Today's reading is in II Samuel 21 and 24; I Chronicles 21 and 22; and Psalms 30.
A famine takes place in the land due to a sin of Saul's. This is avenged and the famine ends.
The census ordered by David is perplexing. The scripture says that Satan incites David to take the census. That clearly indicates that it is evil. Since God has ordered similar censuses in the past, perhaps the evil was simply that David ordered it and not God. Joab is opposed to the census from the beginning, and even eliminates the tribes of Levi and Benjamin from the numbering in his disgust. God gives David a choice of punishments. In his choice he appeals to the mercy of God.
Finally, preparations begin for the temple, which will be built by Solomon, not David. David really wants to be part of the process -- a little control issue where his son is concerned -- and begins gathering abundant costly materials.
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