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2 Samuel 24:11-17
The Voice
2 Samuel 24:11-17
The Voice
11 When David rose the next morning, he was met by the prophet Gad, David’s seer, who had received a message from the Eternal.
Gad: 12-13 I am supposed to tell you this: “The Eternal says, ‘I will offer you three choices. Pick one, and that will be what I will do to you.’”
Do you want to have seven[a] years of famine in the land? Would you rather be on the run from your enemies for three months? Or shall a plague rage for three days through the land? Make a choice, and tell me what answer to give to the One who sent me.
David: 14 This is horrible! But I would rather fall by the hand of the Eternal, because He is merciful, than fall into human hands.
15 So the Eternal One sent a great plague that morning and for three days. It swept through Israel from Dan in the far north to Beersheba in the desert south, killing 70,000 people. 16 But when the heavenly messenger prepared to destroy Jerusalem, He relented; and He commanded the heavenly messenger who had brought the epidemic.
Eternal One: Stop. That is enough.
The heavenly messenger then paused beside the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite; 17 and when David saw him there, the one striking the people, he spoke to the Eternal One.
David: Look, I am the one who offended You, the only one who has done wrong. What have these innocent sheep done? If someone is going to be punished for what I did, it should be me and my family. Punish us.
Footnotes
- 24:12-13 Greek manuscripts read, “three.”
2 Samuel 24:11-17
New International Version
2 Samuel 24:11-17
New International Version
11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad(A) the prophet, David’s seer:(B) 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.’”
13 So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three[a] years of famine(C) in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague(D) in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy(E) is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
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.(F) 16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented(G) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord(H) was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[b] have done wrong. These are but sheep.(I) What have they done?(J) Let your hand fall on me and my family.”(K)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven
- 2 Samuel 24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
The Voice (VOICE)
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