Add parallel Print Page Options

19 Some time later, when Nachash the king of the people of ‘Amon died, his son became king in his place. David said, “I will be kind to Hanun the son of Nachash, because his father showed grace to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him about his father.

David’s servants entered the territory of the people of ‘Amon to go to Hanun and comfort him; but the leaders of the people of ‘Amon said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending people to comfort you? Haven’t his servants come to you in order to look the city over, overthrow it and reconnoiter the land?” So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, cut off their clothes halfway up, at their hips, and then sent them away. Some people reported to David how the men had been treated. He sent a delegation to meet them, because the men had been deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Yericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

Aware that they had made themselves utterly abhorrent to David, Hanun and the people of ‘Amon sent thirty-three tons of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-Naharayim, Aram-Ma‘akhah and Tzovah. They hired 32,000 chariots, as well as the king of Ma‘akhah with his people, who came and pitched their camp in front of Meidva. Then the people of ‘Amon assembled themselves from their cities and went out to fight. When David heard of it, he sent Yo’av with his entire army of trained soldiers.

The army of ‘Amon came out and went into battle formation at the city gate, while the kings who had come were alone in the countryside. 10 When Yo’av saw that he would be fighting on two fronts, ahead and behind, he chose the best troops of Isra’el to deploy against Aram; 11 while the rest of the army he put under the command of Avishai his brother to deploy against the army of ‘Amon. 12 He said, “If Aram is too strong for me, you help me; but if the army of ‘Amon is too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Take courage, and let’s be strong for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. May Adonai do what seems good to him.”

14 So Yo’av and the people with him went to engage Aram in battle, and they fled before him. 15 When the people of ‘Amon saw that Aram had fled, they likewise fled before Avishai his brother and retreated into the city. Then Yo’av went to Yerushalayim.

16 When Aram saw that Isra’el had gotten the better of them, they sent messengers and brought out the people of Aram who lived beyond the [Euphrates] River, with Shofakh the commander of Hadar‘ezer’s army at their head. 17 It was reported to David; so he gathered all Isra’el together and crossed the Yarden to engage them. David deployed his forces for battle against Aram; and after he had done so, fought them. 18 But Aram fled before Isra’el; David killed 7,000 chariot-drivers and 40,000 foot soldiers from Aram; and he killed Shofakh the commander of the army. 19 When all Hadar‘ezer’s servants saw that they had been defeated by Isra’el, they made peace with David and became his subjects; and Aram would no longer help the people of ‘Amon.

20 In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, Yo’av led the army out in force and laid waste to the country of the people of ‘Amon; then he came and laid siege to Rabbah. But David stayed in Yerushalayim, while Yo’av attacked Rabbah and destroyed it. David took the crown off Malkam’s head and found it to weigh sixty-six pounds, with its gold and precious stones; and it was placed on David’s head. He carried off great quantities of spoil from the city. In addition, he brought out the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, iron harrows and axes. This is what he did to all the cities of the people of ‘Amon. Then David and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.

A while after this there was war at Gezer with the P’lishtim. Sibkhai the Hushati killed Sipai, one of the giants, and they were defeated. There was more war with the P’lishtim; and Elchanan the son of Ya’ir killed Lachmi the brother of Golyat the Gitti, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s beam. There was again war at Gat, where there was a very tall man whose fingers and toes numbered twenty-four, six [fingers on each hand] and six [toes on each foot]; and he too was a son of the giant. When he mocked Isra’el, Y’honatan the son of Shim‘a David’s brother killed him. These were sons of the giant in Gat; they fell at the hands of David and his servants.

21 The Adversary [a] now rose up against Isra’el and incited David to take a census of Isra’el. David said to Yo’av and the leaders of the people, “Go, take a census of Isra’el from Be’er-Sheva to Dan; then report to me, so that I can know how many of them there are.” Yo’av said, “May Adonai make his people a hundred times as many as they are now! But, my lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants in any case? Why does my lord the king require this? Why should he bring guilt upon Isra’el?” Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Yo’av. So Yo’av left and went through all Isra’el, after which he came to Yerushalayim.

Yo’av reported the results of the census to David: in Isra’el were 1,100,000 men who could handle a sword, while Y’hudah had 470,000 men who could handle a sword. But he didn’t count Levi and Binyamin among them, because the king’s order was hateful to Yo’av.

God was displeased with this and therefore punished Isra’el. David said to God, “I have greatly sinned by doing this. But now, please! Put aside your servant’s sin, for I have done a very foolish thing.” Adonai spoke to Gad, David’s seer: 10 “Go and tell David that Adonai says, ‘I am offering you a choice of three punishments: choose one of them, and I will execute it against you.’” 11 Gad came to David and said to him, “Take your choice: 12 three years of famine; or three months of being swept away by your enemies, while your enemies’ sword overwhelms you; or three days of Adonai’s sword — plague in the land, with the angel of Adonai destroying everywhere in Isra’el’s territory. Now think about what answer I should give to the one who sent me.”

13 David said to Gad, “This is very hard for me. Let me fall into the hand of Adonai, because his mercies are very great, rather than have me fall into the hand of man.” 14 So Adonai sent a plague on Isra’el; 70,000 of the people of Isra’el died.

15 God also sent an angel to destroy Yerushalayim, but when he was about to carry out the destruction, Adonai saw it and changed his mind about causing such distress; so he said to the destroying angel, “Enough! Now withdraw your hand.” The angel of Adonai was standing at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y’vusi. 16 David raised his eyes and saw the angel of Adonai standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 David said to God, “Wasn’t it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father’s family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!”

18 Then the angel of Adonai ordered Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to Adonai on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y’vusi. 19 David went up at Gad’s word, spoken in Adonai’s name. 20 Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As Ornan was threshing wheat, 21 David approached Ornan. When Ornan looked and saw David, he went out from the threshing-floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, “Let me have the parcel with this threshing-floor, so that I can build on it an altar to Adonai — I will pay you its full value — so that the plague will be lifted from the people.” 23 Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. I’m giving you the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for firewood and the wheat for the grain offering — I’m giving it all.” 24 But King David said to Ornan, “No; I insist on buying it from you at the full price. I refuse to take what is yours for Adonai or offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” 25 So David bought the place from Ornan for 600 shekels of gold by weight [fifteen pounds]. 26 Then David built an altar to Adonai there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called on Adonai, who answered him from heaven by fire on the altar for burnt offerings. 27 Adonai gave an order to the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath. 28 When David saw that Adonai had answered him at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y’vusi, he sacrificed there. 29 For at that time the tabernacle of Adonai, which Moshe had made in the desert, together with the altar for burnt offerings, were in the high place at Giv‘on. 30 But David could not go into its presence to consult God, because the sword of the angel of Adonai had struck him with terror.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 21:1 Hebrew: Satan

19 Now it came to pass after this, that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon died, and bno reigned in his place.

And Dovid said, I will show chesed unto Chanun Ben Nachash, because aviv (his father) showed chesed to me. And Dovid sent malachim to bring condolences to him concerning aviv. So the avadim of Dovid came into the eretz Bnei Ammon to Chanun, to console him.

But the sarim of the Bnei Ammon said to Chanun, Thinkest thou that Dovid doth honor avicha, that he hath sent menachamim (comforters) unto thee? Are not his avadim come unto thee for to reconnoiter, and to overthrow, and to spy out ha’aretz?

Therefore Chanun arrested Dovid’s avadim, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.

Then there went certain ones, and told Dovid about the anashim. And he sent to meet them, for the anashim were greatly humiliated. And HaMelech said, Tarry at Yericho until your zakan be grown, and then return.

And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to Dovid, Chanun and the Bnei Ammon sent elef kikar (talents) kesef to hire them chariots and parashim out of Aram Naharayim, and out of Aram Ma’achah, and out of Tzovah.

So they hired thirty and two elef chariots, and Melech Ma’achah and his troop, who came and encamped before Meidva. And the Bnei Ammon gathered themselves together from their towns, and moved out for milchamah.

And when Dovid heard of it, he sent Yoav, and kol tzava hagibborim.

And the Bnei Ammon came out, and drew up for milchamah before the gate of the Ir, and the melachim that were come were by themselves in the sadeh.

10 Now when Yoav saw that the milchamah was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the best of Yisroel, and deployed them to engage Aram (the Syrians).

11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the yad of Avishai his brother, and they deployed to engage the Bnei Ammon.

12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt save me, but if the Bnei Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will save thee.

13 Chazak (Be strong)! And let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the towns of Eloheinu, and let Hashem do that which is hatov in His eyes.

14 So Yoav and the troop that were with him drew near before the Syrians unto the milchamah; and they fled before him.

15 And when the Bnei Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Avishai his brother, and entered into the ir [Rabbah]. Then Yoav returned to Yerushalayim.

16 And when the Syrians saw that they were routed before Yisroel, they sent malachim, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the River, and Shophach sar tzava Hadadezer went before them.

17 And it was told Dovid; and he gathered kol Yisroel, and crossed over Yarden, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when Dovid had so deployed, they fought with him.

18 But the Syrians fled before Yisroel; and Dovid slaughtered of the Syrians shivah alafim in chariots, and forty elef foot soldiers, and killed Shophach sar hatzava.

19 And when avadim of Hadadezer saw that they were routed before Yisroel, they made shalom with Dovid, and became his avadim; neither would the Syrians help the Bnei Ammon any more. [T.N. 2Sm chp 11 is not repeated here, but the going of Dovid to Rabbah‖-see 2Sm 12:27-29‖is elucidated. In the hero lists, it is important to remember that some in their heroism were corruptible and some were incorruptible, Uriah being one of the latter]

20 And it came to pass, at the time of eshuvat hashanah, at the time that melachim go out to battle, Yoav led forth the chayl hatzava, and laid waste the eretz Bnei Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But Dovid tarried at Yerushalayim. And Yoav struck Rabbah, and destroyed it.

And Dovid took the ateret of their melech from off his rosh, and found it to weigh a talent of zahav, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon rosh Dovid; and he brought also exceeding much plunder out of the Ir.

And he brought out the people that were in it, and consigned them to saws, and to picks of barzel (iron), and to axes. Even so dealt Dovid with all the towns of the Bnei Ammon. And Dovid and kol HaAm returned to Yerushalayim.

And it came to pass after this, that there arose milchamah at Gezer with the Pelishtim (Philistines); at which time Sibbechai the Chushati slaughtered Sippai, that was of the yeledim of the Refa’im, and they were subdued.

And there was milchamah again with the Pelishtim (Philistines); and Elchanan ben Yair slaughtered Lachmi the brother of Golyat (Goliath) the Gitti, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.

And yet again there was milchamah at Gat, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each yad, and six on each foot and he also was of Rapha descent.

But when he defied Yisroel, Yehonatan ben Shimea achi Dovid slaughtered him.

These were from the Rapha descended in Gat; and they fell by the yad of Dovid, and by the yad of his avadim.

21 And Satan stood up against Yisroel, and provoked Dovid to number Yisroel.

And Dovid said to Yoav and to the sarei HaAm, Go, number Yisroel from Beer Sheva even to Dan; and bring the mispar (number) of them to me, that I may know it.

But Yoav answered, Hashem make His people a hundred times so many more as they be, but, adoni HaMelech, are not they all the avadim of adoni? Why then doth adoni require this thing? Why will he be a cause of ashmah to Yisroel?

Nevertheless the davar HaMelech prevailed against Yoav. Therefore, Yoav departed, and went throughout kol Yisroel, and came to Yerushalayim.

And Yoav gave up the sum of the number of HaAm unto Dovid. And kol Yisroel were 1,100,000 ish that drew cherev; and Yehudah was 470,000 ish that drew cherev.

But Levi and Binyamin counted he not among them, for the davar HaMelech was abominable to Yoav.

And HaElohim was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Yisroel.

And Dovid said unto HaElohim, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing, but now, take away the avon of Thy eved, for I have done very foolishly.

And Hashem spoke unto Gad, Chozeh Dovid (seer of David) saying,

10 Go and tell Dovid, saying, Thus saith Hashem, I offer thee shalosh (three); choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

11 So Gad came to Dovid, and said unto him, Thus saith Hashem, Choose for thee

12 Either shalosh shanim ra’av (famine); or shloshah chodashim to be subdued before thy foes, while that the cherev of thine oyevim overtaketh thee; or else sheloshet yamim cherev Hashem, even the dever, in HaAretz, and the Malach Hashem destroying throughout all the borders of Yisroel. Now therefore advise thyself what davar I shalll bring to Him that sent me.

13 And Dovid said unto Gad, I am in a great distress; let me fall now into the Yad Hashem; for rabbim me’od (very great) are His rachamim but let me not fall into the yad adam.

14 So Hashem sent dever upon Yisroel, and there fell of Yisroel shiv’im elef ish.

15 And HaElohim sent a Malach unto Yerushalayim to destroy her, and as he was destroying, Hashem beheld, and He relented Him of the ra’ah, and said to the Malach that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine yad. And the Malach Hashem stood by the goren (threshing floor) of Ornan the Yevusi.

16 And Dovid lifted up his eyes, and saw the Malach Hashem stand between Ha’Aretz and HaShomayim, having a drawn cherev in his yad stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then Dovid and the Zekenim, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

17 And Dovid said unto HaElohim, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is that have sinned and done harah indeed; but as for these tzon, what have they done? Let Thine Yad, Hashem Elohai, be on me, and on the Bais Avi, but not on Thy people, not with magefah (plague, see Isa 53:8 for fulfillment).

18 Then the Malach Hashem commanded Gad to say to Dovid, that Dovid should go up, and set up a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem in the goren (threshing floor) of Ornan the Yevusi.

19 And Dovid went up at the davar of Gad, which he spoke B’Shem Hashem.

20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the Malach, and his four banim with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing chittim (wheat).

21 And as Dovid came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw Dovid, and went out from the goren (threshing floor), and prostated himself to Dovid with his face to the ground.

22 Then Dovid said to Ornan, Give me the makom of this goren (threshing floor), that I may build a Mizbe’ach therein unto Hashem; thou shalt give it me for the kesef male (full price), that the magefah (plague) may be withdrawn from HaAm.

23 And Ornan said unto Dovid, Take it to thee, and let adoni HaMelech do that which is tov in his eyes; see, I give thee the bakar also for olot (burnt offerings), and the threshing tools for wood, and the chittim (wheat) for the minchah (grain offering, meal offering); I give it all.

24 And HaMelech Dovid said to Ornan, Lo (no), but I will verily buy it for the kesef male (full price), for I will not take that which is thine for Hashem, nor offer olah (burnt offerings) without cost.

25 So Dovid gave to Ornan for the makom (place, site) six hundred shekels of zahav by weight.

26 And Dovid built there a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem, and offered olot (burnt offerings) and shelamim (peace offerings), and called upon Hashem, and He answered him from Shomayim by eish upon the Mizbe’ach HaOlah.

27 And Hashem commanded the Malach, and He put back his cherev again into the nedan (sheath) thereof.

28 At that time when Dovid saw that Hashem had answered him on the goren (threshing floor) of Ornan the Yevusi, then he sacrificed there.

29 For the Mishkan Hashem, which Moshe made in the midbar, and the Mizbe’ach HaOlah, were at that time in the bamah (high place) at Giveon.

30 But Dovid could not go before it to inquire of Elohim, for he was afraid because of the cherev Malach Hashem.