(26) And David built . . . peace offerings.--Word for word as in Samuel.

And called upon the Lord.--Not in Samuel, where the narrative ends with the words, "And the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel."

From heaven by fire (with the fire from the heavens).--The Divine inauguration of the new altar and place of sacrifice. (See Leviticus 9:24; 1Kings 18:24; 1Kings 18:38--Elijah's sacrifice; 2Chronicles 7:1.) Also a sign that David's prayer was heard.

Verse 26. - He answered him from heaven by fire. There is no doubt significance in the fact that the compiler of Chronicles records this answer by fire, unmentioned in the Book of Samuel. He would give prominence to this great token, as determining, or going a great way towards determining, the site of the temple. The answer by fire was given on critical and special occasions (Leviticus 9:24; 1 Kings 18:24, 38).

21:1-30 David's numbering the people. - No mention is made in this book of David's sin in the matter of Uriah, neither of the troubles that followed it: they had no needful connexion with the subjects here noted. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is related: in the atonement made for that sin, there was notice of the place on which the temple should be built. The command to David to build an altar, was a blessed token of reconciliation. God testified his acceptance of David's offerings on this altar. Thus Christ was made sin, and a curse for us; it pleased the Lord to bruise him, that through him, God might be to us, not a consuming Fire, but a reconciled God. It is good to continue attendance on those ordinances in which we have experienced the tokens of God's presence, and have found that he is with us of a truth. Here God graciously met me, therefore I will still expect to meet him.See Chapter Introduction