1
And an adversary stood against Yisra’el and incited Daviyd to number Yisra’el.
2
Daviyd said to Yoav and to the commanders of the people, “Go, count Yisra’el from Beer-Sheva even to Dan, and bring the number to me, that I may know it.”
3
Yoav said, “May Yahuah add to His people one hundred times as many as they are. Are they not all, my master the king, servants to my master? Why does my master seek this? Why should it become guilt for Yisra’el?”
4
But the word of the king was strong over Yoav. So Yoav went out, walked through all Yisra’el, and came to Yerushalayim.
5
Yoav gave the number of the enrollment of the people to Daviyd. All Yisra’el was one million one hundred thousand ish drawing sword, and Yehudah was four hundred seventy thousand ish drawing sword.
6
But Levi and Binyamin he did not enroll among them, for the word of the king was abhorrent to Yoav.
7
This matter was evil in the eyes of the Elohim, and He struck Yisra’el.
8
Daviyd said to the Elohim, “I have sinned exceedingly in that I have done this matter. And now, please cause the crookedness of Your servant to pass away, for I have acted very foolishly.”
9
Yahuah spoke to Gad, the seer of Daviyd, saying,
10
“Go and speak to Daviyd, saying, ‘Thus said Yahuah: Three things I spread before you. Choose for yourself one of them, and I shall do it to you.’”
11
Gad came to Daviyd and said to him, “Thus said Yahuah: Receive for yourself—
12
either three years of famine, or three months being swept away before your adversaries while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days of the sword of Yahuah, even plague in the land, with the messenger of Yahuah destroying throughout every boundary of Yisra’el. And now see what word I shall return to the One who sent me.”
13
Daviyd said to Gad, “I am exceedingly distressed. Please let me fall into the hand of Yahuah, for His compassions are exceedingly many; but let me not fall into the hand of Adam.”
14
So Yahuah gave a plague in Yisra’el, and seventy thousand ish of Yisra’el fell.
15
The Elohim sent a messenger to Yerushalayim to destroy it. But as he was destroying, Yahuah saw and relented concerning the evil, and said to the destroying messenger, “Enough! Now slacken your hand.” And the messenger of Yahuah stood beside the threshing floor of Arnan the Yevusi.
16
Daviyd lifted his eyes and saw the messenger of Yahuah standing between the earth and the heavens, his sword drawn in his hand and stretched out over Yerushalayim. Daviyd and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17
Daviyd said to the Elohim, “Was it not I who said to number the people? I am the one who sinned and did great evil. But these sheep—what have they done? Yahuah my Elohim, please let Your hand be against me and against the house of my father, but not against Your people for a plague.”
18
Then the messenger of Yahuah said to Gad to say to Daviyd that Daviyd should go up to raise an altar to Yahuah at the threshing floor of Arnan the Yevusi.
19
Daviyd went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of Yahuah.
20
Arnan turned and saw the messenger; and his four sons with him hid themselves, while Arnan threshed wheat.
21
Daviyd came as far as Arnan. Arnan looked and saw Daviyd, went out from the threshing floor, and bowed to Daviyd with his face to the earth.
22
Daviyd said to Arnan, “Give me the place of the threshing floor, that I may build upon it an altar to Yahuah. Give it to me for full silver, that the plague may be restrained from upon the people.”
23
Arnan said to Daviyd, “Take it for yourself, and let my master the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I give the cattle for ascending offerings, the threshing sledges for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I give it all.”
24
But King Daviyd said to Arnan, “No, for I shall surely acquire it for full silver. I shall not lift what belongs to you to Yahuah, nor offer an ascending offering without cost.”
25
So Daviyd gave Arnan for the place six hundred sheqels of gold by weight.
26
Daviyd built there an altar to Yahuah and lifted ascending offerings and peace offerings. He called to Yahuah, and He answered him with fire from the heavens upon the altar of ascending offering.
27
Yahuah spoke to the messenger, and he returned his sword to its sheath.
28
At that time, when Daviyd saw that Yahuah had answered him at the threshing floor of Arnan the Yevusi, he slaughtered there.
29
For the Dwelling Place of Yahuah, which Mosheh made in the wilderness, and the altar of ascending offering were at that time at the high place in Givon.
30
But Daviyd was not able to go before it to seek the Elohim, for he was terrified before the sword of the messenger of Yahuah.