2 Samuel 24
24
David Counts the People
(1 Chronicles 21.1-6)
1The Lord was angry with Israel again, and he made David think it would be a good idea to count the people in Israel and Judah. 2So David told Joab and the army officers,#24.2 Joab … officers: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation (see 24.4); 1 Chronicles 21.2; Hebrew “Joab, the officer of the army.” “Go to every tribe in Israel, from the town of Dan in the north all the way south to Beersheba, and count everyone who can serve in the army. I want to know how many there are.”
3Joab answered, “I hope the Lord your God will give you 100 times more soldiers than you already have. I hope you will live to see that day! But why do you want to do a thing like this?”
4But when David refused to change his mind, Joab and the army officers went out and started counting the people. 5They crossed the Jordan River and began with#24.5 began with: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; Hebrew “set up camp in.” Aroer and the town in the middle of the river valley. From there they went toward Gad and on as far as Jazer. 6They went to Gilead and to Kadesh in Syria.#24.6 Kadesh in Syria: Or “the lower slopes of Mount Hermon.” Then they went to Dan, Ijon,#24.6 Dan, Ijon: Or “Danjaan,” an unknown place. and on toward Sidon. 7They came to the fortress of Tyre, then went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah. 8After they had gone through the whole land, they went back to Jerusalem. It had taken them 9 months and 20 days.
9Joab came and told David, “In Israel there are 800,000 who can serve in the army, and in Judah there are 500,000.”
The Lord Punishes David
(1 Chronicles 21.7-17)
10After everyone had been counted, David realized he had done wrong. He told the Lord, “What I did was stupid and terribly wrong. Lord, please forgive me.”
11Before David even got up the next morning, the Lord had told David's prophet Gad 12-13to take a message to David. Gad went to David and told him:
You must choose one of three ways for the Lord to punish you: Will there be seven#24.12,13 seven: Hebrew; some manuscripts of one ancient translation “three” (see 1 Chronicles 21.12). years when the land won't grow enough food for your people? Or will your enemies chase you and make you run from them for three months? Or will there be three days of horrible disease in your land? Think about it and decide, because I have to give your answer to God, who sent me.
14David was really frightened and said, “It's a terrible choice to make! But the Lord is kind, and I'd rather be punished by him than by anyone else.”
15-16So that morning, the Lord sent an angel to spread a horrible disease everywhere in Israel, from Dan to Beersheba. And before it was over, 70,000 people had died.
When the angel was about to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord felt sorry for all the suffering he had caused and told the angel, “That's enough! Don't touch them.” This happened at the threshing place that belonged to Araunah the Jebusite.
17David saw the angel killing everyone and told the Lord, “These people are like sheep with me as their shepherd.#24.17 as their shepherd: The Dead Sea Scrolls, and some manuscripts of two ancient translations (see 1 Chronicles 21.17); these words are not in the Standard Hebrew Text of this verse. I have sinned terribly, but they have done nothing wrong. Please, punish me and my family instead of them!”
David Buys Araunah's Threshing Place
(1 Chronicles 21.18—22.1)
18-19That same day the prophet Gad came and told David, “Go to the threshing place that belongs to Araunah and build an altar there for the Lord.”
So David went.
20Araunah looked and saw David and his soldiers coming up toward him. He went over to David, bowed down low, 21and said, “Your Majesty! Why have you come to see me?”
David answered, “I've come to buy your threshing place. I have to build the Lord an altar here, so this disease will stop killing the people.”
22Araunah said, “Take whatever you want and offer your sacrifice. Here are some oxen for the sacrifice. You can use the threshing-boards#24.22 threshing-boards: Heavy boards with bits of rock or metal on the bottom. They were dragged across the grain to separate the husks from the kernels. and the wooden yokes for the fire. 23Take them—they're yours! I hope the Lord your God will be pleased with you.”
24But David answered, “No! I have to pay you what they're worth. I can't offer the Lord my God a sacrifice that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing place and the oxen for 50 pieces of silver. 25Then he built an altar for the Lord. He offered sacrifices to please the Lord and to ask for his blessings.
The Lord answered the prayers of the people, and no one else died from the terrible disease.
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2 Samuel 24: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Shmuel Bais 24
24
1And again the Af Hashem was kindled against Yisroel, and He incited Dovid against them to say, Go, number Yisroel and Yehudah.
2For HaMelech said to Yoav Sar HaChayil, who was with him, Go now through kol Shivtei Yisroel, from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva, and number ye HaAm, that I may know the Mispar HaAm.
3And Yoav said unto HaMelech, Now Hashem Eloheicha add unto HaAm, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of adoni HaMelech may see it; but why doth adoni HaMelech delight in this thing?
4Notwithstanding the devar HaMelech prevailed against Yoav, and against the Sarei HeChayil. And Yoav and the Sarei HaChayil went out from before HaMelech, to number HaAm Yisroel.
5And they passed over Yarden, encamped in Aro'er, on the south of the Ir that lieth in the middle of the ravine of Gad, toward Yazer;
6Then they came to Gil'ad, to Eretz Tachtim-Chodshi; they came to Dan-Ya'an, went around to Tzidon,
7And came to the fortress of Tzor, and to all the cities of the Chivi, and of Kena'ani; and they went out to the Negev of Yehudah, to Be'er-Sheva.
8So when they had gone through kol HaAretz, they came to Yerushalayim at the end of 9 months and 20 days.
9And Yoav gave up the sum of the number of HaAm unto HaMelech; and there were in Yisroel Shmoneh Me'ot Elef ish chayil that drew the cherev; and the Ish Yehudah were chamesh Me'ot Elef ish.
10And the lev Dovid struck him after that he had numbered HaAm. And Dovid said unto Hashem, Chatati (I have sinned) me'od (greatly) in what I have done; and now, Hashem, take away the avon (iniquity, guilt) of Thy eved; for I have done very foolishly.
11For when Dovid rose up in the boker, the Devar Hashem came unto Gad HaNavi, the Chozeh Dovid (Seer of Dovid), saying,
12Go, say unto Dovid, Thus saith Hashem, I offer thee shalosh (three, three things); choose for thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
13So Gad came to Dovid, and told him, and said unto him, Shall shalosh#24:13 See 1Chr 21:12, Hebrew here says sheva shanim of ra'av (famine) come unto thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee shloshah chodashim before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? Or that there be shloshet yamim dever (three days of pestilence) in thy land? Now consider, and see what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.
14And Dovid said unto Gad, I am in a great tzar (distress); let us fall now into the Yad Hashem; for His rachamim are rabbim: and let me not fall into the yad adam.
15So Hashem sent a dever (pestilence) upon Yisroel from the boker even to the es mo'ed (time appointed); and there died of HaAm from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva shiv'im elef ish.
16And when the Malach stretched out his yad upon Yerushalayim to destroy her, Hashem relented from the destruction, and said to the Malach that destroyed HaAm, It is enough; restrain now thine yad. And the Malach Hashem was by the goren of Aravnah the Yevusi.
17And Dovid spoke unto Hashem when he saw the Malach that struck HaAm, and said, Hineh, I have sinned, and I have transgressed; but these tzon, what have they done? Let Thine yad be against me, and against Bais Avi.#24:17 Isa 53:6
18And Gad came that day to Dovid, and said unto him, Go up, erect a Mizbe'ach unto Hashem in the goren of Aravnah the Yevusi.
19And Dovid, according to the Devar Gad, went up as Hashem commanded.
20And Aravnah looked, and saw HaMelech and his avadim coming on toward him; and Aravnah went out, and prostrated himself before HaMelech on his face upon the ground.
21And Aravnah said, Why is adoni HaMelech come to his eved? And Dovid said, To buy the goren of thee, to build a Mizbe'ach unto Hashem, that the magefah (plague) may be withdrawn from HaAm.
22And Aravnah said unto Dovid, Let adoni HaMelech take and offer up what seemeth tov unto him; see, here are oxen for the olah (burnt sacrifice), and threshing tools and other instruments of the bakar (oxen) for wood.
23All these things did Aravnah, hamelech lamelech, give. And Aravnah said unto HaMelech, Hashem Eloheicha yirtzecha (accept thee).
24And HaMelech said unto Aravnah, Lo (no); but I will surely buy it of thee at a mekhir (price); neither will I offer olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem Elohai of that which doth cost me nothing. So Dovid bought the goren and the bakar for fifty shekels of kesef.
25And Dovid built there a Mizbe'ach unto Hashem, and offered olot (burnt offerings) and shelamim (peace offerings). So Hashem was entreated for the land, and the magefah#24:25 see Isa 53:8 (plague) was withdrawn from Yisroel.
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