cheap and easy to themselves, and who are best pleased with that which costs them least pains or money. For what have we our substance, but to honour God with it; and how can it be better bestowed? See the building of the altar, and the offering proper sacrifices upon it. Burnt-offerings to the glory of God's justice; peace-offerings to the glory of his mercy. Christ is our Altar, our Sacrifice; in him alone we may expect to escape his wrath, and to find favour with God. Death is destroying all around, in so many forms, and so suddenly, that it is madness not to expect and prepare for the close of life.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Fifty shekels of silver - In Chronicles, "six hundred shekels of gold by weight." In explanation, it is supposed - that the fifty shekels here mentioned were gold shekels, each worth twelve silver shekels, so that the fifty gold shekels are equal to the 600 silver; that our text should be rendered, "David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for money," namely, "fifty shekels;" and that the passage in Chronicles should be rendered, "David qave to Ornan gold shekels of the value" (or weight) "of 600 shekels." What is certain is that our text represents the fifty shekels as the price of the threshing-floor and the oxen.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

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 (see on [281]1Ch 21:26).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

David built there an altar unto the Lord; which he might well do, having God’s command for it, and the place being sanctified by God’s special presence in and by the angel.

Offered burnt-offerings, to make atonement for his sins.

And peace-offerings, to praise God for his gracious manifestation of himself.

The Lord was entreated for the land, as appears both by fire from heaven, which consumed the sacrifice, as was usual in such cases; and by the speedy cessation of the plague.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And David built there an altar unto the Lord,.... After he had made the purchase:

and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings; the one to expiate the sin or sins committed, the other to give thanks for the intimation given, that the plague would be stayed upon this:

so the Lord was entreated for the land; was pacified and prevailed upon to remove the pestilence from it; which was signified by fire descending upon the altar of burnt offering, which showed the sacrifice was accepted, and by the angel being ordered to put his sword into its sheath, 1 Chronicles 21:26; and the Targum is,"and the Lord received the prayer of the inhabitants of the land:"

and the plague was stayed from Israel; no more died of the pestilence, either at Jerusalem, or in any other part of the land Israel.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. burnt offerings and peace offerings] The Sept. adds; “And Solomon added to the altar afterwards, for it was small at the first:” and this, whether merely a gloss or part of the original text, agrees with the statement in Chronicles, that David chose the spot for the site of the Temple. See 1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1.

So the Lord was intreated for the land] See note on ch. 2 Samuel 21:14.

2 Samuel 24:25

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After acquiring the threshing-floor by purchase, David built an altar to the Lord there, and offered burnt-offerings and supplicatory-offerings (shelamim: as in Judges 20:26; Judges 21:4; 1 Samuel 13:9) upon it to the Lord. "So Jehovah was entreated, and the plague was turned away from Israel."

This remark brings to a close not only the account of this particular occurrence, but also the book itself; whereas in the Chronicles it is still further stated that Jehovah answered David with fire from heaven, which fell upon the burnt-offering; and that after his prayer had been answered thus, David not only continued to offer sacrifice upon the floor of Aravnah, but also fixed upon it as the site for the temple which was afterwards to be built (1 Chronicles 21:27; 1 Chronicles 22:1); and to this there is appended, in 2 Samuel 22:2., an account of the preparations which David made for the building of the temple. It is not affirmed in the Chronicles, however, that David fixed upon this place as the site for the future temple in consequence of a revelation from God, but simply that he did this, because he saw that the Lord had answered him there, and because he could not go to Gibeon, where the tabernacle was standing, to seek the Lord there, on account of the sword of the angel, i.e., on account of the pestilence. The command of God build an altar upon the threshing-floor of Aravnah, and offer expiatory sacrifices upon it, when connected with His answering his prayer by turning away the plague, could not fail to be taken as a distinct intimation to David, that the site of this altar was the place where the Lord would henceforth make known His gracious presence to His people; and this hint was quite sufficient to determine the site for the temple which his son Solomon was to build.