Something that costs nothing

From I Chronicles 21 - 23:

1. It is interesting that King David spoke to the Lord and God answered him with fire from heaven on the altar that David had built. This is very similar to what happened much later to Elijah when he had the showdown with the prophets of Baal. It must have been awesome to behold.

2. Something that costs nothing - I like how David would not take a freebie from Araunah when getting the threshing floor that he was using. Instead, in spite of Araunah's urging to the contrary, he paid a great amount of gold for it. David did not want to offer to God something that cost him nothing.

3. Apparently, according to this passage, David pleaded with God and asked God not to harm the people because, as he stated, "I am the one who has sinned, not the people". Yet God had exacted his justice on the people. I wonder why.

4. Although Job is in many places described as very violent, etc. - in this passage in Chapter 21 he is a voice of reason from God. He does not agree with numbering the fighting men and tells David. He also does not fully carry out David's command by not counting the Benjaminites and Levites.

5. David really helped Solomon greatly in getting everything prepared for the building of the temple of God.