International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Satan attacked Israel by inciting David to enumerate a census of Israel.

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

2David ordered Joab and the commanders of the army, "Go take a census of Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan, and bring me a report so I can be aware of the total number."

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

3But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase the population of his people a hundredfold! Your majesty, all of them are your majesty's servants, aren't they? So why should your majesty demand this? Why should he bring guilt to Israel?"

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

4But the king's order overruled Joab, so Joab left, traveled throughout all of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem

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

5to report the total population count to David. Throughout all of Israel there were 1,100,000 men trained for war. In Judah there were 470,000 men trained for war.

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׃

6Levi and Benjamin were not included in the census, because what the king had commanded was unethical to Joab.

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

7God considered this behavior to be evil, so he attacked Israel.

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

8David responded to God, "I sinned greatly by behaving this way. But now I am asking you, please remove the guilt of your servant, since I have acted very foolishly."

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

9So the LORD responded through Gad, David's seer.

9וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ גָּ֔ד חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖יד לֵאמֹֽר׃

10"Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: "I'm holding three choices out for you: pick 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׃

11Gad went to David and told him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Make a choice for yourself:

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

12Either three years of famine, or three months of reversals as you are swept away by your enemies while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days with the sword of the LORD, consisting of pestilence infecting the land, with the angel of the LORD wreaking destruction from border to border throughout all of Israel.' Decide right now what I am to answer 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

13So David replied to Gad, "This is a very bad choice for me to make! Let me now please fall into the hand of the LORD, because his mercy is very great, but may I never fall into human hands!"

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

14Then the LORD sent a pestilence to Israel, and 70,000 men died in Israel.

14וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה דֶּ֖בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

15God also sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but as he was about to do so, the LORD looked and withdrew the calamity by saying to the destroying angel, "Enough! Stop what you're doing!" So the angel of the LORD remained standing near the threshing floor that belonged to 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

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

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 told God, "Wasn't I the one who ordered the census of the population? Wasn't it I who sinned and acted wickedly? Now as for these sheep, what have they done? LORD God, please let your hand be against me and my ancestral household, but don't let your people be ravaged by plague!"

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

18The angel of the LORD told Gad to tell David that David was to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite.

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

19So David went up, obeying Gad's directive that he had spoken in the name of the LORD.

19וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִיד֙ בִּדְבַר־ גָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

20Ornan turned around and saw the angel. While his four sons with him ran away to hide, Ornan continued to thresh wheat.

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

21As David approached Ornan, Ornan looked around and observed David, left the threshing floor, and fell to the ground before David with his face on the ground.

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

22David told Ornan, "Give me the threshing floor as a site to build an altar to the LORD on it. Give it to me at its full price, so the plague may be averted from the people."

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

23But Ornan replied to David, "Take it! Let your majesty the king do whatever seems like a good idea to him. Look here! I'm giving the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing machinery for the wood, and the wheat for a grain offering. I'm giving all of it."

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

24But King David told Ornan, "No. I will buy them for the full price because I will not offer to the LORD what is yours 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 paid Ornan 600 shekels weight worth in gold for the site,

25וַיִּתֵּ֥ן דָּוִ֛יד לְאָרְנָ֖ן בַּמָּק֑וֹם שִׁקְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב מִשְׁקָ֖ל שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃

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

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

27After this, the LORD spoke to the angel, who then sheathed his sword.

27וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב חַרְבּ֖וֹ אֶל־ נְדָנָֽהּ׃

28From that time on, after David had observed that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he made his sacrifices there.

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

29Meanwhile, the tent of the LORD that Moses had crafted in the desert, along with the altar of burnt offerings, were being stored at the high place in Gibeon at that time,

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

30but David was not going before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword carried by the angel of the LORD.

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

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