大卫统计人口

21 撒旦为了攻击以色列,就挑动大卫统计以色列人的数目。 大卫对约押和其他军中的首领说:“你们要走遍以色列,从别示巴一直到但,统计以色列的人口,然后回来禀告我,我好知道他们的数目。” 约押说:“愿耶和华使祂子民的人数比现在增加百倍。但我主我王啊,他们不都是你的仆人吗?我主为什么要这样做,使以色列人陷于罪中呢?” 但大卫不听约押的规劝。约押只好出去,走遍以色列,然后回到耶路撒冷, 将人数呈报大卫:全以色列有一百一十万刀兵,犹大有四十七万。 约押没有把利未人和便雅悯人算在其中,因为他厌恶王的这个命令。 上帝也不喜悦这事,便降灾给以色列人。 大卫对上帝说:“我做这事犯了大罪。求你赦免仆人的罪,我做了极其愚昧的事。” 耶和华对大卫的先见迦得说: 10 “你去告诉大卫,我有三样灾祸,他可以选择让我降哪一样给他。”

11 迦得就来见大卫,把耶和华的话告诉他,说:“你可以任选一样, 12 或三年的饥荒,或被敌人追杀三个月,或国中遭三天的瘟疫,让耶和华的天使在以色列全境施行毁灭。请你考虑好后告诉我,我好回复那差我来的。” 13 大卫说:“我实在为难!不过我宁愿落在耶和华的手中,也不愿落在人的手中,因为耶和华有无限的怜悯。”

14 于是,耶和华在以色列降下瘟疫,有七万人死亡。 15 上帝差遣天使去毁灭耶路撒冷。天使正要毁灭的时候,耶和华见了就心生怜悯,对施行毁灭的天使说:“够了,住手吧!”当时,耶和华的天使正站在耶布斯人阿珥楠的麦场上。 16 大卫举目看见耶和华的天使站在天地之间,手握着已出鞘的刀,指向耶路撒冷。大卫和众长老都身披麻衣,脸伏于地。 17 大卫对上帝说:“吩咐统计人民数目的不是我吗?是我犯了罪,做了恶事,这些百姓有什么过错呢?我的上帝耶和华啊,愿你的手惩罚我和我的家族,不要把瘟疫降在你的子民身上。”

18 耶和华的天使吩咐迦得去告诉大卫在耶布斯人阿珥楠的麦场上为耶和华建一座祭坛。 19 大卫照耶和华借迦得所说的话去了麦场。 20 那时,阿珥楠正在打麦子,他转身看见了天使,跟他在一起的四个儿子都躲了起来。 21 阿珥楠看见大卫来了,就从麦场出来,俯伏叩拜大卫。 22 大卫对他说:“请你将这块麦场卖给我,我要在这里为耶和华筑一座祭坛,好止住民间的瘟疫。你全价卖给我吧。” 23 阿珥楠说:“我主我王只管用我的麦场!我愿献出牛作燔祭,打麦的器具作柴,麦子作素祭,我愿献出这一切。”

24 大卫王说:“不可,我一定要付你全价,我不能拿你的东西献给耶和华,不能把白白得来的献作燔祭。” 25 于是,大卫就用七公斤金子买了阿珥楠的麦场。 26 大卫在那里为耶和华建了一座坛,献上燔祭和平安祭,并求告耶和华。耶和华垂听了他的祷告,从天上降火在祭坛上, 27 又命令天使收刀入鞘。

28 大卫见耶和华在耶布斯人阿珥楠的麦场上应允了他的祷告,就在那里献祭。 29 那时候,摩西在旷野为耶和华所造的圣幕和燔祭坛都在基遍的高地。 30 但大卫因为惧怕耶和华天使的刀,不敢去那里求问上帝。

21 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

And the Lord spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,

10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee

12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

14 So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

18 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the Lord.

20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.

24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

26 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

27 And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

28 At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

29 For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

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.

David Counts the Fighting Men(A)

21 Satan(B) rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census(C) of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count(D) the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over.(E) My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel(F) there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.

Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

The Lord said to Gad,(G) David’s seer,(H) 10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: 12 three years of famine,(I) three months of being swept away[a] before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword(J) of the Lord(K)—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

13 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy(L) is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead.(M) 15 And God sent an angel(N) to destroy Jerusalem.(O) But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented(P) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying(Q) the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah[b] the Jebusite.

16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.(R)

17 David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd,[c] have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep.(S) What have they done? Lord my God, let your hand fall on me and my family,(T) but do not let this plague remain on your people.”

David Builds an Altar

18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor(U) of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord.

20 While Araunah was threshing wheat,(V) he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

22 David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.”

23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.”

24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”

25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels[d] of gold for the site. 26 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire(W) from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.(X) 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 21:12 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Samuel 24:13) of fleeing
  2. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Hebrew Ornan, a variant of Araunah; also in verses 18-28
  3. 1 Chronicles 21:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see 2 Samuel 24:17 and note); Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
  4. 1 Chronicles 21:25 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms

The Census of Israel and Judah(A)

21 Now (B)Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to [a]number Israel. So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, (C)and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.

And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”

Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword. (D)But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s [b]word was abominable to Joab.

And [c]God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. So David said to God, (E)“I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; (F)but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s (G)seer, saying, 10 “Go and tell David, (H)saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ”

11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Choose for yourself, 12 (I)either [d]three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the [e]angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

13 And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His (J)mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

14 So the Lord sent a (K)plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15 And God sent [f]an (L)angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As [g]he was destroying, the Lord looked and (M)relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, “It is enough; now restrain [h]your hand.” And the angel of the Lord stood by the (N)threshing floor of [i]Ornan the Jebusite.

16 Then David lifted his eyes and (O)saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these (P)sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.”

18 Therefore, the (Q)angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord. 20 Now Ornan turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves, but Ornan continued threshing wheat. 21 So David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed before David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, [j]“Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. You shall grant it to me at the full price, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

23 But Ornan said to David, “Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all.”

24 Then King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.” 25 So (R)David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place. 26 And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the Lord; and (S)He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.

27 So the Lord commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 29 (T)For the tabernacle of the Lord and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in (U)Gibeon. 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.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 21:1 take a census of
  2. 1 Chronicles 21:6 command
  3. 1 Chronicles 21:7 Lit. it was evil in the eyes of God
  4. 1 Chronicles 21:12 seven, 2 Sam. 24:13
  5. 1 Chronicles 21:12 Or Angel, and so throughout the chapter
  6. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Or the Angel
  7. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Or He
  8. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Or Your
  9. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Araunah, 2 Sam. 24:16, 18–24
  10. 1 Chronicles 21:22 Lit. Give