The big picture
2 Samuel 24 opens in verse 1 with “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come…”, and closes in verse 25 with “And David built there an altar unto the LORD , and offered burnt offerings and peace…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, king, David, people, Araunah. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Samuel · King James Version · 252 Samuel 24:1-7
1–7: Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved…
2 Samuel 24:1–7 opens with “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to…” and reaches “And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on David seeing the cost of the census and buying Araunah’s threshing floor to build an altar, with particular weight carried by king, Israel, Joab.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel…” Naming Israel and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
2 Samuel 24:1-7
King James Version1And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
3And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
4Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.
5And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:
6Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon,
7And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.
2 Samuel 24:8-14
8–14: So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at…
2 Samuel 24:8–14 opens with “So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and…” and reaches “And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD ; for…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on David seeing the cost of the census and buying Araunah’s threshing floor to build an altar, with particular weight carried by David, LORD, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand…” The number eight makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD , I have sinned…” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Samuel 24:8-14
King James Version8So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
10And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD , I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD , take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
11For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
12Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD , I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
13So 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.
14And David said unto Gad, 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.
2 Samuel 24:15-21
15–21: So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the…
2 Samuel 24:15–21 opens with “So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there…” and reaches “And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on David seeing the cost of the census and buying Araunah’s threshing floor to build an altar, with particular weight carried by LORD, Araunah, angel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to…” Naming Araunah and Jebusite keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
2 Samuel 24:15-21
King James Version15So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
16And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
17And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
18And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
19And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
20And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
21And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD , that the plague may be stayed from the people.
2 Samuel 24:22-25
22–25: Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what…
2 Samuel 24:22–25 opens with “And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him…” and reaches “And David built there an altar unto the LORD , and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on David seeing the cost of the census and buying Araunah’s threshing floor to build an altar, with particular weight carried by king, LORD, Araunah.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen…” Naming Araunah and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Samuel 24:22-25
King James Version22And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
23All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
24And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Samuel 24:1 begins with “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.”
Where the chapter turns
2 Samuel 24:13 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
2 Samuel 24:25 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, king, David, people, Araunah, Israel help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does Rebekah contribute beyond family eligibility?
Energy, hospitality and a direct decision to make the journey.
Why is the servant's retelling so long?
It presents the sequence to the family and explains why he sees divine guidance in it.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.