Keraia
2 Samuel 24

2 Samuel 24:13

Judgment for David’s Sin · 2 Samuel 24:10–14
Read 2 Samuel 24

Translations

Modern
So Gad went and said to David, “Do you choose to endure three years of famine in your land, three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should reply to Him who sent me.”
Traditional
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.
Literal
And Gad came to David and told him, and he said to him, “Shall come three years of famine to you in your land, or shall you flee three months before your enemy and he pursues you, or shall there be three days plague in your land? Now consider and see what word I should take back to Him who sent me.”
Latin
Cumque venisset Gad ad David, nuntiavit ei, dicens: Aut septem annis veniet tibi fames in terra tua: aut tribus mensibus fugies adversarios tuos, et ille te persequentur: aut certe tribus diebus erit pestilentia in terra tua. Nunc ergo delibera, et vide quem respondeam ei qui me misit sermonem.

Original

Hebrew
English
So Gad went and said to David, “Do you choose to endure three years of famine in your land, three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should reply to Him who sent me.”

Notes

2 Samuel 24:13

David had already experienced the first two options. He had fled from Saul and later from Absalom. He had also lived through a famine caused by Saul’s murder of the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1).

At first, three days of severe plague may have seemed less frightening. However, the plague caused the deaths of 70,000 people (2 Samuel 24:15).

2 Samuel 21:1–24:25

The final chapters of 2 Samuel form a coda (a concluding section). This section brings together and summarizes the main themes from earlier chapters.

These chapters are thematic, not chronological (arranged by topic, not by time). Because of this, not all the events happened at the end of David’s reign (for example, 2 Samuel 22:1).

The material is arranged using a common Hebrew literary pattern called a chiasm (a mirror-like structure). In a chiasm, the first and last sections match, and the middle section is the focus.

The structure of this chiasm is as follows:

A chiasm draws attention to the center section. Here, the center is David’s hymns. These hymns do not focus on David himself. Instead, they focus on David’s God.

Theme notes and profiles

David God or Satan? Symbolic Numbers

Events

Parallels

1 Chronicles 21:7–13

People

David: Anointed king of Israel, ancestor of Jesus Christ Gad: Prophet during the reigns of David and Solomon

Glossary

Census David Disease Gad (Person) Moriah Numbers and Numerology Pestilence Samuel, Books of First and Second

Topics

Contingencies in Divine Government of Man Gad: Bears the Divine Message to David Judgments: Different Kinds of Enemies Nation: Involved in Sins of Rulers Plague: On the Israelites: On Account of David's Sin Presumption: David, in Numbering Israel Reproof: Faithfulness in The Prophet Gad, of David Seven: Years: A Famine Lasted in Canaan For