Satanשָׂטָןstood upוַיַּעֲמֹדagainstעַלIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלand incitedוַיָּסֶתDavidאֶת דָּוִידto countלִמְנוֹתIsrael.אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל
DavidדָּוִידsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלJoabיוֹאָבand toוְאֶלthe chiefsשָׂרֵיof the people,הָעָם“Go,לְכוּcountסִפְרוּIsraelאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלfrom Beershebaמִבְּאֵר שֶׁבַעtoוְעַדDan,דָּןand bring the report to me,וְהָבִיאוּ אֵלַיso that I may knowוְאֵדְעָהtheir number.”אֶת מִסְפָּרָם
Joabיוֹאָבsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“May YHWH addיוֹסֵף יְהוָהtoעַלhis peopleעַמּוֹa hundredמֵאָהtimesפְעָמִיםas many as they are!כָּהֵםAre they not,הֲלֹאmy lordאֲדֹנִיthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְall of themכֻּלָּםservantsלַעֲבָדִיםof my lord?לַאדֹנִיWhyלָמָּהdoes my lord seekיְבַקֵּשׁ אֲדֹנִיthis?זֹאתWhyלָמָּהshould it becomeיִהְיֶהa cause of guiltלְאַשְׁמָהfor Israel?”לְיִשְׂרָאֵל
But the wordוּדְבַרof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְprevailedחָזַקoverעַלJoab.יוֹאָבSo Joabוַ יוֹאָבwent outיֵּצֵאand went aboutוַיִּתְהַלֵּךְthrough allבְּכָלIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלand cameוַיָּבֹאto Jerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָם
Joabיוֹאָבgaveוַיִּתֵּןthe numberאֶת מִסְפַּרof the censusמִפְקַדof the peopleהָעָםto David.אֶל דָּוִידAllכָלIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלwasוַיְהִיa millionאֶלֶף אֲלָפִיםand a hundredוּמֵאָהthousandאֶלֶףmenאִישׁwho drewשֹׁלֵףthe sword,חֶרֶבand Judahוִיהוּדָהfour hundredאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹתand seventyוְשִׁבְעִיםthousandאֶלֶףmenאִישׁwho drewשֹׁלֵףthe sword.חָרֶב
But Leviוְלֵוִיand Benjaminוּבִנְיָמִןhe did notלֹאcountפָקַדamong them,בְּתוֹכָםforכִּיthe wordדְּבַרof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְwas abhorrentנִתְעַבto Joab.אֶת יוֹאָב
Thisהַזֶּהmatterהַדָּבָרwas evilוַיֵּרַעin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof Elohim,הָאֱלֹהִיםand he struckוַיַּךְIsrael.אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל
DavidדָּוִידsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלElohim,הָאֱלֹהִים“I have sinnedחָטָאתִיgreatlyמְאֹדin doingאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִיthisאֶת הַזֶּהthing.הַדָּבָרAnd now,וְעַתָּהplease,נָאtake awayהַעֲבֶרthe iniquityאֶת עֲווֹןof your servant,עַבְדְּךָforכִּיI have acted very foolishly.”נִסְכַּלְתִּי מְאֹד
YHWHיְהוָהspokeוַיְדַבֵּרtoאֶלGad,גָּדDavid’sדָוִידseer,חֹזֵהsaying,לֵאמֹר
“Goלֵךְand speakוְדִבַּרְתָּtoאֶלDavid,דָּוִידsaying,לֵאמֹר‘ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהThree thingsשָׁלוֹשׁIאֲנִיam stretching outנֹטֶהover you;עָלֶיךָchooseבְּחַרfor yourselfלְךָoneאַחַתof them,מֵהֵנָּהand I will do itוְאֶעֱשֶׂהto you.’”לָּךְ
GadגָדcameוַיָּבֹאtoאֶלDavidדָּוִידand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,לוֹ“ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָה‘Acceptקַבֶּלfor yourself:לָךְ
eitherאִםthreeשָׁלוֹשׁyearsשָׁנִיםof famine,רָעָבorוְאִםthreeשְׁלֹשָׁהmonthsחֳדָשִׁיםof being swept awayנִסְפֶּהbeforeמִפְּנֵיyour adversaries,צָרֶיךָwith the swordוְחֶרֶבof your enemiesאוֹיְבֶךָovertaking you,לְמַשֶּׂגֶתorוְאִםthreeשְׁלֹשֶׁתdaysיָמִיםof the swordחֶרֶבof YHWH,יְהוָהthat is, pestilenceוְדֶבֶרin the land,בָּאָרֶץwith the angelוּמַלְאַךְof YHWHיְהוָהdestroyingמַשְׁחִיתthroughout allבְּכָלthe territoryגְּבוּלof Israel.’יִשְׂרָאֵלNowוְעַתָּהconsiderרְאֵהwhatמָהwordדָּבָרI should bring backאָשִׁיבto the one who sent me.”אֶת שֹׁלְחִי
DavidדָּוִידsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלGad,גָּד“I am in great distress.צַר לִי מְאֹדLet me fall,אֶפְּלָהplease,נָּאinto the handבְיַדof YHWH,יְהוָהforכִּיveryמְאֹדgreatרַבִּיםare his mercies;רַחֲמָיוbut let me notוּ אַלfallאֶפֹּלinto the handבְיַדof man.”אָדָם
YHWHיְהוָהputוַיִּתֵּןa pestilenceדֶּבֶרon Israel,בְּיִשְׂרָאֵלand there fellוַיִּפֹּלof Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵלseventyשִׁבְעִיםthousandאֶלֶףmen.אִישׁ
Elohimהָאֱלֹהִיםsentוַיִּשְׁלַחan angelמַלְאָךְto Jerusalemלִירוּשָׁלִַםto destroy it;לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּand as he was destroying it,וּכְהַשְׁחִיתYHWHיְהוָהsawרָאָהand relentedוַיִּנָּחֶםconcerningעַלthe evil,הָרָעָהand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto the angelלַמַּלְאָךְwho was destroying,הַמַּשְׁחִית“Enough!רַבNowעַתָּהdropהֶרֶףyour hand.”יָדֶךָAnd the angelוּמַלְאַךְof YHWHיְהוָהwas standingעֹמֵדbyעִםthe threshing floorגֹּרֶןof Ornanאָרְנָןthe Jebusite.הַיְבוּסִי
Davidדָוִידliftedוַיִּשָּׂאhis eyesאֶת עֵינָיוand sawוַיַּרְאthe angelאֶת מַלְאַךְof YHWHיְהוָהstandingעֹמֵדbetweenבֵּיןthe earthהָאָרֶץand the heavens,וּבֵין הַשָּׁמַיִםwith his swordוְחַרְבּוֹdrawnשְׁלוּפָהin his hand,בְּיָדוֹstretched outנְטוּיָהoverעַלJerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָםDavidדָּוִידand the elders,וְהַזְּקֵנִיםcoveredמְכֻסִּיםin sackcloth,בַּשַּׂקִּיםfellוַיִּפֹּלonעַלtheir faces.פְּנֵיהֶם
DavidדָּוִידsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלElohim,הָאֱלֹהִים“Was it notהֲלֹאIאֲנִיwho saidאָמַרְתִּיto countלִמְנוֹתthe people?בָּעָםIt is Iוַאֲנִי הוּאwhoאֲשֶׁרhave sinnedחָטָאתִיand done great evil;וְהָרֵעַ הֲרֵעוֹתִיbut theseוְאֵלֶּהsheep,הַצֹּאןwhatמֶהhave they done?עָשׂוּYHWHיְהוָהmy Elohim,אֱלֹהַיpleaseנָאlet your hand beתְּהִי יָדְךָagainst meבִּיand against the houseוּבְבֵיתof my father,אָבִיbut notלֹאagainst your people,וּבְעַמְּךָfor a plague.”לְמַגֵּפָה
The angelוּמַלְאַךְof YHWHיְהוָהsaidאָמַרtoאֶלGadגָּדto tellלֵאמֹרDavidלְדָוִידthatכִּיDavidדָוִידshould go upיַעֲלֶהto set upלְהָקִיםan altarמִזְבֵּחַto YHWHלַיהוָהon the threshing floorבְּגֹרֶןof Ornanאָרְנָןthe Jebusite.הַיְבֻסִי
Davidדָּוִידwent upוַיַּעַלat the wordבִּדְבַרof Gad,גָּדwhichאֲשֶׁרhe had spokenדִּבֶּרin the nameבְּשֵׁםof YHWH.יְהוָה
Ornanאָרְנָןturnedוַיָּשָׁבand sawוַיַּרְאthe angel,אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְand his fourוְאַרְבַּעַתsonsבָּנָיוwho were with himעִמּוֹhid themselves.מִתְחַבְּאִיםNow Ornanוְאָרְנָןwas threshingדָּשׁwheat.חִטִּים
DavidדָוִידcameוַיָּבֹאtoעַדOrnan,אָרְנָןand Ornanאָרְנָןlookedוַיַּבֵּטand sawוַיַּרְאDavid,אֶת דָּוִידand he went outוַיֵּצֵאfromמִןthe threshing floorהַגֹּרֶןand bowed downוַיִּשְׁתַּחוּto Davidלְדָוִידwith his faceאַפַּיִםto the ground.אָרְצָה
DavidדָּוִידsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלOrnan,אָרְנָן“Give meתְּנָה לִּיthe siteמְקוֹםof the threshing floor,הַגֹּרֶןthat I may buildוְאֶבְנֶהon itבּוֹan altarמִזְבֵּחַto YHWH.לַיהוָהGive itתְּנֵהוּto meלִיfor the full price,בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵאso that the plagueהַמַּגֵּפָהmay be held backוְתֵעָצַרfromמֵעַלthe people.”הָעָם
OrnanאָרְנָןsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלDavid,דָּוִיד“Take itקַחfor yourself,לָךְand letוְmy lordאֲדֹנִיthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְdoיַעַשׂwhat is goodהַטּוֹבin his eyes.בְּעֵינָיוLook,רְאֵהI giveנָתַתִּיthe oxenהַבָּקָרfor burnt offerings,לָעֹלוֹתand the threshing sledgesוְהַמּוֹרִגִּיםfor the wood,לָעֵצִיםand the wheatוְהַחִטִּיםfor the grain offering;לַמִּנְחָהall of itהַכֹּלI give.”נָתָתִּי
KingהַמֶּלֶךְDavidדָּוִידsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Ornan,לְאָרְנָן“No,לֹאbutכִּיI will certainly buy itקָנֹה אֶקְנֶהfor the full price;בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵאforכִּיI will notלֹאtakeאֶשָּׂאwhatאֲשֶׁרis yoursלְךָfor YHWH,לַיהוָהnor offerוְהַעֲלוֹתa burnt offeringעוֹלָהfor nothing.”חִנָּם
DavidדָּוִידgaveוַיִּתֵּןOrnanלְאָרְנָןfor the siteבַּמָּקוֹםsix hundredשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹתshekelsשִׁקְלֵיof goldזָהָבby weight.מִשְׁקָל
Davidדָּוִידbuiltוַיִּבֶןthereשָׁםan altarמִזְבֵּחַto YHWHלַיהוָהand offeredוַיַּעַלburnt offeringsעֹלוֹתand peace offerings.וּשְׁלָמִיםHe calledוַיִּקְרָאonאֶלYHWH,יְהוָהand he answered himוַיַּעֲנֵהוּwith fireבָאֵשׁfromמִןthe heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםonעַלthe altarמִזְבַּחof burnt offering.הָעֹלָה
YHWHיְהוָהspokeוַיֹּאמֶרto the angel,לַמַּלְאָךְand he put backוַיָּשֶׁבhis swordחַרְבּוֹintoאֶלits sheath.נְדָנָהּ
Atבָּthatהַהִיאtime,עֵתwhen David sawבִּרְאוֹת דָּוִידthatכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhad answered himעָנָהוּat the threshing floorבְּגֹרֶןof Ornanאָרְנָןthe Jebusite,הַיְבוּסִיhe sacrificedוַיִּזְבַּחthere.שָׁם
Now the dwellingוּמִשְׁכַּןof YHWH,יְהוָהwhichאֲשֶׁרMosesמֹשֶׁהhad madeעָשָׂהin the wilderness,בַמִּדְבָּרand the altarוּמִזְבַּחof burnt offeringהָעוֹלָהwere atבָּthatהַהִיאtimeעֵתat the high placeבַּבָּמָהat Gibeon;בְּגִבְעוֹן
but Davidוְ דָּוִידcould notלֹא יָכֹלgoלָלֶכֶתbefore itלְפָנָיוto consultלִדְרֹשׁElohim,אֱלֹהִיםforכִּיhe was terrifiedנִבְעַתbecause ofמִפְּנֵיthe swordחֶרֶבof the angelמַלְאַךְof YHWH.יְהוָה