Question 1

Why was David’s act of numbering Israel considered sinful?

Accepted Answer

The passage shows that David’s order to number Israel came after Satan stirred him up, and it is treated as a proud act. David wanted to know the strength of his army, instead of resting in God’s care for His people. Even Joab warned that this would bring guilt on Israel, which hints that the motive and timing were wrong. God had not commanded this census, and it came from self‑reliance rather than faith. That is why David later says, “I have sinned greatly…for I have done very foolishly.”

Question 2

What does this story show about the dangers of pride in leaders?

Accepted Answer

Here a single proud choice from a king brings suffering on the whole nation. David, a godly leader, still lets himself be moved by pride and numbers the people to take stock of his strength. He ignores wise warning from Joab and presses ahead. The plague that follows shows how a leader’s sin can fall heavily on those they serve. Yet when David humbles himself, admits his fault, and pleads for the people, God listens. The story warns leaders to stay low before God and to hear godly counsel.

Question 3

Why did God give David three choices of judgment through Gad?

Accepted Answer

God sends Gad to David with three options: years of famine, months of defeat before enemies, or days of plague with the angel of the Lord. This shows that God is just and will answer sin, but also that He deals with David in a personal way, letting him feel the weight of choosing. David’s answer, that he would rather fall into God’s hand than man’s, shows he trusts God’s mercy even when God is disciplining him. The choices underline both the seriousness of the sin and the reality of God’s compassion.

Question 4

What is the meaning of Ornan’s threshingfloor in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Ornan’s threshingfloor becomes the place where judgment stops and mercy is shown. The angel of the Lord is seen there with a drawn sword over Jerusalem, and God tells the angel to stop. Through Gad, God tells David to build an altar right there. David buys the site for full price and offers burnt offerings and peace offerings. God answers with fire from heaven and tells the angel to put his sword away. So this threshingfloor marks the turning point from wrath to peace, a place where sacrifice is accepted and the plague is stayed.

Question 5

Why did David refuse Ornan’s offer to give everything for free?

Accepted Answer

Ornan very generously offers David the threshingfloor, the oxen, the tools for wood, and the wheat, saying, “I give it all.” David refuses and insists on paying the full price, saying, “I will not…offer burnt offerings without cost.” He knows that worship should not be cheap or careless. A sacrifice that costs nothing to the giver does not fit the seriousness of sin or the greatness of God. By paying for the site and the animals, David shows real repentance and honor for God in his giving and his worship.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s justice and mercy?

Accepted Answer

God’s justice is clear: He is displeased with David’s sin and sends a plague that kills many. The angel of the Lord stands ready to destroy Jerusalem. Yet God’s mercy is just as clear. When He sees the destruction, He says, “It is enough,” and tells the angel to stop. He gives David a path of repentance through sacrifice. When David confesses, pleads for the people, and offers sacrifices on the altar, God answers by fire from heaven and the sword is put away. Justice and mercy meet as God punishes sin but also responds to humble repentance.

Question 7

Why does David ask that the punishment fall on him instead of the people?

Accepted Answer

When David sees the angel and the suffering of Israel, he calls the people “these sheep” and says that he is the one who commanded the numbering. He knows he is the shepherd who led them into this danger. So he asks God to let the judgment fall on him and his father’s house, not on the people. This shows a heart that takes responsibility instead of blaming others. It also shows love for the people he leads, as he is willing to bear the cost for them. His prayer is part of the repentance God answers.

Question 8

What does it mean that God answered David by fire from heaven?

Accepted Answer

After David builds the altar on Ornan’s threshingfloor and offers burnt offerings and peace offerings, God answers him from heaven by sending fire on the altar. This is God’s clear sign that He accepts the sacrifice and David’s prayer. The fire shows that God has received what was offered in place of further judgment. Right after this, the Lord commands the angel to put his sword back into its sheath. The fire and the sheathed sword together tell us the same thing: the plague is over and God is at peace with His people again.

Question 9

How can this passage shape the way believers think about repentance today?

Accepted Answer

This story shows that real repentance is more than words. David admits his sin plainly, calls it “great” and “foolish,” and does not make excuses. He listens to God’s word through Gad, obeys by going to Ornan’s threshingfloor, and is ready to pay a real cost to honor God. He also cares more about the people than about himself. For believers today, it encourages honest confession, a readiness to turn from pride, willingness to obey what God asks, and a heart that values restored fellowship with God more than comfort or ease.

1 Chronicles 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

David’s Military Census

Judgment for David’s Sin

A Plague on Israel

David Builds an Altar

David’s Military Census

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1 Chronicles 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

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David’s Military Census

Judgment for David’s Sin

A Plague on Israel

David Builds an Altar

David’s Military Census

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