2 Samuel 24:13

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 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.

So Gad {H1410} came {H935} to David {H1732}, and told {H5046} him, and said {H559} unto him, Shall seven {H7651} years {H8141} of famine {H7458} come {H935} unto thee in thy land {H776}? or wilt thou flee {H5127} three {H7969} months {H2320} before {H6440} thine enemies {H6862}, while they pursue {H7291} thee? or that there be three {H7969} days {H3117}' pestilence {H1698} in thy land {H776}? now advise {H3045}, and see {H7200} what answer {H1697} I shall return {H7725} to him that sent {H7971} me.

Gad came to David and told him; he said: "Do you want seven years of famine in your land? or do you want to flee before your enemies for three months while they pursue you? or do you want three days of plague in your land? Think about it, and tell me what to answer the one who sent me."

So Gad went and said to David, “Do you choose to endure three years of famine in your land, three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should reply to Him who sent me.”

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 thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

Commentary

This verse plunges King David into a profound dilemma, as the prophet Gad presents him with three severe options for divine punishment following David's sin of numbering Israel. It highlights the gravity of disobedience and the consequences that can affect an entire nation.

Context

The immediate backdrop to 2 Samuel 24:13 is David's unauthorized census of Israel, an act initiated in 2 Samuel 24:1 that greatly displeased the Lord. While the precise nature of the sin is debated (perhaps pride, a lack of trust in God's provision, or a failure to collect the required atonement money), it was clearly a serious transgression against God's will. After David's heart smote him and he confessed his sin (2 Samuel 24:10), God, through His prophet Gad, offers David a choice of judgments, demonstrating both divine justice and a form of mercy in allowing the king to choose.

Key Themes

  • Divine Justice and Consequence: The passage powerfully illustrates that sin, even by a beloved king like David, has serious consequences. God's justice demands a response to disobedience, impacting both the individual and the community.
  • Sovereignty of God: Despite David's ability to choose, God remains ultimately in control, presenting the options and overseeing the outcome. This emphasizes God's supreme authority.
  • The Burden of Leadership: As king, David's actions directly affect his entire nation. His personal sin brings potential suffering upon all of Israel, underscoring the immense responsibility of those in authority.
  • A Difficult Choice: The options presented are all catastrophic, forcing David into an unenviable position of selecting the "least worst" of three terrible punishments.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me" underscores Gad's role as a direct and immediate messenger of God. It highlights the urgency and gravity of David's decision, as his chosen answer must be reported back to the Lord, who initiated this divine judgment.

The Three Choices

Gad presents David with three distinct and severe forms of judgment, each designed to inflict widespread suffering upon the land or its inhabitants:

  1. Seven years of famine: A prolonged period of severe food scarcity, leading to widespread hunger, disease, and death. (It's worth noting that the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21:12 mentions "three years of famine," a textual variation that does not diminish the severity of the proposed agricultural devastation.)
  2. Three months of fleeing before thine enemies: A period of sustained military defeat, national humiliation, and constant threat, likely resulting in significant loss of life, territory, and national prestige.
  3. Three days' pestilence: A swift, intense outbreak of plague, causing immediate and widespread death across the land.

David's profound wisdom and trust in God's mercy become evident in his choice, recorded in the very next verse (2 Samuel 24:14).

Practical Application

This passage serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • It underscores the seriousness of sin and its far-reaching consequences, not just for individuals but for communities and nations.
  • It teaches us the importance of humility and accountability before God, recognizing that even those in positions of authority are subject to His righteous judgment.
  • It highlights that even in moments of divine discipline, God often provides choices, demonstrating His mercy and allowing us to lean on His character, as David does by choosing to fall into the hand of the Lord.

The narrative ultimately leads to the building of an altar and the offering of sacrifices on the threshingfloor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24:25), emphasizing the necessity of atonement and reconciliation with God after disobedience.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Chronicles 21:12 (4 votes)

    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. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

  • Leviticus 26:25 (3 votes)

    And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

  • 1 Kings 17:1 (3 votes)

    ¶ And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

  • 1 Kings 17:7 (3 votes)

    And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

  • 2 Samuel 21:1 (3 votes)

    ¶ Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

  • Ezekiel 14:13 (2 votes)

    Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

  • Deuteronomy 28:22 (2 votes)

    The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.