2 Samuel 24 — Dead Sea Scrolls
2 attestation entries • 0 variants • 4QSamᵃ family
Manuscript Overview
Summary
2 Samuel 24 — the final chapter — narrates David's census, the plague that follows, and the purchase of the threshing floor that becomes the temple site. The chapter has a parallel at 1 Chronicles 21 with a striking theological difference: 2 Sam 24:1 says 'the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them,' while 1 Chr 21:1 says 'Satan stood up against Israel and incited David.' 4QSamᵃ preserves the Samuel form with minor variants. The DSS does not resolve the YHWH-vs-Satan question — both forms predate Qumran.
Notable Variants
MAJOR THEOLOGICAL TENSION between Samuel and Chronicles at v. 1 ('the LORD' vs 'Satan' as the inciter). The DSS preserves the Samuel form (YHWH as inciter) without softening, suggesting the proto-Masoretic Samuel tradition was already stable on this point. The 1 Chronicles 'Satan' reading represents a later theological development.
Manuscripts
4QSamᵃ (4Q51), 4QSamᶜ (4Q53)
Scroll Condition
4QSamᵃ preserves portions of the chapter; 4QSamᶜ also attests fragments.
The anger of the LORD again burned against Israel, and he incited David against them: "Go, count Israel and Judah."
The MT 'the LORD … incited David' is preserved at Qumran. The 1 Chr 21:1 'Satan' rewriting represents a later theological move (post-exilic) to absolve YHWH of inciting sin. The DSS confirms the older form was the YHWH-inciter version.
fragmentary
When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was striking the people, "Enough! Now withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
The destroying angel and the threshing floor of Araunah/Ornan tracks MT. The site becomes Solomon's temple (1 Chr 22:1 makes the connection explicit).
fragmentary