David, contemplating his own mortality and the possibility of divine judgment, seems to be saying, "If my judgment comes on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, I can't bear it!" But, he continues, because he recites the Shema, the central Jewish prayer affirming God's oneness, and follows it with other prayers, "my judgment will come before you." What does this mean?
The Rabbis then offer a fascinating shift: "The king neither judges nor is judged." But Rabbi Yochanan counters, saying David reasoned before God, "I am a king and you are a king, it is fitting for a king to judge a king." Hence, "My judgment will come before you." A bold statement of accountability and relationship!
The text then takes a turn, discussing angels. When God sends an angel before Israel, the Torah tells us to "beware of him" (Exodus 23:20-21). Why? Midrash Tehillim asks, "Why is the name of God engraved on the hearts of angels like an Istiritigos?" (That's a tough word – it seems to refer to some kind of mark or inscription.) The answer lies in verses like (Psalm 68:18), "The chariots of God are myriads upon myriads; the Lord is among them." Angels like Michael and Gabriel bear God's name, signifying their divine mission.
So why the warning to "beware?" The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) explains that even though an angel acts as God's messenger, ultimately only God can grant exemptions or show mercy. David understands this: "There is no one else but you who can exempt, but from you judgments come forth."
Then, Rabbi Yehuda brings us to another pivotal moment: David's census. Remember the story? David, against God's will, counts the Israelite people (2 Samuel 24). This act incurs divine anger. As Rabbi Yehuda recounts, David essentially says, "I didn't say they shouldn't be counted, and now You are casting them away?" God sends the prophet Gad with a terrible choice: three years of famine, three months of fleeing enemies, or three days of plague.
David is distraught. He understands the implications of each choice. A famine will be seen as a reflection on his wealth. War will showcase his and his army's strength. He needs something that impacts everyone equally. Gad, the prophet, subtly suggests he clarify the matter with God. David's response? "Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man" (2 (Samuel 24:1)4).
It’s a powerful, raw plea. He'd rather face God's direct judgment than the cruelty of human hands.
Even though David chose the plague, God's mercy prevailed. According to Rabbi Tanchuma, the Ten Commandments, the Patriarchs, the Torah, and more all pleaded for an hour each, ultimately reducing the plague's duration. Even with that intervention, seventy thousand people perished. Some say Abishai ben Zeruiah, a mighty warrior, fell, his death equaling the loss of seventy thousand ordinary Israelites.
The story culminates with Gad instructing David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (2 (Samuel 24:1)8). The Midrash offers a striking parable: a father strikes his son, then tells him to do something he'd neglected earlier. Similarly, the thousands who died in David's time perished, in part, because they neglected the building of the Temple.
The Midrash ends with a poignant reflection: If those who didn't build the Temple were punished, how much more so those who have seen its destruction and don't mourn or seek its rebuilding? This leads to the practice of praying three times daily for the return of God's presence to Zion and the restoration of worship in Jerusalem. The blessing "Who builds Jerusalem" is included in prayers and grace after meals.
David, realizing the weight of his actions and the extent of God's mercy, understands that his judgments are ultimately revealed "before You," before God.
So, what does this all mean for us today? Perhaps it's a reminder of the power of prayer, the importance of accountability, and the ever-present need for mercy, both from God and from each other. It also emphasizes the enduring hope for restoration, for a rebuilt Jerusalem, and for a world where God's presence is once again fully revealed. It's a tall order, but a worthy aspiration.
Another interpretation is prayer. What did David see to say five things in this verse and then "My judgment will come before you"? But David said, "If you bring my judgment on Yom Kippur in the morning, I will not be able to stand." But since I recite Shema and pray four prayers afterwards, my judgment will come before you. Our rabbis changed it and said, "The king neither judges nor is judged." Rabbi Yochanan said, "David said before God, 'I am a king and you are a king, it is fitting for a king to judge a king.' This is what is written, 'My judgment will come before you.'" Another interpretation: When God sent an angel before Israel, what is written there? "Behold, I am sending an angel before you." What is written after that? "Beware of him." Why is the name of God engraved on the hearts of angels like an Istiritigos? This is what is written, "The chariots of God are myriads upon myriads; the Lord is among them." The name of God is common among them, such as Michael and Gabriel. And why did He tell them to beware of him? God said to them, "As in the custom of the world, the king does everything that is requested of him, if a prosecutor is given in the country and the people of the country come and ask him, maybe they can at least plead." And he answered them that if he sends them Prostokosrin to the country and they are charged a hundred liters of gold, and the people of the country ask them for at least what the king commanded, he cannot exempt them because he is a messenger. Thus said David our Master, there is no one else but you who can exempt, but from you judgments come forth. Rabbi Yehuda said, "What is 'from you judgments come forth?'" Rabbi Yehuda said, "When David counted Israel, he was angry with the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, 'I did not say that they should not be counted or numbered, and You are casting them away.' And Gad the prophet was sent to him, and said to him (2 Samuel 24:12), 'Three things I offer you.' Just as your master, Saul, was decreed with three things, so I decree upon you three things: (Isaiah 27:8), 'In measure, when you send them away, you will contend with them; He has expelled them with His fierce breath in the day of the east wind.' And what are the three things? Either the Lord will smite him, or he will die naturally, or he will fall in battle and perish. When he said to him (2 Samuel 24:13), 'What shall I do? Which shall I choose?' David was standing and raging, and did not know what to answer him. David said, 'If I say famine, immediately all of Israel will say that David was rich and his treasures were full, so what does he care? And if I say war, immediately they will say that David was a hero and his men were heroes, so what does he care? Rather, I choose something that is equal for the poor and the rich, for the small and the great.'" And Gad the prophet also hinted to him that he should clarify the matter, as it is written in Samuel: "Now therefore, consider and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me." He said to him, "Say to Him, 'Thus says David: "I am in great distress. Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."'" This is similar to a man who fell down. They asked him where he wanted to be buried, with his father or his mother. He said, "Woe to the ears that hear such things!" Nevertheless, he said, "With my father is good for me." So David said, "Woe to them that hear such things!" But he said, "Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord." Come and see the mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, even though He chose three days which are equivalent to thirty-six hours. As it is written, "And the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed." Rabbi Hiyya taught that it was from the time of the slaughtering of the daily offering until the sprinkling of its blood. But the Rabbis say from the rising of the sun until its setting. Rabbi Tanchuma said at that hour the Ten Commandments, the two Tablets, the three Patriarchs, the five books of the Torah, the seven days of the week, and the eight days of circumcision all pleaded before the Holy One, blessed be He, to waive one hour for each of them. For if the Israelites should cease to exist, there would be no one to watch over them, and they would be nullified from the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, waived thirty-six hours for them. And the hour that was left caused the death of seventy thousand. The Rabbis say that Abishai ben Zeruiah fell, who was equal in weight to seventy thousand of Israel. This is what is written: "And he said to the destroying angel, 'It is enough. Now stay your hand.' And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." Great is your dwelling place, O Lord. Immediately (2 Samuel 24:18), Gad came to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord." [A parable may be drawn from this.] It is similar to a father who was striking his son, but the son did not know why he was being struck. After he struck him, the father told him to do a certain thing that he had commanded him to do several days ago, but the son had neglected it. Similarly, all those thousands who fell in the days of David fell only because they did not desire the building of the Temple. And are these matters not all the more severe? If those who did not have the Temple built in their days and it was not destroyed in their days will be punished, how much more so will be done to us who have seen its destruction in our days and do not mourn and do not seek mercy for it? Therefore, the early pious ones established that Israel should pray three times a day, saying, "Please, God, bring back Your Presence to Zion and establish the order of worship in Jerusalem." And they instituted the blessing, "Who builds Jerusalem," separately in the prayers and in the grace after meals, by the order of Moses our teacher. When David saw this, he said, "I have fallen into the hands of my enemies, who are striking me." But the Lord's mercies are many, therefore it is said, "Before You, my judgments are revealed."
