The Census That Nearly Destroyed a Nation.

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

Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.

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

[2] So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.”

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

[3] But Joab said, “May the Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?”

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

[4] But the king's word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem.

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן 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׃

[5] And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword.

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

[6] But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.

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

[7] But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel.

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

[8] And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־גָּ֔ד חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖יד לֵאמֹֽר׃

[9] And the Lord spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying,

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

[10] “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord , Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’”

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

[11] So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord , ‘Choose what you will:

אִם־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

[12] either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord , pestilence on the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”

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

[13] Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord , for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה דֶּ֖בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

[14] So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell.

וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ 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

[15] And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

וַיִּשָּׂ֨א 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׃

[16] And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר 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

[17] And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father's house. But do not let the plague be on your people.”

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

[18] Now the angel of the Lord had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִיד֙ בִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

[19] So David went up at Gad's word, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord .

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

[20] Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves.

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

[21] As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground.

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

[22] And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord —give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”

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

[23] Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.”

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

[24] But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן דָּוִ֛יד לְאָרְנָ֖ן בַּמָּק֑וֹם שִׁקְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב מִשְׁקָ֖ל שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃

[25] So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site.

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

[26] And David built there an altar to the Lord and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord , and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב חַרְבּ֖וֹ אֶל־נְדָנָֽהּ׃

[27] Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

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

[28] At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there.

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

[29] For the tabernacle of the Lord , which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon,

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

[30] but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord .