Why does it say both "va'Yaged Lo" and "va'Yomer Lo"?
Malbim: First he told him that via choosing one of the punishments, he will be exempt from the other two.
Here it says "should there come upon you?" Why does it say in Divrei ha'Yamim I, 21:12 "accept on yourself"?
Malbim: In Divrei ha'Yamim, it explains that he should accept amidst love.
Why does it say here seven years of famine? In Divrei ha'Yamim I, 21:12, it says three years!
Radak: This was after three consecutive years of famine [due to Sha'ul and the Giv'onim - 21:1]. If there will be another three, this is six, and even if rain will fall in the seventh year, after six years of famine there will be hunger 1 . Also, there will be hunger in the seventh year until the harvest.
Malbim: In Divrei ha'Yamim, Ezra explained that only three of the years would be in David's life, for he died three years after this. The other four would be after his death. 2
For there is no food saved from previous years. (PF)
Did Ezra write what is misleading [that there would be only three years of famine] in order to hint when this was?! Further, here it says "ha'Savo Lecha Sheva Shanim", which implies what will come upon David, and there it says only "Shalosh Shanim." According to Malbim, these should be reversed! (PF)
Why does it say "v'Hu Rodfecha"?
Radak: You will not be able to stand up against him. All must recognize that it is from Hashem that he pursues you.
Why does it add in Divrei ha'Yamim I, 21:12 that [if David is pursued] "your enemies' sword will catch you", and [if there is a plague] "Hashem's angel will destroy in all borders of Yisrael"?
Malbim: Here it mentions the most stringent first - the punishment will be seven years, three months or three days. There it mentions the most stringent last - the enemies' sword will catch David, or the plague will not be natural, rather, from a Shali'ach of Hashgachah, that all will see the angel holding a sword in his hand.
Why should famine or a plague result from counting Yisrael?
Malbim (1): Until now, there were not men designated to fight. Each time a war came, an announcement came, and all zealous to fulfill his word went. When Sha'ul counted them b'Vezek, there were 300,000 and 30,0000 from Yehudah (Shmuel I, 11:8, and when he counted them via lambs, there were 200,000 and 10,0000 from Yehudah (Shmuel I, 15:4); 100,000 men stayed home! Before Avshalom rebelled, all were loyal to their king. He knew that when he calls, all will come amidst love for him. However, after the rebellions of Avshalom and Sheva ben Bichri, David saw that Yisrael's hearts veer away from him; he feared that when war comes, most will remain in their houses. Therefore, just like David enacted then to collect a tax - unlike before, when everyone gave willingly (like I explained above, 20:24), so he wanted that all who go to fight will be counted and written in the king's ledger, so at a time of war he will know who is missing and did not come to help, and he will be punished. 1 Kings do so nowadays!
When Yo'av asked why David wants to count Yisrael, why did David not explain this? (PF)
