Chronological
24 And again the Af Hashem was kindled against Yisroel, and He incited Dovid against them to say, Go, number Yisroel and Yehudah.
2 For HaMelech said to Yoav Sar HaChayil, who was with him, Go now through kol Shivtei Yisroel, from Dan even to Beer Sheva, and number ye HaAm, that I may know the Mispar HaAm.
3 And Yoav said unto HaMelech, Now Hashem Eloheicha add unto HaAm, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of adoni HaMelech may see it; but why doth adoni HaMelech delight in this thing?
4 Notwithstanding the devar HaMelech prevailed against Yoav, and against the Sarei HeChayil. And Yoav and the Sarei HaChayil went out from before HaMelech, to number HaAm Yisroel.
5 And they passed over Yarden, encamped in Aroer, on the south of the Ir that lieth in the middle of the ravine of Gad, toward Yazer;
6 Then they came to Gil‘ad, to Eretz Tachtim-Chodshi; they came to Dan-Ya’an, went around to Tzidon,
7 And came to the fortress of Tzor, and to all the cities of the Chivi, and of Kena’ani; and they went out to the Negev of Yehudah, to Beer Sheva.
8 So when they had gone through kol HaAretz, they came to Yerushalayim at the end of 9 months and 20 days.
9 And Yoav gave up the sum of the number of HaAm unto HaMelech; and there were in Yisroel Shmoneh Me’ot Elef ish chayil that drew the cherev; and the Ish Yehudah were chamesh Me’ot Elef ish.
10 And the lev Dovid struck him after that he had numbered HaAm. And Dovid said unto Hashem, Chatati (I have sinned) me’od (greatly) in what I have done; and now, Hashem, take away the avon (iniquity, guilt) of Thy eved; for I have done very foolishly.
11 For when Dovid rose up in the boker, the Devar Hashem came unto Gad HaNavi, the Chozeh Dovid (Seer of Dovid), saying,
12 Go, say unto Dovid, Thus saith Hashem, I offer thee shalosh (three, three things); choose for thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
13 So Gad came to Dovid, and told him, and said unto him, Shall shalosh [see 1Chr 21:12, Hebrew here says sheva] shanim of ra’av (famine) come unto thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee shloshah chodashim before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? Or that there be shloshet yamim dever (three days of pestilence) in thy land? Now consider, and see what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.
14 And Dovid said unto Gad, I am in a great tzar (distress); let us fall now into the Yad Hashem; for His rachamim are rabbim: and let me not fall into the yad adam.
15 So Hashem sent a dever (pestilence) upon Yisroel from the boker even to the es mo’ed (time appointed); and there died of HaAm from Dan even to Beer Sheva shiv’im elef ish.
16 And when the Malach stretched out his yad upon Yerushalayim to destroy her, Hashem relented from the destruction, and said to the Malach that destroyed HaAm, It is enough; restrain now thine yad. And the Malach Hashem was by the goren of Aravnah the Yevusi.
17 And Dovid spoke unto Hashem when he saw the Malach that struck HaAm, and said, Hineh, I have sinned, and I have transgressed; but these tzon, what have they done? Let Thine yad be against me, and against Bais Avi [Isa 53:6].
18 And Gad came that day to Dovid, and said unto him, Go up, erect a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem in the goren of Aravnah the Yevusi.
19 And Dovid, according to the Devar Gad, went up as Hashem commanded.
20 And Aravnah looked, and saw HaMelech and his avadim coming on toward him; and Aravnah went out, and prostrated himself before HaMelech on his face upon the ground.
21 And Aravnah said, Why is adoni HaMelech come to his eved? And Dovid said, To buy the goren of thee, to build a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem, that the magefah (plague) may be withdrawn from HaAm.
22 And Aravnah said unto Dovid, Let adoni HaMelech take and offer up what seemeth tov unto him; see, here are oxen for the olah (burnt sacrifice), and threshing tools and other instruments of the bakar (oxen) for wood.
23 All these things did Aravnah, hamelech lamelech, give. And Aravnah said unto HaMelech, Hashem Eloheicha yirtzecha (accept thee).
24 And HaMelech said unto Aravnah, Lo (no); but I will surely buy it of thee at a mekhir (price); neither will I offer olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem Elohai of that which doth cost me nothing. So Dovid bought the goren and the bakar for fifty shekels of kesef.
25 And Dovid built there a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem, and offered olot (burnt offerings) and shelamim (peace offerings). So Hashem was entreated for the land, and the magefah (plague, see Isa 53:8) was withdrawn from Yisroel.
21 And Satan stood up against Yisroel, and provoked Dovid to number Yisroel.
2 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.
3 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?
4 Nevertheless the davar HaMelech prevailed against Yoav. Therefore, Yoav departed, and went throughout kol Yisroel, and came to Yerushalayim.
5 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.
6 But Levi and Binyamin counted he not among them, for the davar HaMelech was abominable to Yoav.
7 And HaElohim was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Yisroel.
8 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.
9 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.
22 Then Dovid said, This is the Beis Hashem HaElohim, and this is the Mizbe’ach L’olah (Altar of the Burnt Offering) for Yisroel.
2 And Dovid commanded to gather together the gerim (aliens) that were in Eretz Yisroel; and he set masons to carve hewn stones to build the Beis HaElohim.
3 And Dovid prepared barzel (iron) in abundance for the masmerim (nails) for the daletot (doors) of the she’arim, and for the joints; and nechoshet unweighable in abundance;
4 Also cedar timber in abundance, for the Tzidonim and the Tzorim brought much cedar lumber to Dovid.
5 And Dovid said, Sh’lomo beni (my son) is na’ar and tender, and the Bayit that is to be built for Hashem must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of tiferet before all nations. I will therefore now make preparation for it. So Dovid prepared abundantly before his mot (death).
6 Then he called for Sh’lomo bno, and charged him to build Bayit (House) for Hashem Elohei Yisroel.
7 And Dovid said to Sh’lomo, Beni (my son), as for me, it was in my mind to build Bayit (House) for the Shem of Hashem Elohai,
8 But the Devar Hashem came to me, saying, Thou hast done much shefach dahm, and hast made milchamot gedolot. Thou shalt not build Bayit (House) unto Shemi (My Name), because thou hast done much shefach dahm upon ha’aretz in My sight.
9 Hinei, Ben shall be born to thee, who shall be an ish menuchah (man of rest); and I will give him rest from all his oyevim all around; for shmo shall be Sh’lomo, and I will grant shalom and sheket (quiet) unto Yisroel in his yamim (days).
10 He shall build Bayit (House) for Shmi (My Name); and he shall be to Me as Ben and I will be to him as Av (Father); and I will establish the kisse of his Malchut over Yisroel ad olam.
11 Now, beni (my son), Hashem be with thee; and prosper thou, to succeed building the Beis Hashem Eloheicha, just as He hath said about thee.
12 Only Hashem give thee seichel and binah, so that when He give you command over Yisroel, that thou mayest be shomer over the torat Hashem Eloheicha.
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou art shomer to observe the chukkim and mishpatim which Hashem charged Moshe with concerning Yisroel. Chazak (be strong)! And be of good courage! Dread nothing in fear, nor be dismayed.
14 Now, hinei, in my oni (poor strivings) I have prepared for the Beis Hashem a hundred elef talents of zahav, and an elef alafim talents of kesef; and of nechoshet and barzel (iron) an unweighable abundance; timber also and even (stone) have I provided; and thou mayest add thereto.
15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and carvers of even (stone) and etz (wood), and all manner of artisans chacham in every task.
16 Of the zahav, the kesef, and the nechoshet, and the barzel, there is no number. Arise therefore, and begin and work, and Hashem be with thee.
17 Dovid also commanded all the sarim of Yisroel to help Sh’lomo bno, saying,
18 Is not Hashem Eloheichem with you? And hath He not given you rest on every side? For He hath given the inhabitants of ha’aretz into mine yad, and ha’aretz is subdued before Hashem, and before His people.
19 Now set your levav and your nefesh to seek Hashem Eloheichem; arise therefore, and build ye the Mikdash Hashem HaElohim, to bring Aron Brit Hashem, and the K’lei Kodesh HaElohim (Holy Vessels of G-d), into the Bayit that is to be built to the Shem of Hashem.
30 (Mizmor. Shir Chanukat HaBeis. Of Dovid) I will exalt Thee, Hashem, for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to gloat over me.
2 (3) Hashem Elohai, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me.
3 (4) Hashem, Thou hast brought up my nefesh from Sheol; Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 (5) Sing unto Hashem, O ye chasidim of His, and give thanks to His Zekher Kodesh.
5 (6) For His anger endureth but a rega; in His favor is Chayyim; weeping may endure for an erev, but joy cometh in the boker.
6 (7) And in my shalvah (security) I said, I shall never be moved.
7 (8) Hashem, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain to stand firm; Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled.
8 (9) I cried to Thee, Hashem; and unto Adonoi I made supplication.
9 (10) What profit is there in my dahm, in my going down into the pit? Shall the aphar (dust) praise Thee? Shall it declare Thy emes?
10 (11) Shema, Hashem, and channeini; Hashem, be Thou my helper.
11 (12) Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with simcha;
12 (13) That kavod (my glory, my soul) may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. Hashem Elohai, I will give thanks unto Thee l’olam.
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