2 Samuel 24
24
David’s census
1The LORD burned with anger against Israel again, and he incited David against them: Go and count the people of Israel and Judah.
2So the king said to Joab and the military commanders#24.2 LXX and 2 Sam 24:4; MT commander who were with him, “Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people so I know how many people there are.”
3Joab said to the king, “May the LORD your God increase the number of people a hundred times while the eyes of my master the king can still see it! But why does my master the king want to do this?”
4But the king’s word overruled Joab and the military commanders. So Joab and the commanders left the king’s presence to take a census of the Israelites. 5They crossed the Jordan River and began from Aroer and from#24.5 LXX; MT camped in Aroer south of the city the town that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, then on to Jazer. 6They continued to Gilead and on to Kadesh in Hittite territory.#24.6 Hebrew uncertain; correction on to the area beneath Hermon They came to Dan#24.6 LXXL; MT Dan-jaan and went around to Sidon. 7They went to the fortress of Tyre and to all the towns of the Hivites and the Canaanites. They went out to Beer-sheba in the arid southern plain of Judah. 8At the end of nine months and twenty days, after going through the entire country, they came back to Jerusalem. 9Joab reported to the king the number of the people who had been counted: in Israel there were eight hundred thousand strong men who could handle a sword; in Judah the total was five hundred thousand men.
10But after this David felt terrible that he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, please take away the guilt of your servant because I have done something very foolish.”
11When David got up the next morning, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: 12Go and tell David, This is what the LORD says: I’m offering you three punishments. Choose one of them, and that is what I will do to you.
13So Gad went to David and said to him, “Will three#24.13 LXX, 1 Chron 21:12; MT seven years of famine come on your land? Or will you run from your enemies for three months while they chase you? Or will there be three days of plague in your land? Decide now what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”
14“I’m in deep trouble,” David said to Gad. “Let’s fall into the LORD’s hands because his mercy is great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”
15So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that very morning until the allotted time. Seventy thousand people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba. 16But when the divine messenger stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD regretted doing this disaster and said to the messenger who was destroying the people, “That’s enough! Withdraw your hand.” At that time the LORD’s messenger was by the threshing floor of Araunah from Jebus.
17When David saw the messenger who was striking down the people, he said, “I’m the one who sinned! I’m the one who has done wrong. But these sheep—what have they done wrong? Turn your hand against me and my household.”
18That same day Gad came to David and told him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah from Jebus.” 19So David went up, following Gad’s instructions, just as the LORD had commanded.
20Araunah looked up and saw the king and his servants approaching him. Araunah rushed out and bowed low before the king, his nose to the ground. 21Araunah said, “Why has my master and king come to his servant?”
David said, “To buy this threshing floor from you to build an altar to the LORD, so the plague among the people may come to an end.”
22Then Araunah said to David, “Take it for yourself, and may my master the king do what he thinks is best. Here are oxen for the entirely burned offering, and here are threshing boards and oxen yokes for wood. 23All this, Your Majesty, Araunah gives to the king.” Then he added, “May the LORD your God respond favorably to you!”
24“No,” the king said to Araunah. “I will buy them from you at a fair price. I won’t offer up to the LORD my God entirely burned offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25David built an altar there for the LORD and offered entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices. The LORD responded to the prayers for the land, and the plague against Israel came to an end.
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2 Samuel 24: CEB
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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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