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2 Shamu'al 24

2 Shamu'al chapter 24 in the Qadmoni reader. Read the full chapter text with direct verse references and continue into the interactive reader.

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24:1

The Census and the Threshingfloor of Araunah

And again the anger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was kindled against Yashar'al, and he moved Dawid against them to say, "Go, number Yashar'al and Yahudah."

24:2

For the king said to Yoab the captain of the host, which was with him, "Go now through all the tribes of Yashar'al, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people."

24:3

The Objection of Yoab

And Yoab said unto the king, "Now 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 thy Alahiym add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my adun the king may see it: but why doth my adun the king delight in this thing?"

24:4

Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Yoab, and against the captains of the host. And Yoab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Yashar'al.

24:5

The Route of the Census

And they passed over Yardan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Yazer:

24:6

Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-yaan, and about to Zidon,

24:7

And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hiwites, and of the Kena’anites: and they went out to the south of Yahudah, even to Beer-sheba.

24:8

So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Yarushalayim at the end of nine months and twenty days.

24:9

The Tally of the Terrestrial Army

And Yoab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Yashar'al eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Yahudah were five hundred thousand men.

24:10

The Conviction of the Vessel

And Dawid's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And Dawid said unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, "I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly."

24:11

The Oracle of Gad the Seer

For when Dawid was up in the morning, the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came unto the prophet Gad, Dawid's seer, saying,

24:12

"Go and say unto Dawid, Thus saith 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee."

24:13

So Gad came to Dawid, and told him, and said unto him, "Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me."

24:14

The Reliance on Celestial Mercy

And Dawid said unto Gad, "I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man."

24:15

The Execution of the Plague

So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 sent a pestilence upon Yashar'al from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

24:16

The Malakh at the Threshingfloor

And when the Malakh stretched out his hand upon Yarushalayim to destroy it, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 repented him of the evil, and said to the Malakh that destroyed the people, "It is enough: stay now thine hand." And the Malakh of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Yebusite.

24:17

The Intercession of the Shepherd

And Dawid spake unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 when he saw the Malakh that smote the people, and said, "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house."

24:18

The Command to Build the Altar

And Gad came that day to Dawid, and said unto him, "Go up, rear an altar unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Yebusite."

24:19

And Dawid, according to the saying of Gad, went up as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 commanded.

24:20

And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

24:21

And Araunah said, "Wherefore is my adun the king come to his servant?" And Dawid said, "To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, that the plague may be stayed from the people."

24:22

And Araunah said unto Dawid, "Let my adun the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood."

24:23

All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, "𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 thy Alahiym accept thee."

24:24

The Legal Purchase of the Qodesh Coordinates

And the king said unto Araunah, "Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 my Alahiym of that which doth cost me nothing." So Dawid bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24:25

The Arrest of the Plague

And Dawid built there an altar unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Yashar'al.