1 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 21
| וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֥ד שָׂטָ֖ן עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֙סֶת֙ אֶת־דָּוִ֔יד לִמְנֹ֖ות אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 1 |
Satan interfered to cause trouble for Israel. He provoked David to do a census of Israel.
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֤יד אֶל־יֹואָב֙ וְאֶל־שָׂרֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם לְכ֗וּ סִפְרוּ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע וְעַד־דָּ֑ן וְהָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵדְעָ֖ה אֶת־מִסְפָּרָֽם׃ | 2 |
So David told Joab and the army commanders, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so I can have a total number.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֹואָ֗ב יֹוסֵף֩ יְהוָ֨ה עַל־עַמֹּ֤ו ׀ כָּהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים הֲלֹא֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כֻּלָּ֥ם לַאדֹנִ֖י לַעֲבָדִ֑ים לָ֣מָּה יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ זֹאת֙ אֲדֹנִ֔י לָ֛מָּה יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאַשְׁמָ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 3 |
But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his people a hundred times over. Your Majesty, aren't they all your subjects? Why do you want to do this? Why should you make Israel guilty?”
| וּדְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָזַ֣ק עַל־יֹואָ֑ב וַיֵּצֵ֣א יֹואָ֗ב וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙ בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיָּבֹ֖א יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ | 4 |
But the king was adamant so Joab left and went all over Israel. Eventually he returned to Jerusalem,
| וַיִּתֵּ֥ן יֹואָ֛ב אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד וַיְהִ֣י כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל אֶ֣לֶף אֲלָפִים֩ וּמֵאָ֨ה אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ֙ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֔רֶב וִֽיהוּדָ֕ה אַרְבַּע֩ מֵאֹ֨ות וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב׃ | 5 |
and he gave David the number of people censused. In Israel there were 1,100,000 fighting men who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah.
| וְלֵוִי֙ וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן לֹ֥א פָקַ֖ד בְּתֹוכָ֑ם כִּֽי־נִתְעַ֥ב דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־יֹואָֽב׃ | 6 |
However, Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the census total, because he disagreed with what the king had ordered.
| וַיֵּ֙רַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיַּ֖ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | 7 |
The Lord considered the census a bad thing to do and he punished Israel for it.
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִיד֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים חָטָ֣אתִֽי מְאֹ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֗ה הַֽעֲבֶר־נָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ון עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֥י נִסְכַּ֖לְתִּי מְאֹֽד׃ פ | 8 |
Then David said to God, “I have committed a terrible sin by doing this. Please take away the guilt of your servant, for I have been very stupid.”
| וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־גָּ֔ד חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖יד לֵאמֹֽר׃ | 9 |
The Lord told Gad, David's seer,
| לֵךְ֩ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֶל־דָּוִ֜יד לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שָׁלֹ֕ושׁ אֲנִ֖י נֹטֶ֣ה עָלֶ֑יךָ בְּחַר־לְךָ֛ אַחַ֥ת מֵהֵ֖נָּה וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ | 10 |
“Go and tell David that this is what the Lord says: ‘I'm giving you three options. Choose one of them, and that's what I'll do to you.’”
| וַיָּ֥בֹא גָ֖ד אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹ֛ו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה קַבֶּל־לָֽךְ׃ | 11 |
So Gad went and told David, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Make your choice:
| אִם־שָׁלֹ֨ושׁ שָׁנִ֜ים רָעָ֗ב וְאִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה חֳדָשִׁ֜ים נִסְפֶּ֥ה מִפְּנֵי־צָרֶיךָ֮ וְחֶ֣רֶב אֹויְבֶ֣ךָ ׀ לְמַשֶּׂגֶת֒ וְאִם־שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָ֠מִים חֶ֣רֶב יְהוָ֤ה וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מַשְׁחִ֖ית בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֣ה רְאֵ֔ה מָֽה־אָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר׃ פ | 12 |
either three years of famine; or three months of devastation, running from the swords of your enemies; or three days of the Lord's sword—in other words three days of plague in the land, with an angel of the Lord causing destruction throughout the whole of Israel.’ Now you have to decide how I should reply to the one who sent me.”
| וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛יד אֶל־גָּ֖ד צַר־לִ֣י מְאֹ֑ד אֶפְּלָה־נָּ֣א בְיַד־יְהוָ֗ה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֤ים רַחֲמָיו֙ מְאֹ֔ד וּבְיַד־אָדָ֖ם אַל־אֶפֹּֽל׃ | 13 |
David replied to Gad, “This is an awful situation for me! Please, let the Lord decide my punishment, for he is so merciful. Don't let me be punished by people.”
| וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה דֶּ֖בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃ | 14 |
So the Lord a plague on Israel, and 70,000 Israelites died.
| וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ מַלְאָ֥ךְ ׀ לִֽירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם֮ לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ֒ וּכְהַשְׁחִ֗ית רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם עַל־הֽ͏ָרָעָ֔ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לַמַּלְאָ֤ךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית֙ רַ֔ב עַתָּ֖ה הֶ֣רֶף יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֔ד עִם־גֹּ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֥ן הַיְבוּסִֽי׃ ס | 15 |
God also sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was about to destroy it, the Lord saw it, and he relented from causing such a disaster. He told the destroying angel, “That's enough. You can stop now.” Right then the angel of the Lord was standing beside the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
| וַיִּשָּׂ֨א דָוִ֜יד אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֗ד בֵּ֤ין הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְחַרְבֹּ֤ו שְׁלוּפָה֙ בְּיָדֹ֔ו נְטוּיָ֖ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיִּפֹּ֨ל דָּוִ֧יד וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים מְכֻסִּ֥ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 16 |
When David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, holding his drawn sword extended over Jerusalem, David and the elders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces.
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֣יד אֶֽל־הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים הֲלֹא֩ אֲנִ֨י אָמַ֜רְתִּי לִמְנֹ֣ות בָּעָ֗ם וַאֲנִי־ה֤וּא אֲשֶׁר־חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְהָרֵ֣עַ הֲרֵעֹ֔ותִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֗י תְּהִ֨י נָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ בִּ֚י וּבְבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔י וּֽבְעַמְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א לְמַגֵּפָֽה׃ ס | 17 |
David said to God, “Wasn't it me who ordered the census of the people? I'm the one who has sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Lord my God, please punish me and my family, but don't punish your people with this plague.”
| וּמַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֶל־גָּ֖ד לֵאמֹ֣ר לְדָוִ֑יד כִּ֣י ׀ יַעֲלֶ֣ה דָוִ֗יד לְהָקִ֤ים מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה בְּגֹ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֥ן הַיְבֻסִֽי׃ | 18 |
Then the angel of the Lord told Gad to tell David to go and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
| וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִיד֙ בִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ | 19 |
So David went and did what Gad had told him in the name of the Lord.
| וַיָּ֣שָׁב אָרְנָ֗ן וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וְאַרְבַּ֧עַת בָּנָ֛יו עִמֹּ֖ו מִֽתְחַבְּאִ֑ים וְאָרְנָ֖ן דָּ֥שׁ חִטִּֽים׃ | 20 |
Ornan was busy threshing wheat. He turned around and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him went and hid.
| וַיָּבֹ֥א דָוִ֖יד עַד־אָרְנָ֑ן וַיַּבֵּ֤ט אָרְנָן֙ וַיַּ֣רְא אֶת־דָּוִ֔יד וַיֵּצֵא֙ מִן־הַגֹּ֔רֶן וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לְדָוִ֛יד אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃ | 21 |
When David arrived, Ornan looked out and saw David. He left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜יד אֶל־אָרְנָ֗ן תְּנָה־לִּי֙ מְקֹ֣ום הַגֹּ֔רֶן וְאֶבְנֶה־בֹּ֥ו מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַיהוָ֑ה בְּכֶ֤סֶף מָלֵא֙ תְּנֵ֣הוּ לִ֔י וְתֵעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל הָעָֽם׃ | 22 |
David said to Ornan, “Please let me have the threshing floor. I'll buy it at its full price. Then I can build an altar to the Lord here so that the plague on the people may be stopped.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אָרְנָ֤ן אֶל־דָּוִיד֙ קַֽח־לָ֔ךְ וְיַ֛עַשׂ אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַטֹּ֣וב בְּעֵינָ֑יו רְאֵה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי הַבָּקָ֜ר לָֽעֹלֹ֗ות וְהַמֹּורִגִּ֧ים לָעֵצִ֛ים וְהַחִטִּ֥ים לַמִּנְחָ֖ה הַכֹּ֥ל נָתָֽתִּי׃ | 23 |
“Take it, and Your Majesty can do whatever you want with it,” Ornan told David. “You can have the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing boards for firewood, and the wheat for a grain offering. I'll give it all to you.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִיד֙ לְאָרְנָ֔ן לֹ֕א כִּֽי־קָנֹ֥ה אֶקְנֶ֖ה בְּכֶ֣סֶף מָלֵ֑א כִּ֠י לֹא־אֶשָּׂ֤א אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וְהַעֲלֹ֥ות עֹולָ֖ה חִנָּֽם׃ | 24 |
“No, I insist, I will pay the full price,” replied King David “I won't take for the Lord what is yours or present burnt offerings that didn't cost me anything.”
| וַיִּתֵּ֥ן דָּוִ֛יד לְאָרְנָ֖ן בַּמָּקֹ֑ום שִׁקְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב מִשְׁקָ֖ל שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֹֽות׃ | 25 |
So David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold for the place.
| וַיִּבֶן֩ שָׁ֨ם דָּוִ֤יד מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ות וּשְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָא֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲנֵ֤הוּ בָאֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם עַ֖ל מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָֽה׃ פ | 26 |
David built an altar to the Lord there and presented burnt offerings and friendship offerings. He called on the Lord in prayer, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב חַרְבֹּ֖ו אֶל־נְדָנָֽהּ׃ | 27 |
Then the Lord told the angel to put his sword back into its sheath.
| בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא בִּרְאֹ֤ות דָּוִיד֙ כִּי־עָנָ֣הוּ יְהוָ֔ה בְּגֹ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֣ן הַיְבוּסִ֑י וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח שָֽׁם׃ | 28 |
When David saw that the Lord had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.
| וּמִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְ֠הוָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה מֹשֶׁ֧ה בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר וּמִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹולָ֖ה בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא בַּבָּמָ֖ה בְּגִבְעֹֽון׃ | 29 |
At that time the tent of the Lord that Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering, were at the high place in Gibeon.
| וְלֹא־יָכֹ֥ל דָּוִ֛יד לָלֶ֥כֶת לְפָנָ֖יו לִדְרֹ֣שׁ אֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י נִבְעַ֔ת מִפְּנֵ֕י חֶ֖רֶב מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה׃ ס | 30 |
But David did not want to go there to ask God's will, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
