Againוַיֹּסֶףthe angerאַףof YHWHיְהוָהburnedלַחֲרוֹתagainst Israel,בְּיִשְׂרָאֵלand he incitedוַיָּסֶתDavidדָּוִדagainst them,בָּהֶםsaying,לֵאמֹר“Go,לֵךְcountמְנֵהIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלandוְJudah.”יְהוּדָה
The kingהַמֶּלֶךְsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלJoab,יוֹאָבthe commanderשַׂרof the army,הַחַיִלwhoאֲשֶׁרwas with him,אִתּוֹ“Pleaseנָאgo throughשׁוּטallבְּכָלthe tribesשִׁבְטֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלfrom DanמִדָּןtoוְעַדBeersheba,בְּאֵר שֶׁבַעand countוּפִקְדוּthe people,הָעָםso that I may knowוְיָדַעְתִּיthe numberמִסְפַּרof the people.”הָעָם
Joabיוֹאָבsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְ“May YHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָaddוְיוֹסֵףtoאֶלthe peopleהָעָםa hundredמֵאָהtimesפְעָמִיםas many asכָּהֵם וְכָהֵםthey are, and may the eyesוְעֵינֵיof my lordאֲדֹנִיthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְsee it;רֹאוֹתbut my lordוַאדֹנִיthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְwhyלָמָּהdoes he delightחָפֵץin thisבַּ הַזֶּהthing?”דָּבָר
But the king’sהַמֶּלֶךְwordדְּבַרprevailedוַיֶּחֱזַקagainstאֶלJoabיוֹאָבand againstוְעַלthe commandersשָׂרֵיof the army,הֶחָיִלand Joabוַ יוֹאָבand the commandersוְשָׂרֵיof the armyהַחַיִלwent outיֵּצֵאfrom beforeלִפְנֵיthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְto countלִפְקֹדthe people,הָעָםIsrael.יִשְׂרָאֵל
They crossedוַיַּעַבְרוּthe Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּןand campedוַיַּחֲנוּat Aroer,בַעֲרוֹעֵרsouthיְמִיןof the cityהָעִירthatאֲשֶׁרis in the middleבְּתוֹךְof the wadiהַנַּחַלof Gad,הַגָּדand towardוְאֶלJazer.יַעְזֵר
They cameוַיָּבֹאוּto Gileadהַגִּלְעָדָהand toוְאֶלthe landאֶרֶץof Tahtim-hodshi;תַּחְתִּים חָדְשִׁיthey cameוַיָּבֹאוּto Dan-jaanדָּנָה יַּעַןand aroundוְסָבִיבtowardאֶלSidon.צִידוֹן
They cameוַיָּבֹאוּto the fortified cityמִבְצַרof Tyreצֹרand allוְכָלthe citiesעָרֵיof the Hiviteהַחִוִּיand the Canaanite,וְהַכְּנַעֲנִיand they went outוַיֵּצְאוּtoאֶלthe Negevנֶגֶבof Judah,יְהוּדָהto Beersheba.בְּאֵר שָׁבַע
They went throughוַיָּשֻׁטוּallבְּכָלthe landהָאָרֶץand cameוַיָּבֹאוּat the endמִקְצֵהof nineתִשְׁעָהmonthsחֳדָשִׁיםand twentyוְעֶשְׂרִיםdaysיוֹםto Jerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָם
Joabיוֹאָבgaveוַיִּתֵּןthe numberמִסְפַּרof the censusמִפְקַדof the peopleהָעָםtoאֶלthe king:הַמֶּלֶךְIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלwasוַתְּהִיeightשְׁמֹנֶהhundredמֵאוֹתthousandאֶלֶףvaliantחַיִלmenאִישׁwho drewשֹׁלֵףthe sword,חֶרֶבand the menוְאִישׁof Judahיְהוּדָהfiveחֲמֵשׁhundredמֵאוֹתthousandאֶלֶףmen.אִישׁ
David’sדָּוִדheartלֵבstruckוַיַּךְhimאֹתוֹafterאַחֲרֵי כֵןhe had countedסָפַרthe people.הָעָםAnd Davidוַ דָּוִדsaidיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלYHWH,יְהוָה“I have sinnedחָטָאתִיgreatlyמְאֹדin whatאֲשֶׁרI have done.עָשִׂיתִיNow then,וְעַתָּהYHWH,יְהוָהpleaseנָאtake awayהַעֲבֶרthe iniquityעֲוֺןof your servant,עַבְדְּךָforכִּיI have acted very foolishly.”נִסְכַּלְתִּי מְאֹד
When Davidוַ דָּוִדgot upיָּקָםin the morning,בַּבֹּקֶרthe wordוּדְבַרof YHWHיְהוָהcameהָיָהtoאֶלGadגָּדthe prophet,הַנָּבִיאDavid’sדָוִדseer,חֹזֵהsaying,לֵאמֹר
“Goהָלוֹךְand speakוְדִבַּרְתָּtoאֶלDavid:דָּוִד‘ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהThree thingsשָׁלֹשׁIאָנֹכִיam layingנוֹטֵלbefore you;עָלֶיךָchooseבְּחַרfor yourselfלְךָoneאַחַתof them,מֵהֶםand I will do itוְאֶעֱשֶׂהto you.’”לָּךְ
So Gadוַ גָדcameיָּבֹאtoאֶלDavidדָּוִדand toldוַיַּגֶּדhim,לוֹand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,לוֹ“Shall there comeהֲתָבוֹאto youלְךָsevenשֶׁבַעyearsשָׁנִיםof famineרָעָבin your land?בְּאַרְצֶךָOrאִםthreeשְׁלֹשָׁהmonthsחֳדָשִׁיםthat you fleeנֻסְךָbeforeלִפְנֵיyour adversariesצָרֶיךָwhile theyוְהוּאpursue you?רֹדְפֶךָOrוְאִםshall there beהֱיוֹתthreeשְׁלֹשֶׁתdaysיָמִיםof pestilenceדֶּבֶרin your land?בְּאַרְצֶךָNowעַתָּהconsiderדַּעand seeוּרְאֵהwhatמָהanswerדָּבָרI shall returnאָשִׁיבto the one who sent me.”שֹׁלְחִי
DavidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלGad,גָּד“I am in greatצַר מְאֹדdistress.לִיPleaseנָּאlet us fallנִפְּלָהinto the handבְיַדof YHWH,יְהוָהforכִּיhis merciesרַחֲמָיוare many;רַבִּיםbut into the handוּבְיַדof manאָדָםlet me notאַלfall.”אֶפֹּלָה
YHWHיְהוָהsentוַיִּתֵּןa pestilenceדֶּבֶרon Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵלfromמֵthe morningהַבֹּקֶרuntilוְעַדthe appointedמוֹעֵדtime;עֵתand there diedוַיָּמָתofמִןthe people,הָעָםfrom DanמִדָּןtoוְעַדBeersheba,בְּאֵר שֶׁבַעseventyשִׁבְעִיםthousandאֶלֶףmen.אִישׁ
When the angelוַ הַמַּלְאָךְstretched outיִּשְׁלַחhis handיָדוֹtoward Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםto destroy it,לְשַׁחֲתָהּYHWHיְהוָהrelentedוַיִּנָּחֶםconcerningאֶלthe evilהָרָעָהand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto the angelלַמַּלְאָךְwho was destroyingהַמַּשְׁחִיתamong the people,בָּעָם“Enough!רַבNowעַתָּהwithdrawהֶרֶףyour hand.”יָדֶךָAnd the angelוּמַלְאַךְof YHWHיְהוָהwasהָיָהbyעִםthe threshing floorגֹּרֶןof Araunahהָאֲרַוְנָהthe Jebusite.הַיְבֻסִי
DavidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלYHWH,יְהוָהwhen he sawבִּרְאֹתוֹthe angelהַמַּלְאָךְwho was strikingהַמַּכֶּהamong the people,בָעָםand he said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Look,הִנֵּהIאָנֹכִיhave sinned,חָטָאתִיand Iוְאָנֹכִיhave done iniquity;הֶעֱוֵיתִיbut theseוְאֵלֶּהsheep,הַצֹּאןwhatמֶהhave they done?עָשׂוּPleaseנָאlet your handיָדְךָbeתְּהִיagainst meבִּיand against the houseוּבְבֵיתof my father.”אָבִי
GadגָדcameוַיָּבֹאtoאֶלDavidדָּוִדon thatהַהוּאdayבַּיּוֹםand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,לוֹ“Go up,עֲלֵהraiseהָקֵםan altarמִזְבֵּחַto YHWHלַיהוָהon the threshing floorבְּגֹרֶןof Araunahאֲרַוְנָהthe Jebusite.”הַיְבֻסִי
So Davidוַ דָּוִדwent upיַּעַלaccording to the wordכִּדְבַרof Gad,גָּדasכַּאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad commanded.צִוָּה
Araunahאֲרַוְנָהlooked downוַיַּשְׁקֵףand sawוַיַּרְאthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְandוְhis servantsעֲבָדָיוcoming overעֹבְרִיםtoward him;עָלָיוand Araunahוַ אֲרַוְנָהwent outיֵּצֵאand bowed downוַיִּשְׁתַּחוּto the kingלַמֶּלֶךְwith his faceאַפָּיוto the ground.אָרְצָה
Araunahאֲרַוְנָהsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whyמַדּוּעַhas my lordאֲדֹנִיthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְcomeבָּאtoאֶלhis servant?”עַבְדּוֹDavidדָּוִדsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“To buyלִקְנוֹתfrom youמֵעִמְּךָthe threshing floor,הַגֹּרֶןto buildלִבְנוֹתan altarמִזְבֵּחַto YHWH,לַיהוָהso that the plagueוְ הַמַּגֵּפָהmay be stoppedתֵעָצַרfromמֵעַלthe people.”הָעָם
AraunahאֲרַוְנָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלDavid,דָּוִד“Let my lordאֲדֹנִיthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְtakeיִקַּחand offer upוְיַעַלwhat is goodהַטּוֹבin his eyes.בְּעֵינָיוSee,רְאֵהthe oxenהַבָּקָרfor the burnt offering,לָעֹלָהand the threshing sledgesוְהַמֹּרִגִּיםand the yokesוּכְלֵיof the oxenהַבָּקָרfor the wood.לָעֵצִים
All thisהַכֹּלAraunahאֲרַוְנָהgives,נָתַןO king,הַמֶּלֶךְto the king.”לַמֶּלֶךְAnd Araunahוַ אֲרַוְנָהsaidיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְ“May YHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָaccept you.”יִרְצֶךָ
The kingהַמֶּלֶךְsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלAraunah,אֲרַוְנָה“No,לֹאbutכִּיI will surelyקָנוֹbuy itאֶקְנֶהfrom youמֵאוֹתְךָfor a price;בִּמְחִירand I will notוְלֹאoffer upאַעֲלֶהto YHWHלַיהוָהmy Elohimאֱלֹהַיburnt offeringsעֹלוֹתfor nothing.”חִנָּםSo Davidוַ דָּוִדboughtיִּקֶןthe threshing floorהַגֹּרֶןandוְthe oxenהַבָּקָרfor fiftyבְּ חֲמִשִּׁיםshekelsשְׁקָלִיםof silver.כֶסֶף
Davidדָּוִדbuiltוַיִּבֶןthereשָׁםan altarמִזְבֵּחַto YHWHלַיהוָהand offered upוַיַּעַלburnt offeringsעֹלוֹתand peace offerings.וּשְׁלָמִיםAnd YHWHוַ יְהוָהheeded the pleaיֵּעָתֵרfor the land,לָאָרֶץand the plagueוַ הַמַּגֵּפָהwas stoppedתֵּעָצַרfromמֵעַלIsrael.יִשְׂרָאֵל