1 Chronicles 21:9

9. And the Lord spake] The historian now retraces his steps to describe the circumstances which heralded the approach of the plague.

Gad] He is three times mentioned in Chron., each time as a “seer,” viz. 1Ch_21:9 (= 2Sa_24:11); 1Ch_29:29; 2Ch_29:25. He was perhaps an older contemporary of Nathan, who bears the more modern title of “prophet” (cp. 1Sa_9:9).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21:9 Gad is later mentioned as having compiled a list of “the events of King David’s reign” (29:29).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, Prophet.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the Lord spake unto Gad, David's seer--Although David was himself endowed with a prophetic gift, yet, in matters relating to himself or his kingdom, he was in the habit of consulting the Lord through the medium of the priests; and when he failed to do so, a prophet was sent on extraordinary occasions to admonish or chastise him. Gad, a private friend, was occasionally employed as the bearer of these prophetic messages.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(9) And the Lord (Jehovah) spake unto Gad.—Samuel, “And David arose in the morning. Now a word of Jehovah had come to Gad the prophet, a seer of David, saying—“ This appears to be more original than our text.

David’s seer.—Better, a seer of David’s, for the same title is applied to Heman (1Ch_25:5). For Gad, see 1Sa_22:5, and 1Ch_29:29. From the latter passage it has been inferred that it was Gad who wrote the original record of the census.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Seer, or prophet, whom David kept at court and consulted. He was endued himself with the prophetic spirit.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Gad, David"s seer. The parallel place says, "The Prophet Gad (aybiNh) David"s seer". (2Sa_24:11) The Hebrew word here used in both passages for "seer," is hz,jo, in place of the word of higher import, ha,roh; the use of which is confined to Samuel, Hanani, and to the person spoken of in Isa_30:10. In this last passage our Authorized Versiontranslates "prophet" while in 1Ch_29:29 our Authorized Version translates both Hebrew names in the very same verse by the one English word "seer." Gad was, perhaps, a pupil of David, (2Sa_22:8) and was the successor of Samuel (1Ch_9:22) in this office.

Vers. 9-13.

An appalling offer and a wise choice.

The details may be given as explained in the Expository portion of this Commentary. Famine, war, and plague are the three ordinary Divine agencies used for the judgment of nations. Each affects numbers and arouses national feeling. Very seldom, indeed, does God make men the offer of a choice of punishments; and we can fully understand that it would not be consistent with his honour so to do. Then why did he do it in this particular case? Because this was special, and designed to bear mainly on the recovery of a good man"s full trust in God. God cannot usually make offers to men, because there is no good and right feeling in them to which his offer may appeal. God could make such offer to David, because bin was only a temporary aberration and failure from the true spirit and full loyalty. Even in the matter of his own judgment, God may take David, the man after his own heart," into his counsel.

I THE POINT OF THE THREEFOLD OFFER. It tested David"s trust in God. Would he prefer judgment which came very evidently through human agency, or would he prefer judgment which was plainly sent direct from God? We know that pestilence is as truly due to human neglect and error as is famine or war; but, in the sentiment of David"s time, plague was the direct visitation of God.

II THE POINT OF DAVID"S CHOICE. (Ver. 13.)

1. He felt that he could better trust the direct Divine agency than man"sministry, which might be toned with ill feeling.

2. There was more hope of the limitations and qualifications of mercy in God"s dealings than in man"s.

3. The national honour and the integrity of the kingdom and the stability ofthe throne would not be so seriously affected by a plague, as they would be by the temporary triumph of the national foes.

When we are, with David, fully willing to fall into God"s hands, then the Divine judgments may be graciously tempered, and even removed. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

translationWords

Yahweh

Gad

prophet

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.