1 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 21
| וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֥ד שָׂטָ֖ן עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֙סֶת֙ אֶת־דָּוִ֔יד לִמְנ֖וֹת אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 1 |
Satan decided to cause the Israeli people to have trouble. So he incited David to find out how many men in Israel [were able to be in the army].
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֤יד אֶל־יוֹאָב֙ וְאֶל־שָׂרֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם לְכ֗וּ סִפְרוּ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע וְעַד־דָּ֑ן וְהָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵדְעָ֖ה אֶת־מִסְפָּרָֽם׃ | 2 |
So David commanded Joab and the other army commanders, “Count all the men in Israel [who are able to be in the army]. Start at Beersheba [town in the south] and go all the way to Dan [city in the north]. Then come back and report to me, in order that I may know how many men there are.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֗ב יוֹסֵף֩ יְהוָ֨ה עַל־עַמּ֤וֹ ׀ כָּהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים הֲלֹא֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כֻּלָּ֥ם לַאדֹנִ֖י לַעֲבָדִ֑ים לָ֣מָּה יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ זֹאת֙ אֲדֹנִ֔י לָ֛מָּה יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאַשְׁמָ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 3 |
But Joab replied, “Your majesty, even if Yahweh allowed us to have 100 times as many soldiers as we have now, you would [RHQ] still rule all of them. So why do you want us to do this? You will surely [RHQ] cause [all the people of] Israel to be guilty of sinning.”
| וּדְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָזַ֣ק עַל־יוֹאָ֑ב וַיֵּצֵ֣א יוֹאָ֗ב וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙ בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיָּבֹ֖א יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ | 4 |
But David would not change his mind. So Joab [and his soldiers] went everywhere in Israel and in Judah, and counted the people. Then they returned to Jerusalem,
| וַיִּתֵּ֥ן יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד וַיְהִ֣י כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל אֶ֣לֶף אֲלָפִים֩ וּמֵאָ֨ה אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ֙ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֔רֶב וִֽיהוּדָ֕ה אַרְבַּע֩ מֵא֨וֹת וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב׃ | 5 |
and they reported to David that there were 1,100,000 men in Israel who could be in the army, and 470,000 in Judah.
| וְלֵוִי֙ וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן לֹ֥א פָקַ֖ד בְּתוֹכָ֑ם כִּֽי־נִתְעַ֥ב דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־יוֹאָֽב׃ | 6 |
Joab did not count the men from the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he was disgusted with what the king had commanded.
| וַיֵּ֙רַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיַּ֖ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | 7 |
David’s command to count the people caused God to become angry, so he [told David that he had decided to] punish [the people of] Israel.
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִיד֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים חָטָ֣אתִֽי מְאֹ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֗ה הַֽעֲבֶר־נָא֙ אֶת־עֲו֣וֹן עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֥י נִסְכַּ֖לְתִּי מְאֹֽד׃ פ | 8 |
Then David prayed, saying, “Yahweh, what I did was very foolish. I have sinned greatly by what I have done. So now I plead with you, please forgive me.”
| וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־גָּ֔ד חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖יד לֵאמֹֽר׃ | 9 |
Then Yahweh said to Gad, David’s prophet,
| לֵךְ֩ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֶל־דָּוִ֜יד לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שָׁל֕וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י נֹטֶ֣ה עָלֶ֑יךָ בְּחַר־לְךָ֛ אַחַ֥ת מֵהֵ֖נָּה וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ | 10 |
“Go and tell this to David: I am allowing you to choose one of three things [to punish you]. I will do whichever one you choose.”
| וַיָּ֥בֹא גָ֖ד אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֛וֹ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה קַבֶּל־לָֽךְ׃ | 11 |
So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You can choose one of these [punishments]:
| אִם־שָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֜ים רָעָ֗ב וְאִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה חֳדָשִׁ֜ים נִסְפֶּ֥ה מִפְּנֵי־צָרֶיךָ֮ וְחֶ֣רֶב אוֹיְבֶ֣ךָ ׀ לְמַשֶּׂגֶת֒ וְאִם־שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָ֠מִים חֶ֣רֶב יְהוָ֤ה וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מַשְׁחִ֖ית בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֣ה רְאֵ֔ה מָֽה־אָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר׃ פ | 12 |
three years of famine [in Israel], or three months during which your armies will run away from their enemies [who will attack them with] swords, or three days during which I will send my angel to cause many people in the country to die because of a (plague/very serious illness).’ So, you must decide what I will say to answer [Yahweh, ] 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, “I am very distressed. But allow Yahweh to punish [MTY] me, because he is very merciful. Do not allow humans to punish me, [because they will not be merciful].”
| וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה דֶּ֖בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃ | 14 |
So Yahweh sent a plague on [the people of] Israel, and 70,000 of them died because of it.
| וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ מַלְאָ֥ךְ ׀ לִֽירוּשָׁלִַם֮ לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ֒ וּכְהַשְׁחִ֗ית רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם עַל־הָֽרָעָ֔ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לַמַּלְאָ֤ךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית֙ רַ֔ב עַתָּ֖ה הֶ֣רֶף יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֔ד עִם־גֹּ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֥ן הַיְבוּסִֽי׃ ס | 15 |
And God sent an angel to destroy the people in Jerusalem by the plague. But when the angel was standing at the ground where Araunah, from the Jebus people-group, threshed grain, Yahweh saw all the suffering that the people had endured, and he was grieved. So he said to the angel, “Stop what you are doing [IDM]! That is enough [IDM]!”
| וַיִּשָּׂ֨א דָוִ֜יד אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֗ד בֵּ֤ין הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְחַרְבּ֤וֹ שְׁלוּפָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ נְטוּיָ֖ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיִּפֹּ֨ל דָּוִ֧יד וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים מְכֻסִּ֥ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 16 |
David looked up and saw the angel whom Yahweh had sent, standing between the sky and the ground. The angel had a sword in his hand that was pointed toward Jerusalem. Then David and the elders [of the city], who were wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, prostrated themselves on the ground.
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֣יד אֶֽל־הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים הֲלֹא֩ אֲנִ֨י אָמַ֜רְתִּי לִמְנ֣וֹת בָּעָ֗ם וַאֲנִי־ה֤וּא הָֽרֹעֶה אֲשֶׁר־חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְהָרֵ֣עַ הֲרֵע֔וֹתִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֗י תְּהִ֨י נָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ בִּ֚י וּבְבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔י וּֽבְעַמְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א לְמַגֵּפָֽה׃ ס | 17 |
David said to God, “I am [RHQ] the one who ordered the men who could be in the army to be counted. I am the one who has sinned and done what is very wrong, but these people are [as innocent as] [MET] sheep. They have certainly not [RHQ] done anything [that is wrong]. So Yahweh my God, punish [IDM] me and my family, but do not allow this plague to continue to [cause] your people [to become sick and die].”
| וּמַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֶל־גָּ֖ד לֵאמֹ֣ר לְדָוִ֑יד כִּ֣י ׀ יַעֲלֶ֣ה דָוִ֗יד לְהָקִ֤ים מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה בְּגֹ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֥ן הַיְבֻסִֽי׃ | 18 |
Then the angel who was sent by Yahweh told Gad to go up to the place where Araunah threshed grain and tell David to build an altar to [worship] Yahweh there.
| וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִיד֙ בִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ | 19 |
So [after Gad told] David, [he] obeyed the message that Yahweh [MTY] had given to Gad, [and he went up there].
| וַיָּ֣שָׁב אָרְנָ֗ן וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וְאַרְבַּ֧עַת בָּנָ֛יו עִמּ֖וֹ מִֽתְחַבְּאִ֑ים וְאָרְנָ֖ן דָּ֥שׁ חִטִּֽים׃ | 20 |
While Araunah was threshing some wheat, he turned and saw the angel. His four sons who were with him [also saw the angel, and they] hid themselves.
| וַיָּבֹ֥א דָוִ֖יד עַד־אָרְנָ֑ן וַיַּבֵּ֤ט אָרְנָן֙ וַיַּ֣רְא אֶת־דָּוִ֔יד וַיֵּצֵא֙ מִן־הַגֹּ֔רֶן וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לְדָוִ֛יד אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃ | 21 |
Then David approached. When Araunah saw him, he left the place where he was threshing grain and prostrated himself, with his face touching the ground.
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜יד אֶל־אָרְנָ֗ן תְּנָה־לִּי֙ מְק֣וֹם הַגֹּ֔רֶן וְאֶבְנֶה־בּ֥וֹ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַיהוָ֑ה בְּכֶ֤סֶף מָלֵא֙ תְּנֵ֣הוּ לִ֔י וְתֵעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל הָעָֽם׃ | 22 |
David said to him, “Please sell me your threshing place in order that I can build an altar here to [worship] Yahweh. Then he will stop this plague. I will pay the full price.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אָרְנָ֤ן אֶל־דָּוִיד֙ קַֽח־לָ֔ךְ וְיַ֛עַשׂ אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יו רְאֵה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי הַבָּקָ֜ר לָֽעֹל֗וֹת וְהַמּוֹרִגִּ֧ים לָעֵצִ֛ים וְהַחִטִּ֥ים לַמִּנְחָ֖ה הַכֹּ֥ל נָתָֽתִּי׃ | 23 |
Araunah replied, “Take it! Your majesty, do whatever you want to. I will give you the oxen [that thresh the grain] for an offering to be completely burned [on the altar]. And I will give you the threshing boards to use as wood [on the altar], and I will give you grain for a grain offering. I will give all those things to you.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִיד֙ לְאָרְנָ֔ן לֹ֕א כִּֽי־קָנֹ֥ה אֶקְנֶ֖ה בְּכֶ֣סֶף מָלֵ֑א כִּ֠י לֹא־אֶשָּׂ֤א אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וְהַעֲל֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ה חִנָּֽם׃ | 24 |
But the king said to Araunah, “No, [I will not take these things as a gift]. I will pay you the full price for it. I will not take things that belong to you, things that have cost me nothing and offer them as sacrifices to Yahweh to be completely burned on the altar.”
| וַיִּתֵּ֥ן דָּוִ֛יד לְאָרְנָ֖ן בַּמָּק֑וֹם שִׁקְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב מִשְׁקָ֖ל שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ | 25 |
So David paid Araunah 600 pieces of gold for the whole area.
| וַיִּבֶן֩ שָׁ֨ם דָּוִ֤יד מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַל עֹל֖וֹת וּשְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָא֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲנֵ֤הוּ בָאֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם עַ֖ל מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָֽה׃ פ | 26 |
David built an altar to [worship] Yahweh there, and he offered sacrifices to be completely burned [on the altar] and sacrifices to restore fellowship [with Yahweh]. David prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh answered by sending a fire from heaven [to burn up the offerings] on the altar.
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב חַרְבּ֖וֹ אֶל־נְדָנָֽהּ׃ | 27 |
Then Yahweh spoke to the angel, and told him to put his sword back into its sheath. [So the angel did that].
| בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא בִּרְא֤וֹת דָּוִיד֙ כִּי־עָנָ֣הוּ יְהוָ֔ה בְּגֹ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֣ן הַיְבוּסִ֑י וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח שָֽׁם׃ | 28 |
And when David saw that Yahweh had answered him there at the place where Araunah threshed grain [and had ended the plague], he offered sacrifices there.
| וּמִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְ֠הוָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה מֹשֶׁ֧ה בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר וּמִזְבַּ֥ח הָעוֹלָ֖ה בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא בַּבָּמָ֖ה בְּגִבְעֽוֹן׃ | 29 |
Yahweh’s Sacred Tent, which Moses had commanded to be set up in the desert, and the altar for burning sacrifices completely, were at that time on a hill at Gibeon [city].
| וְלֹא־יָכֹ֥ל דָּוִ֛יד לָלֶ֥כֶת לְפָנָ֖יו לִדְרֹ֣שׁ אֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י נִבְעַ֔ת מִפְּנֵ֕י חֶ֖רֶב מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה׃ ס | 30 |
But David did not want to go there to request God to tell him what he wanted [him to do], because he was afraid that the angel sent from Yahweh [might strike him with] his sword.
