David Counts the Fighting Men(A)

21 Satan(B) rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census(C) of Israel.

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David Enrolls the Fighting Men(A)

24 Again(B) the anger of the Lord burned against Israel,(C) and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of(D) Israel and Judah.”

So the king said to Joab(E) and the army commanders[a] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba(F) and enroll(G) the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander

But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over.(A) 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?”

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The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,(A) south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.(B) They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.(C) Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre(D) and all the towns of the Hivites(E) and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba(F) in the Negev(G) of Judah.

After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

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Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel(A) 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.

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10 David was conscience-stricken(A) after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned(B) greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.(C)

11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad(D) the prophet, David’s seer:(E) 12 “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.’”

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11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: 12 three years of famine,(A) three months of being swept away[a] before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword(B) of the Lord(C)—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(D) is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 21:12 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Samuel 24:13) of fleeing

15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.(A)

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Psalm 6[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(A)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me,(B) Lord, for I am faint;(C)
    heal me,(D) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(E)
My soul is in deep anguish.(F)
    How long,(G) Lord, how long?

Turn,(H) Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.(I)
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
    Who praises you from the grave?(J)

I am worn out(K) from my groaning.(L)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping(M)
    and drench my couch with tears.(N)
My eyes grow weak(O) with sorrow;
    they fail because of all my foes.

Away from me,(P) all you who do evil,(Q)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;(R)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;(S)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.(T)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
  2. Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term

Psalm 38[a]

A psalm of David. A petition.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.(A)
Your arrows(B) have pierced me,
    and your hand has come down on me.
Because of your wrath there is no health(C) in my body;
    there is no soundness in my bones(D) because of my sin.
My guilt has overwhelmed(E) me
    like a burden too heavy to bear.(F)

My wounds(G) fester and are loathsome(H)
    because of my sinful folly.(I)
I am bowed down(J) and brought very low;
    all day long I go about mourning.(K)
My back is filled with searing pain;(L)
    there is no health(M) in my body.
I am feeble and utterly crushed;(N)
    I groan(O) in anguish of heart.(P)

All my longings(Q) lie open before you, Lord;
    my sighing(R) is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(S) my strength fails(T) me;
    even the light has gone from my eyes.(U)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(V)
    my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(W)
    those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(X)
    all day long they scheme and lie.(Y)

13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(Z)
    like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
    whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(AA) for you;
    you will answer,(AB) Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(AC)
    or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(AD)

17 For I am about to fall,(AE)
    and my pain(AF) is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(AG)
    I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(AH) without cause[b];
    those who hate me(AI) without reason(AJ) are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(AK)
    lodge accusations(AL) against me,
    though I seek only to do what is good.

21 Lord, do not forsake me;(AM)
    do not be far(AN) from me, my God.
22 Come quickly(AO) to help me,(AP)
    my Lord and my Savior.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
  2. Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text my vigorous enemies

Psalm 41[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Blessed(A) are those who have regard for the weak;(B)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.(C)
The Lord protects(D) and preserves them—(E)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—(F)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.(G)
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed(H)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.(I)

I said, “Have mercy(J) on me, Lord;
    heal(K) me, for I have sinned(L) against you.”
My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?(M)
When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely,(N) while his heart gathers slander;(O)
    then he goes out and spreads(P) it around.

All my enemies whisper together(Q) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up(R) from the place where he lies.”
Even my close friend,(S)
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned[b] against me.(T)

10 But may you have mercy(U) on me, Lord;
    raise me up,(V) that I may repay(W) them.
11 I know that you are pleased with me,(X)
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.(Y)
12 Because of my integrity(Z) you uphold me(AA)
    and set me in your presence forever.(AB)

13 Praise(AC) be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(AD)
    from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
  2. Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel

Psalm 88[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
    day and night I cry out(B) to you.
May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
    and my life draws near to death.(D)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
    I am like one without strength.(F)
I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off(G) from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.(H)
Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)
You have taken from me my closest friends(K)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(L) and cannot escape;(M)
    my eyes(N) are dim with grief.

I call(O) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands(P) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(Q)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness(R) in Destruction[e]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 But I cry to you for help,(S) Lord;
    in the morning(T) my prayer comes before you.(U)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(V) me
    and hide your face(W) from me?

15 From my youth(X) I have suffered(Y) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors(Z) and am in despair.(AA)
16 Your wrath(AB) has swept over me;
    your terrors(AC) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AD)
    they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AE) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  3. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  5. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon

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