2 Samuel 24:12
ESV
"Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’"
NIV
"Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ "
NASB
Go and speak to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: 'I am imposing upon you three choices; choose for yourself one of them, and I will do it to you.'?’?'
CSB
"Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them, and I will do it to you.’"
NLT
Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.’'
KJV
Go 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.
NKJV
“Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ”
What does 2 Samuel 24:12 mean?
David has sinned against God by taking a census of the men of Israel who are eligible to fight. When he realizes his sin, he wholeheartedly repents (2 Samuel 24:10–11). Even so, God sends Gad the seer to present three options of how Israel will be punished.The options are three years of famine, three months of war, or three days of disease (2 Samuel 24:13). All three options are stated judgments in God's covenant with the Israelites (Deuteronomy 28:21–25). If they obey and worship Him, He will bless them (Deuteronomy 28:1–14). If they don't, He will punish them (Deuteronomy 28:15–68). David chooses either famine or plague—anything but to be punished by uncontrollable man. God sends a plague that kills thousands (2 Samuel 24:14–15).
The chapter focuses on David's sin of taking a census, but it starts with the acknowledgment that all of Israel is sinning (2 Samuel 24:1), and all Israel will suffer. We aren't told what Israel's sin is. If the punishment fits the crime, it's possible the nation and David have developed such a sinful pride in the strength of their fighting force that they have forgotten God, alone, is their Savior.
Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 give the conditions of the arrangement between God, the sovereign authority, and the Israelites. The treaty is straightforward: if the Israelites obey and worship God, He will bless them; if they disobey Him and worship other gods, He will judge them. The unique aspect of this situation is that sovereigns never gave their people the choice of punishment. By forcing David to choose, God is placing the responsibility for the punishment on him as king and primary sinner. It may be that God incited David to sin (2 Samuel 24:1) because he didn't discipline Israel when he had the chance.
