Thank you for the theological and application question on II Samuel 24, “Wasn’t God rather too hard on Israel when David took a census in 2 Samuel 24?”
As one reads II Samuel 24, the plague that killed 70,000 Israelites seems overwhelming to the readers. It may even seem unjust that God destroyed so many lives in Israel. How do we answer this question?
May I suggest some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. The numbering of the Israelites was King David’s willfulness and stubborn pride.
King David knew that the numbering of the able fighting men was wrong and sinful. He commanded Joab to do it even though Joab strongly objected to it.
The text says this, “So the king said to Joab and the army commanders[a] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.” 3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” 4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel” (NIV).
The text states David’s remorse for his action, “David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing” (NIV).
King David’s action had dire consequences. David admitted his sin against God. He asked God to take his guilt away.
B. The selection of the judgment of God was by King David.
God gave King David three options: three years of famine, three days of fleeing before his enemies, or three days of plagues. David chose the three days of plagues.
If David selected three years of famine on the land, the death toll from the famine would be unknown but it also may be quite high. It’s not just the famine, but it will take time for the trees and vegetation to regrow. The effect of the famine would be 2–3 years. Thus, the impact would be 5 years or more.
If David selected running from his enemies, he would have spared the people. David didn’t want to do any more running in his life as a young man and from his son Abasalom. David was tired of running. It may be also that his pride was in his way. He didn’t want a record of defeat before his enemies.
If David selected the three days of plague. It would be similar to the three years of famine. Sickness or death would come upon the Israelites, not upon himself. The nature of the plague is unknown nor the consequences of it.
C. The appeal to stop the plague came too late for King David.
David could have plead with God to stop the plague earlier. It is possible that David didn’t know how severe the plague was, but there was an outcry in Israel beginning from Northern Israel down to the outskirt of Jerusalem.
The text does not state clearly who were the people taken into judgment. Since there was the numbering of fighting men, my conjecture is that it was fighting men and not women and children. David saw first hand the people lives being taken. He says this, “When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[c] have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family” (NIV).
David could have spared the 70,000 individuals if he had taken the consequence of three days running from his enemies. His stubbornness and self-pride caused the death of 70,000 lives.
Was the judgment of God harsh? Yes, but sin has deadly consequences. When a ruler commands his army to go to war, lives are lost. When a ruler makes a poor decision, the people suffer the consequences.
The lesson for King David was don’t take the laws of God lightly. They are not to be ignored or trampled upon thinking that there is no dire consequences at all. The notion that God wouldn’t do anything at all is a fatal flaw in one’s thinking. It is by God’s grace that nothing worse happened to the Israelites.
The three years of famine, the three days of fleeing, and the three days of plague are God’s grace for it could by seven years of famine, seven weeks of fleeing before his enemies or 10 plagues on Israel.
-Kingston