וַיֹּ֙סֶף֙ אַף־יְהֹוָ֔ה לַחֲר֖וֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֨סֶת אֶת־דָּוִ֤ד בָּהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֵ֛ךְ מְנֵ֥ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְאֶת־יְהוּדָֽה׃ aThis passage is also found, with some variations, in 1 Chron. 21.1–26. GOD’s anger againbagain Cf. above 21.1–14. flared up against Israel; and [God] incited David against them, saying, “Go and number Israel and Judah.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־יוֹאָ֣ב ׀ שַׂר־הַחַ֣יִל אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ שֽׁוּט־נָ֞א בְּכׇל־שִׁבְטֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע וּפִקְד֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וְיָ֣דַעְתִּ֔י אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר הָעָֽם׃ {ס} The king said to Joab, his army commander,chis army commander Cf. 1 Chron. 21.2 “and to the officers of the army”; below, v. 4. “Make the rounds of all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people, so that I may know the size of the population.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיוֹסֵ֣ף יְהֹוָה֩ אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ אֶל־הָעָ֜ם כָּהֵ֤ם ׀ וְכָהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים וְעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ רֹא֑וֹת וַאדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֥מָּה חָפֵ֖ץ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ Joab answered the king, “May the ETERNAL your God increase the number of the people a hundredfold, while your own eyes see it! But why should my lord king want this?”
וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב וְעַ֖ל שָׂרֵ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וַיֵּצֵ֨א יוֹאָ֜ב וְשָׂרֵ֤י הַחַ֙יִל֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִפְקֹ֥ד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ However, the king’s command to Joab and to the officers of the army remained firm; and Joab and the officers of the army set out, at the king’s behest, to take a census of the people of Israel.
וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בַעֲרוֹעֵ֗ר יְמִ֥ין הָעִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַנַּ֥חַל הַגָּ֖ד וְאֶל־יַעְזֵֽר׃ They crossed the Jordan and encamped at Aroer, on the right side of the town, which is in the middle of the wadi of Gad, anddencamped at Aroer, on the right side of the town, which is … Gad, and Some Septuagint mss. read “began at Aroer, and from the town, which is … Gad, they.” [went on] to Jazer.
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַגִּלְעָ֔דָה וְאֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ תַּחְתִּ֖ים חׇדְשִׁ֑י וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ דָּ֣נָה יַּ֔עַן וְסָבִ֖יב אֶל־צִידֽוֹן׃ They continued to Gilead and to the region of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan and around toeTahtim-hodshi … and around to Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Sidon.
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ מִבְצַר־צֹ֔ר וְכׇל־עָרֵ֥י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֑י וַיֵּ֥צְא֛וּ אֶל־נֶ֥גֶב יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ They went onto the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites, and finished at Beer-sheba in southern Judah.
וַיָּשֻׁ֖טוּ בְּכׇל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ מִקְצֵ֨ה תִשְׁעָ֧ה חֳדָשִׁ֛ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים י֖וֹם יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ They traversed the whole country, and then they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
וַיִּתֵּ֥ן יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתְּהִ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל שְֽׁמֹנֶה֩ מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֤לֶף אִֽישׁ־חַ֙יִל֙ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֔רֶב וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה חֲמֵשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃ Joab reported to the king the number of the people that had been recorded: in Israel there were 800,000 soldiers ready to draw the sword, and Judah’s contingent numbered 500,000.
וַיַּ֤ךְ לֵב־דָּוִד֙ אֹת֔וֹ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן סָפַ֣ר אֶת־הָעָ֑ם {פ}
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה חָטָ֤אתִֽי מְאֹד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי וְעַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה הַֽעֲבֶר־נָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֥י נִסְכַּ֖לְתִּי מְאֹֽד׃ But afterward David reproached himselffreproached himself See note at 1 Sam. 24.6. for having numbered the people. And David said to GOD, “I have sinned grievously in what I have done. Please, O GOD, remit the guilt of Your servant, for I have acted foolishly.”
וַיָּ֥קׇם דָּוִ֖ד בַּבֹּ֑קֶר {פ}
וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה הָיָה֙ אֶל־גָּ֣ד הַנָּבִ֔יא חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃ When David rose in the morning, the word of GOD had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer:
הָל֞וֹךְ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שָׁלֹ֕שׁ אָנֹכִ֖י נוֹטֵ֣ל עָלֶ֑יךָ בְּחַר־לְךָ֥ אַחַת־מֵהֶ֖ם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ “Go and tell David, ‘Thus said GOD: I hold three things over you; choose one of them, and I will bring it upon you.’”
וַיָּבֹא־גָ֥ד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד וַיַּגֶּד־ל֑וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֡וֹ הֲתָב֣וֹא לְךָ֣ שֶׁבַע־שָׁנִ֣ים ׀ רָעָ֣ב ׀ בְּאַרְצֶ֡ךָ אִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳ֠דָשִׁ֠ים נֻסְךָ֨ לִפְנֵי־צָרֶ֜יךָ וְה֣וּא רֹדְפֶ֗ךָ וְאִם־הֱ֠י֠וֹת שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֥ים דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּאַרְצֶ֔ךָ עַתָּה֙ דַּ֣ע וּרְאֵ֔ה מָה־אָשִׁ֥יב שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר׃ {ס} Gad came to David and told him; he asked, “Shall a seven-year famine come upon you in the land, or shall you be in flight from your adversaries for three months while they pursue you, or shall there be three days of pestilence in your land? Now consider carefully what reply I shall take back to the One who sent me.”
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֶל־גָּ֖ד צַר־לִ֣י מְאֹ֑ד נִפְּלָה־נָּ֤א בְיַד־יְהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־רַבִּ֣ים רַחֲמָ֔ו וּבְיַד־אָדָ֖ם אַל־אֶפֹּֽלָה׃ David said to Gad, “I am in great distress.gin great distress Or “deeply distressed.” Let us fall into the hands of GOD, whose compassion is great; and let me not fall into human hands.”hSeptuagint adds “So David chose the pestilence. It was the time of the wheat harvest.”
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֥ה דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵהַבֹּ֖קֶר וְעַד־עֵ֣ת מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיָּ֣מׇת מִן־הָעָ֗ם מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃ GOD sent a pestilence upon Israel from morning until the set time;iuntil the set time Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and 70,000 of the people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba.
וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ יָד֨וֹ הַמַּלְאָ֥ךְ ׀ יְֽרוּשָׁלַ֘͏ִם֮ לְשַׁחֲתָהּ֒ וַיִּנָּ֤חֶם יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר לַמַּלְאָ֞ךְ הַמַּשְׁחִ֤ית בָּעָם֙ רַ֔ב עַתָּ֖ה הֶ֣רֶף יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ הָיָ֔ה עִם־גֹּ֖רֶן (האורנה) [הָֽאֲרַ֥וְנָה] הַיְבֻסִֽי׃ {ס} But when the angeljangel Lit. “messenger.” extended a hand against Jerusalem to destroy it, GOD renounced further punishment and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Stay your hand!” The angel of GOD was then by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶל־יְהֹוָ֜ה בִּרְאֹת֣וֹ ׀ אֶֽת־הַמַּלְאָ֣ךְ ׀ הַמַּכֶּ֣ה בָעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֤י חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְאָנֹכִ֣י הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א יָדְךָ֛ בִּ֖י וּבְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ {פ}
When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to GOD, “I alone am guilty, I alone have done wrong; but these poor sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house!”
וַיָּבֹא־גָ֥ד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ עֲלֵה֙ הָקֵ֤ם לַֽיהֹוָה֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּגֹ֖רֶן (ארניה) [אֲרַ֥וְנָה] הַיְבֻסִֽי׃ Gad came to David the same day and said to him, “Go and set up an altar to GOD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִד֙ כִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָֽה׃ David went up, following Gad’s instructions, as GOD had commanded.
וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣ף אֲרַ֗וְנָה וַיַּ֤רְא אֶת־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֹבְרִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֲרַ֔וְנָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אַפָּ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃ Araunah looked out and saw the king and his courtiers approaching him.k4QSamᵃ and 1 Chron. 21.20 add “Araunah (Ornan) was threshing wheat.” So Araunah went out and bowed low to the king, with his face to the ground.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲרַ֔וְנָה מַדּ֛וּעַ בָּ֥א אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־עַבְדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לִקְנ֧וֹת מֵעִמְּךָ֣ אֶת־הַגֹּ֗רֶן לִבְנ֤וֹת מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְתֵעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל הָעָֽם׃ And Araunah asked, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “To buy the threshing floor from you, that I may build an altar to GOD and that the plague against the people may be checked.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲרַ֙וְנָה֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד יִקַּ֥ח וְיַ֛עַל אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑ו רְאֵה֙ הַבָּקָ֣ר לָעֹלָ֔ה וְהַמֹּרִגִּ֛ים וּכְלֵ֥י הַבָּקָ֖ר לָעֵצִֽים׃ And Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take it and offer up whatever he sees fit. Here are oxen for a burnt offering, and the threshing boards and the gear of the oxen for wood.
הַכֹּ֗ל נָתַ֛ן אֲרַ֥וְנָה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ {ס} וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲרַ֙וְנָה֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יִרְצֶֽךָ׃ All this, O king,lO king Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Araunah gives to Your Majesty. And may the ETERNAL your God,” Araunah added, “respond to you with favor!”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־אֲרַ֗וְנָה לֹ֚א כִּֽי־קָנ֨וֹ אֶקְנֶ֤ה מֵאֽוֹתְךָ֙ בִּמְחִ֔יר וְלֹ֧א אַעֲלֶ֛ה לַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖י עֹל֣וֹת חִנָּ֑ם וַיִּ֨קֶן דָּוִ֤ד אֶת־הַגֹּ֙רֶן֙ וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֔ר בְּכֶ֖סֶף שְׁקָלִ֥ים חֲמִשִּֽׁים׃ But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I will buy them from you at a price. I cannot sacrifice to the ETERNAL my God burnt offerings that have cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
וַיִּ֩בֶן֩ שָׁ֨ם דָּוִ֤ד מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַל עֹל֖וֹת וּשְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיֵּעָתֵ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לָאָ֔רֶץ וַתֵּעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ And David built there an altar to GOD and sacrificed burnt offerings and offerings of well-being. GOD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague against Israel was checked.