Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel.

1וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֥ד שָׂטָ֖ן עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֙סֶת֙ אֶת־ דָּוִ֔יד לִמְנ֖וֹת אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring a report to me so I can know their number."

2וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֤יד אֶל־ יוֹאָב֙ וְאֶל־ שָׂרֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם לְכ֗וּ סִפְרוּ֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע וְעַד־ דָּ֑ן וְהָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵדְעָ֖ה אֶת־ מִסְפָּרָֽם׃

3Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply the number of his people a hundred times over! My lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"

3וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֗ב יוֹסֵף֩ יְהוָ֨ה עַל־ עַמּ֤וֹ ׀ כָּהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים הֲלֹא֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כֻּלָּ֥ם לַאדֹנִ֖י לַעֲבָדִ֑ים לָ֣מָּה יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ זֹאת֙ אֲדֹנִ֔י לָ֛מָּה יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאַשְׁמָ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

4Yet the king's order prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel and then returned to Jerusalem.

4וּדְבַר־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָזַ֣ק עַל־ יוֹאָ֑ב וַיֵּצֵ֣א יוֹאָ֗ב וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙ בְּכָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיָּבֹ֖א יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

5Joab gave the total troop registration to David. In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand armed men and in Judah itself four hundred seventy thousand armed men.

5וַיִּתֵּ֥ן 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׃

6But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king's command was detestable to him.

6וְלֵוִי֙ וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן לֹ֥א פָקַ֖ד בְּתוֹכָ֑ם כִּֽי־ נִתְעַ֥ב דְּבַר־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־ יוֹאָֽב׃

7This command was also evil in God's sight, so he afflicted Israel.

7וַיֵּ֙רַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־ הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיַּ֖ךְ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

8David said to God, "I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. Now, please take away your servant's guilt, for I've been very foolish."

8וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִיד֙ אֶל־ הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים חָטָ֣אתִֽי מְאֹ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֗ה הַֽעֲבֶר־ נָא֙ אֶת־ עֲו֣וֹן עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֥י נִסְכַּ֖לְתִּי מְאֹֽד׃ פ

9Then the LORD instructed Gad, David's seer,

9וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ גָּ֔ד חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖יד לֵאמֹֽר׃

10"Go and say to David, 'This is what the LORD says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them for yourself, and I will do it to you.'"

10לֵךְ֩ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֶל־ דָּוִ֜יד לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שָׁל֕וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י נֹטֶ֣ה עָלֶ֑יךָ בְּחַר־ לְךָ֛ אַחַ֥ת מֵהֵ֖נָּה וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ לָּֽךְ׃

11So Gad went to David and said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Take your choice:

11וַיָּ֥בֹא גָ֖ד אֶל־ דָּוִ֑יד וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֛וֹ כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה קַבֶּל־ לָֽךְ׃

12three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD--a plague on the land, the angel of the LORD bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I should take back to the one who sent me."

12אִם־ 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

13David answered Gad, "I'm in anguish. Please, let me fall into the LORD's hands because his mercies are very great, but don't let me fall into human hands."

13וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛יד אֶל־ גָּ֖ד צַר־ לִ֣י מְאֹ֑ד אֶפְּלָה־ נָּ֣א בְיַד־ יְהוָ֗ה כִּֽי־ רַבִּ֤ים רַחֲמָיו֙ מְאֹ֔ד וּבְיַד־ אָדָ֖ם אַל־ אֶפֹּֽל׃

14So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand Israelite men died.

14וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה דֶּ֖בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

15Then God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but when the angel was about to destroy the city, the LORD looked, relented concerning the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough, withdraw your hand now!" The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

15וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ 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

16When David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.

16וַיִּשָּׂ֨א 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׃

17David said to God, "Wasn't I the one who gave the order to count the people? I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? LORD my God, please let your hand be against me and against my father's family, but don't let the plague be against your people."

17וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֣יד אֶֽל־ הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים הֲלֹא֩ אֲנִ֨י אָמַ֜רְתִּי לִמְנ֣וֹת בָּעָ֗ם וַאֲנִי־ ה֤וּא אֲשֶׁר־ חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְהָרֵ֣עַ הֲרֵע֔וֹתִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֗י תְּהִ֨י נָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ בִּ֚י וּבְבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔י וּֽבְעַמְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א לְמַגֵּפָֽה׃ ס

18So the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

18וּמַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֶל־ גָּ֖ד לֵאמֹ֣ר לְדָוִ֑יד כִּ֣י ׀ יַעֲלֶ֣ה דָוִ֗יד לְהָקִ֤ים מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה בְּגֹ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֥ן הַיְבֻסִֽי׃

19David went up at Gad's command spoken in the name of the LORD.

19וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִיד֙ בִּדְבַר־ גָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

20Ornan was threshing wheat when he turned and saw the angel. His four sons, who were with him, hid.

20וַיָּ֣שָׁב אָרְנָ֗ן וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־ הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וְאַרְבַּ֧עַת בָּנָ֛יו עִמּ֖וֹ מִֽתְחַבְּאִ֑ים וְאָרְנָ֖ן דָּ֥שׁ חִטִּֽים׃

21David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground.

21וַיָּבֹ֥א דָוִ֖יד עַד־ אָרְנָ֑ן וַיַּבֵּ֤ט אָרְנָן֙ וַיַּ֣רְא אֶת־ דָּוִ֔יד וַיֵּצֵא֙ מִן־ הַגֹּ֔רֶן וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לְדָוִ֛יד אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃

22Then David said to Ornan, "Give me this threshing-floor plot so that I may build an altar to the LORD on it. Give it to me for the full price, so the plague on the people may be stopped."

22וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜יד אֶל־ אָרְנָ֗ן תְּנָה־ לִּי֙ מְק֣וֹם הַגֹּ֔רֶן וְאֶבְנֶה־ בּ֥וֹ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַיהוָ֑ה בְּכֶ֤סֶף מָלֵא֙ תְּנֵ֣הוּ לִ֔י וְתֵעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל הָעָֽם׃

23Ornan said to David, "Take it! My lord the king may do whatever he wants. See, I give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering--I give it all."

23וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אָרְנָ֤ן אֶל־ דָּוִיד֙ קַֽח־ לָ֔ךְ וְיַ֛עַשׂ אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יו רְאֵה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי הַבָּקָ֜ר לָֽעֹל֗וֹת וְהַמּוֹרִגִּ֧ים לָעֵצִ֛ים וְהַחִטִּ֥ים לַמִּנְחָ֖ה הַכֹּ֥ל נָתָֽתִּי׃

24King David answered Ornan, "No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the LORD what belongs to you or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

24וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִיד֙ לְאָרְנָ֔ן לֹ֕א כִּֽי־ קָנֹ֥ה אֶקְנֶ֖ה בְּכֶ֣סֶף מָלֵ֑א כִּ֠י לֹא־ אֶשָּׂ֤א אֲשֶׁר־ לְךָ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וְהַעֲל֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ה חִנָּֽם׃

25So David gave Ornan fifteen pounds of gold for the plot.

25וַיִּתֵּ֥ן דָּוִ֛יד לְאָרְנָ֖ן בַּמָּק֑וֹם שִׁקְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב מִשְׁקָ֖ל שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃

26He built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and he answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

26וַיִּבֶן֩ שָׁ֨ם דָּוִ֤יד מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַל עֹל֖וֹת וּשְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָא֙ אֶל־ יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲנֵ֤הוּ בָאֵשׁ֙ מִן־ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם עַ֖ל מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָֽה׃ פ

27Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

27וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב חַרְבּ֖וֹ אֶל־ נְדָנָֽהּ׃

28At that time, David offered sacrifices there when he saw that the LORD answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

28בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא בִּרְא֤וֹת דָּוִיד֙ כִּי־ עָנָ֣הוּ יְהוָ֔ה בְּגֹ֖רֶן אָרְנָ֣ן הַיְבוּסִ֑י וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח שָֽׁם׃

29The tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at the high place in Gibeon,

29וּמִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְ֠הוָה אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂ֨ה מֹשֶׁ֧ה בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר וּמִזְבַּ֥ח הָעוֹלָ֖ה בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא בַּבָּמָ֖ה בְּגִבְעֽוֹן׃

30but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was terrified of the sword of the LORD's angel.

30וְלֹא־ יָכֹ֥ל דָּוִ֛יד לָלֶ֥כֶת לְפָנָ֖יו לִדְרֹ֣שׁ אֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י נִבְעַ֔ת מִפְּנֵ֕י חֶ֖רֶב מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה׃ ס

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