Man After God’s Own Heart
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of the kingdom would give the impression to surrounding nations that
Israel’s trust was in her armies, not in Jehovah.
The people of Israel did not look with favor upon David’s plan for
greatly extending military service. The proposed enrollment caused
much dissatisfaction; consequently it was thought necessary to em-
ploy military officers in place of the priests and magistrates, who had
formerly taken the census. The object was directly contrary to the
principles of a theocracy. Even Joab remonstrated: “Why ... doth my
lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab
departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.”
David was convicted of his sin. Self-condemned, he “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.”
Next morning a message was brought by the prophet Gad: “Thus
saith the Lord, Choose thee 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.”
David Chooses Punishment From the Lord
The king’s answer was, “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.”
The land was smitten with pestilence, which destroyed seventy
thousand in Israel. “David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of
the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn
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sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.” The king pleaded
with God in behalf of Israel: “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.”