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Nach YomiII Samuel ยท ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ืณChapter 24

II Samuel 24

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ืณ ืคืจืง ื›ืดื“

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืจืืฉื•ื ื™ื | Book: II Samuel | Chapter: 24 of 24 | Day: 100 of 742

Date: May 22, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Sefer Shmuel ends not with a coronation or a deathbed but with a plague, an angel, and the purchase of a threshing floor. Chapter 24 is the second of two narrative bookends framing the Appendix (chapters 21-24), paired chiastically with the famine of 21:1-14: there, a national crisis born of Shaโ€™ulโ€™s broken covenant with the Givonim was resolved through expiation on consecrated ground; here, a national crisis born of Dovidโ€™s census is resolved through the founding of an altar that will become the Beit HaMikdash itself. The two narratives together meditate on royal accountability and the way that the sins of kings reverberate through the bodies of their people. Yet the closing image is not one of judgment but of preservation, and the very last word of the book is โ€œYisraelโ€ โ€” the plague is stayed โ€œme-al Yisraelโ€ (v. 25), and the people endure.

The chapter opens with one of the most theologically arresting verses in Tanakh: โ€œVayosef af Hashem la-charot be-Yisrael, vayaset et Dovid bahem leimor, lekh meneh et Yisrael ve-et Yehudaโ€ (v. 1). Hashemโ€™s anger is again kindled โ€” the word โ€œvayosef,โ€ added, suggesting an unresolved prior grievance โ€” and He incites Dovid to count the people. The textual problem is famous: the parallel verse in Divrei HaYamim (I Chronicles 21:1) attributes the inciting not to Hashem but to โ€œha-satan.โ€ Classical commentators wrestle deeply with this divergence. The most widely cited resolution, taken up by Radak, reads the two verses harmoniously: Hashem permitted or allowed the satan to incite, so that what is direct in II Shmuel is mediated in Divrei HaYamim. Why was the kingโ€™s heart available to such inciting in the first place? Chazal offer several readings โ€” that Dovid counted out of pride, that he counted directly rather than through the half-shekels of kapparah prescribed in Shemot 30:12, or that the people themselves bore some guilt for not having pressed more vigorously for the Temple to be built. In every reading, the census is not a neutral administrative act but a failure of the proper relationship between a king, his people, and the God who alone numbers Israel.

Yoav, of all people, sees this clearly. His protest in verses 3-4 โ€” โ€œMay Hashem your God add to the people a hundredfoldโ€ฆ but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?โ€ โ€” is the moral high point of his career, and the irony that the man of blood becomes the voice of caution is not lost on the text. The kingโ€™s word prevails; the count takes nine months and twenty days, a gestation period that yields not life but the conditions of mass death. When Yoav reports back the figures of 800,000 and 500,000, Dovidโ€™s heart at last smites him (v. 10), and his confession โ€” โ€œchatati meโ€™od asher asitiโ€ โ€” recalls the language of his repentance after Bat Sheva. The prophet Gad arrives with three options, and Dovidโ€™s choice in verse 14 is one of the great theological declarations in Tanakh: โ€œNiflah na ve-yad Hashem ki rabim rachamav, u-ve-yad adam al epolah.โ€ Better to fall into the hand of God, whose mercies are many, than into the hand of man. The plague comes, seventy thousand fall, and when the angel stretches his hand toward Yerushalayim to destroy, Hashem says โ€œravโ€ โ€” enough โ€” and the angel halts at the goren of Aravnah HaYevusi (v. 16).

The lyrical heart of the chapter is verse 17, where Dovid sees the destroying angel and cries: โ€œHineh anokhi chatati ve-anokhi heโ€™eveti, ve-eleh ha-tzon mah asu? Tehi na yadkha bi u-ve-veit avi.โ€ Behold, I have sinned, I have done wickedly โ€” but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand be against me and against my fatherโ€™s house. Dovid the shepherd, who came in from the flocks at the beginning of his story, now identifies his people as tzon and offers himself in their place. It is the most self-sacrificial cry in the book and perhaps in all of Neviโ€™im โ€” a king assuming the burden of his subjectsโ€™ suffering, refusing the comfort of distance. Rashi notes the echo of Dovidโ€™s origins; the shepherd-king has not forgotten the language of the field even as he stands at the future Temple Mount. Gad then commands him to build an altar at the goren, and Aravnah, seeing the king approach, prostrates himself and offers the threshing floor, the oxen, and the wooden implements freely. Dovidโ€™s refusal in verse 24 has become a foundational principle of Jewish religious practice: โ€œLo, ki kano ekneh me-otkha bi-mechir, ve-lo aโ€™aleh laHashem Elohai olot chinam.โ€ I will not offer to Hashem my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. Authentic avodah requires personal investment; what is given without sacrifice is not yet given. Metzudat David draws out the ethical force of the principle, and Chazal harmonize the fifty silver shekels of our verse with the six hundred gold shekels of I Chronicles 21:25 by reading fifty per tribe, twelve tribes, six hundred in total โ€” the whole nation purchasing its place of worship.

The goren of Aravnah is, of course, the future Beit HaMikdash. I Chronicles 22:1 makes the identification explicit: โ€œZeh hu beit Hashem ha-Elohim, ve-zeh mizbeach le-olah le-Yisrael.โ€ Chazal in Zevachim 62a and elsewhere identify the site with Mount Moriah, the place where Avraham bound Yitzchak โ€” a location that has held sacred weight since the patriarchal era now revealed at last as the chosen place. And so the book that opened with Channaโ€™s barren prayer at the corrupt mishkan of Shilo, that traced the long collapse of charismatic leadership and the slow emergence of anointed kingship, that endured Shaโ€™ulโ€™s tragedy and Dovidโ€™s triumphs and failures, ends not with Dovidโ€™s death (which will come at the start of Melakhim) but with the consecration of the place where his son will build the House of God. The arc of Sefer Shmuel, in the end, bends toward the Temple. A book that began with a woman weeping for a son ends with a king securing the ground where his sonโ€™s son will worship. The plague is stayed from upon Israel; the angel sheaths his sword; and Sefer Shmuel closes with the foundation laid, the altar built, the offerings accepted, and the people preserved.

ืคืจืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Chapter 24

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึ™ืกึถืฃึ™ ืึทืฃึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืœึทื—ึฒืจึ–ื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ‘ืœ ื•ึทื™ึผึธึจืกึถืช ืึถืชึพื“ึผึธื•ึดึคื“ ื‘ึผึธื”ึถืึ™ ืœึตืืžึนึ”ืจ ืœึตึ›ืšึฐ ืžึฐื ึตึฅื” ืึถืชึพื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

aThis passage is also found, with some variations, in 1 Chron. 21.1โ€“26. GODโ€™s anger againbagain Cf. above 21.1โ€“14. flared up against Israel; and [God] incited David against them, saying, โ€œGo and number Israel and Judah.โ€

The chapter opens with Hashem's anger again kindling against Israel, and He incites Dovid to count the people. The parallel account in I Chronicles 21:1 attributes the incitement to the satan, and the classical resolution is that Hashem permitted the satan to act; commentators offer various reasons for the underlying anger, including the nation's failure to press for the building of the Beit HaMikdash and Dovid's omission of the half-shekel mechanism that would have averted plague (Shemot 30:12).
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึทื™ึนึผืกึถืฃ ืึทืฃ ื”ืณ ืœึทื—ึฒืจื•ึนืช ื‘ึฐึผื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ. ืœึนื ื™ึธื“ึทืขึฐืชึดึผื™ ืขึทืœ ืžึทื”: ื•ึทื™ึธึผืกึถืช. ื’ึตึผืจึธื”:
Adonoy's anger was again kindled against Yisroel. I do not know what it was [they did]. He enticed. Stirred him up.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึจืืžึถืจ ื”ึทืžึผึถึœืœึถืšึฐ ืึถืœึพื™ื•ึนืึธึฃื‘โ€‰ื€ ืฉื‚ึทืจึพื”ึทื—ึทึฃื™ึดืœ ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึดืชึผึ—ื•ึน ืฉืึฝื•ึผื˜ึพื ึธึžื ื‘ึผึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืฉืึดื‘ึฐื˜ึตึคื™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœึ™ ืžึดื“ึผึธืŸึ™ ื•ึฐืขึทื“ึพื‘ึผึฐืึตึฃืจ ืฉืึถึ”ื‘ึทืข ื•ึผืคึดืงึฐื“ึ–ื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื”ึธืขึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื™ึธึฃื“ึทืขึฐืชึผึดึ”ื™ ืึตึ–ืช ืžึดืกึฐืคึผึทึฅืจ ื”ึธืขึธึฝืืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

The king said to Joab, his army commander,chis army commander Cf. 1 Chron. 21.2 โ€œand to the officers of the armyโ€; below, v. 4. โ€œMake the rounds of all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people, so that I may know the size of the population.โ€

Dovid commands Yoav, his commander-in-chief, to range through all the tribes from Dan to Be'er Sheva and number the people, declaring 'and I will know the number of the people.' The verb 'to know' (ve'yadati) signals a personal accounting rather than a halachically warranted muster, and the commentators identify this language of self-interested knowledge -- counting for its own sake rather than for a legitimate purpose -- as the very flaw that drew the punishment.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึจืืžึถืจ ื™ื•ึนืึธึœื‘ ืึถืœึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ—ืœึถืšึฐ ื•ึฐื™ื•ึนืกึตึฃืฃ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึฉ ืึฑืœึนื”ึถึจื™ืšึธ ืึถืœึพื”ึธืขึธึœื ื›ึผึธื”ึตึคืโ€‰ื€โ€‰ื•ึฐื›ึธื”ึตืึ™ ืžึตืึธึฃื” ืคึฐืขึธืžึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐืขึตื™ื ึตึฅื™ ืึฒื“ึนื ึดึฝื™ึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ–ืœึถืšึฐ ืจึนืึ‘ื•ึนืช ื•ึทืื“ึนื ึดึฃื™ ื”ึทืžึผึถึ”ืœึถืšึฐ ืœึธึฅืžึผึธื” ื—ึธืคึตึ–ืฅ ื‘ึผึทื“ึผึธื‘ึธึฅืจ ื”ึทื–ึผึถึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Joab answered the king, โ€œMay the ETERNAL your God increase the number of the people a hundredfold, while your own eyes see it! But why should my lord king want this?โ€

Yoav protests vigorously, blessing the king that Hashem should multiply the people a hundredfold before his eyes, but pressing the question: 'why does my lord the king delight in this matter?' Strikingly, it is Yoav -- the chapter's most pragmatic and ruthless figure -- who becomes the moral voice trying to dissuade the king, recognizing that an unmotivated census violates the Torah's warning and exposes the nation to plague.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ึธึผื”ึตื ื•ึฐื›ึธื”ึตื. ื›ึธึผื”ึตื ื›ึดึผืคึฐืœึทื™ึดื, ื•ึฐื›ึธื”ึตื ืฉึฐืื ึตื™ ื›ึดึผืคึฐืœึทื™ึดื, ื”ึฒืจึตื™ ืึทืจึฐื‘ึธึผืขึธื” ื›ึดึผืคึฐืœึทื™ึดื, ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ื—ื•ึนื–ึตืจ ื•ึฐื›ื•ึนืคึตืœ ืึถืช ื”ึทื›ึฐึผืคึดื™ืœึธื”, ืขึทื“ ืžึตืึธื” ืคึฐึผืขึธืžึดื™ื, ื ึดืžึฐืฆึตืืช ื‘ึดึผืจึฐื›ึธืชื•ึน ืฉึถืืœ ื™ื•ึนืึธื‘ ื™ึฐืชึตืจึธื” ืขึทืœ ืฉึถืืœ ืžึนืฉึถืื” ืฉึถืืึธืžึทืจ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื:ื™ื): ืดื›ึธึผื›ึถื ืึถืœึถืฃ ืคึฐึผืขึธืžึดื™ืืด, ื•ึฐืขื•ึนื“, ืฉึถืื‘ึดึผืจึฐื›ึธืชื•ึน ืฉึถืืœ ืžึนืฉึถืื” ืœึดื–ึฐืžึทืŸ ืžึฐืจึปื‘ึถึผื”, ื•ึฐืฉึถืืœ ื™ื•ึนืึธื‘ ืžึดื™ึธึผื“, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืžึทืจ ื‘ึธึผื”ึผ: ื•ึฐืขึตื™ื ึตื™ ืึฒื“ึนื ึดื™ ื”ึทืžึถึผืœึถืšึฐ ืจื•ึนืื•ึนืช:
Their [current] number. [Yoav meant with] the word ื›ึผื‡ื”ึตื to convey that their amount should double and the second word ื•ึฐื›ึธื”ึตื, to convey a second doubling to have now a total of four times [the original population] and then to again double the [new] total for one hundred times.1For a total of two hundred times the current population. It follows that Yoav's blessing was more then Moshe's who said, "One thousand times you [current] number".2Devorim 1:11. Furthermore, Moshe's blessing was only [to take effect] a long time [into the future] but Yoav's was intended [to take effect] immediately as it says [here], "[With] my master, the king's eyes [being able to] see it."

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึถื—ึฑื–ึทึคืง ื“ึผึฐื‘ึทืจึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ™ืœึถืšึฐึ™ ืึถืœึพื™ื•ึนืึธึ”ื‘ ื•ึฐืขึทึ–ืœ ืฉื‚ึธืจึตึฃื™ ื”ึถื—ึธึ‘ื™ึดืœ ื•ึทื™ึผึตืฆึตึจื ื™ื•ึนืึธึœื‘ ื•ึฐืฉื‚ึธืจึตึคื™ ื”ึทื—ึทึ™ื™ึดืœึ™ ืœึดืคึฐื ึตึฃื™ ื”ึทืžึผึถึ”ืœึถืšึฐ ืœึดืคึฐืงึนึฅื“ ืึถืชึพื”ึธืขึธึ–ื ืึถืชึพื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึฝืœืƒ

English:

However, the kingโ€™s command to Joab and to the officers of the army remained firm; and Joab and the officers of the army set out, at the kingโ€™s behest, to take a census of the people of Israel.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึทืขึทื‘ึฐืจึ–ื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื™ึผึทืจึฐื“ึผึตึ‘ืŸ ื•ึทื™ึผึทื—ึฒื ึฃื•ึผ ื‘ึทืขึฒืจื•ึนืขึตึ—ืจ ื™ึฐืžึดึฅื™ืŸ ื”ึธืขึดึ›ื™ืจ ืึฒืฉืึถึ›ืจ ื‘ึผึฐืชื•ึนืšึฐึพื”ึทื ึผึทึฅื—ึทืœ ื”ึทื’ึผึธึ–ื“ ื•ึฐืึถืœึพื™ึทืขึฐื–ึตึฝืจืƒ

English:

They crossed the Jordan and encamped at Aroer, on the right side of the town, which is in the middle of the wadi of Gad, anddencamped at Aroer, on the right side of the town, which is โ€ฆ Gad, and Some Septuagint mss. read โ€œbegan at Aroer, and from the town, which is โ€ฆ Gad, they.โ€ [went on] to Jazer.

The census team begins by crossing the Jordan, encamping at Aro'er south of the city in the middle of the valley of Gad, and continuing on to Yazer. The route deliberately takes in the trans-Jordanian territory first -- the inheritances of Reuven, Gad, and the half-tribe of Menashe -- before moving to the western tribes.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ึทื’ึธึผื“ ื•ึฐืึถืœ ื™ึทืขึฐื–ึตืจ. ื”ึดืชึฐื—ึดื™ืœ ื‘ึดึผื‘ึฐื ึตื™ ื’ึธื“, ืœึฐืคึดื™ ืฉึถืื”ึตื ื’ึดึผื‘ึผื•ึนืจึดื™ื ื•ึฐืงึธืฉึดืื™ื, ืึธืžึทืจ: ื”ึทืœึฐื•ึทืื™ ื•ึฐื™ึดืœึธึผื—ึฒืžื•ึผ ื‘ึดื™, ื•ึดื™ืขึทื›ึฐึผื‘ื•ึผ ืขึทืœ ื™ึธื“ึดื™:
[The valley of] Gad unto Yazer. He [Yoav] started with the people of Gad because they were hardened warriors. He reasoned, "If only they fight me and stop me".3From taking this census.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึนึ™ืื•ึผึ™ ื”ึทื’ึผึดืœึฐืขึธึ”ื“ึธื” ื•ึฐืึถืœึพืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืชึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึดึ–ื™ื ื—ื‡ื“ึฐืฉืึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึนึ™ืื•ึผึ™ ื“ึผึธึฃื ึธื” ื™ึผึทึ”ืขึทืŸ ื•ึฐืกึธื‘ึดึ–ื™ื‘ ืึถืœึพืฆึดื™ื“ึฝื•ึนืŸืƒ

English:

They continued to Gilead and to the region of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan and around toeTahtim-hodshi โ€ฆ and around to Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Sidon.

The tour continues into Gilead and the land of Tachtim Chodshi -- a difficult place-name on which the commentators differ, with Targum Yonatan rendering it as the southern lowlands -- then north to Dan-Ya'an and around toward Tzidon. The itinerary traces the fullest reach of Israel's northern frontier.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึฐืึถืœ ืึถืจึถืฅ ืชึทึผื—ึฐืชึดึผื™ื ื—ึธื“ึฐืฉึดืื™. ืžึฐืงื•ึนื ื™ึดืฉึผืื•ึผื‘ ื—ึธื“ึธืฉื, ืฉึถืืื•ึผื›ึฐืœื•ึผืกึตื™ื”ึถืŸ ืžื•ึผืขึธื˜ึดื™ืŸ, ืื•ึผืœึทื™ ื‘ึฐึผืชื•ึนืšึฐ ื›ึธึผืšึฐ ื™ึดืชึฐื—ึธืจึตื˜ ื“ึธึผื•ึดื“, ื•ึฐื™ึดืฉึฐืืœึทื— ืึตืœึธื™ื• ืฉึธืืœึดื™ื—ึท ืฉึถืื™ึทึผื—ึฒื–ึนืจ ื‘ึผื•ึน: ื“ึธึผื ึธื”. ื‘ึดึผื‘ึฐื ึตื™ ื“ึธืŸ: ื™ึทืขึทืŸ. ืฉึตืื ื”ึทืžึธึผืงื•ึนื:
And to a land of a new [settlement]. A place where there was a new settlement whose population was small; perhaps in the interim Dovid would reconsider and sent him a messenger to stop. To Don's portion. To the people of Don. Ya'an. The name of the place.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึนึ™ืื•ึผึ™ ืžึดื‘ึฐืฆึทืจึพืฆึนึ”ืจ ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืขึธืจึตึฅื™ ื”ึทื—ึดื•ึผึดึ–ื™ ื•ึฐื”ึทึฝื›ึผึฐื ึทืขึฒื ึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึทื™ึผึตึฅืฆึฐืึ›ื•ึผ ืึถืœึพื ึถึฅื’ึถื‘ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ–ื” ื‘ึผึฐืึตึฅืจ ืฉืึธึฝื‘ึทืขืƒ

English:

They went onto the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites, and finished at Beer-sheba in southern Judah.

They reach the fortress of Tzor and all the cities of the Chivi and the Kena'ani -- the foreign enclaves still settled within the land's borders -- and finally emerge in the Negev of Yehuda at Be'er Sheva. The catalogue of place names traces the standard biblical span 'from Dan to Be'er Sheva,' covering the entire land.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธืฉืึปึ–ื˜ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึฐื›ื‡ืœึพื”ึธืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅ ื•ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึนึœืื•ึผ ืžึดืงึฐืฆึตึจื” ืชึดืฉืึฐืขึธึงื” ื—ึณื“ึธืฉืึดึ›ื™ื ื•ึฐืขึถืฉื‚ึฐืจึดึฅื™ื ื™ึ–ื•ึนื ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึธึฝอึดืืƒ

English:

They traversed the whole country, and then they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืชึผึตึฅืŸ ื™ื•ึนืึธึ›ื‘ ืึถืชึพืžึดืกึฐืคึผึทึฅืจ ืžึดืคึฐืงึทื“ึพื”ึธืขึธึ–ื ืึถืœึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ‘ืœึถืšึฐ ื•ึทืชึผึฐื”ึดึฃื™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึกืœ ืฉืึฐึฝืžึนื ึถื”ึฉ ืžึตืึจื•ึนืช ืึถึคืœึถืฃ ืึดึฝื™ืฉืึพื—ึทึ™ื™ึดืœึ™ ืฉืึนึฃืœึตึฝืฃ ื—ึถึ”ืจึถื‘ ื•ึฐืึดึฃื™ืฉื ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื—ึฒืžึตืฉืึพืžึตืึฅื•ึนืช ืึถึ–ืœึถืฃ ืึดึฝื™ืฉืืƒ

English:

Joab reported to the king the number of the people that had been recorded: in Israel there were 800,000 soldiers ready to draw the sword, and Judahโ€™s contingent numbered 500,000.

Yoav reports the totals to the king: 800,000 sword-drawing fighting men in Israel and 500,000 in Yehuda, 1.3 million altogether. The parallel in I Chronicles 21:5 records different figures (1,100,000 in Israel, 470,000 in Yehuda), and classical commentators reconcile the discrepancy by positing that the two accounts count different categories of fighters or include different tribes (Radak notes that Levi and Binyamin were not counted here, per I Divrei HaYamim 21:6).
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžึดืกึฐืคึทึผืจ ืžึดืคึฐืงึทื“. ืึดื ืžึดืกึฐืคึธึผืจ ืœึธืžึธึผื” ืžึดืคึฐืงึธื“, ืฉึฐืื ึตื™ ืึทื ึฐืคึดื™ืจึธืื•ึนืช ืขึธืฉึธื‚ื”, ื’ึฐึผื“ื•ึนืœึธื” ื•ึผืงึฐื˜ึทื ึธึผื”, ืึธืžึทืจ ืึทืจึฐืึถื ึผื•ึผ ืึถืช ื”ึทืงึฐึผื˜ึทื ึธึผื”, ื•ึฐืึดื ื™ึดืงึฐืฆึนืฃ ืึทืจึฐืึถื ึผื•ึผ ืึถืช ื”ึทื’ึฐึผื“ื•ึนืœึธื”, ืœึฐื›ึธืšึฐ ื ึถืึฑืžึทืจ ืžึดืคึฐืงึธื“, ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื—ึดืกึธึผืจื•ึนืŸ, ื›ึธึผืšึฐ ื ึดื“ึฐืจึธืฉื ื‘ึทึผืคึฐึผืกึดืงึฐืชึธึผื: ื•ึทืชึฐึผื”ึดื™ ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ. ืชึธึผืฉึทืืฉื ื›ึนึผื—ึธืŸ ื›ึดึผื ึฐืงึตื‘ึธื”: ืฉึฐืืžึนื ึถื” ืžึตืื•ึนืช ืึถืœึถืฃ. ื•ึผื‘ึฐื“ึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ื”ึทื™ึธึผืžึดื™ื (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ื›ื:ื”) ื”ื•ึผื ืื•ึนืžึตืจ: ืดืึถืœึถืฃ ืึฒืœึธืคึดื™ื ื•ึผืžึตืึธื” ืึถืœึถืฃืด. ื‘ึฐึผืึทื’ึธึผื“ึทืช ืึฒืžื•ึนืจึธืึดื™ื (ื™ืœืงื•ื˜ ืฉืžืขื•ื ื™ ืขืœ ื ืดืš ืจืžื– ืงืกื”) ืžึธืฆึดื™ื ื•ึผ: ืึธืžึทืจ ืจึทื‘ึดึผื™ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึนืฉึปืืขึท ื‘ึถึผืŸ ืœึตื•ึดื™, ื”ึทื›ึฐึผืชื•ึผื‘ึดื™ื ืžื•ึนืกึดื™ืคึดื™ืŸ ื›ึธึผืืŸ ืžึทื” ืฉึถึผืื—ึธืกึฐืจื•ึผ ื›ึธึผืืŸ, ืึตืœึผื•ึผ ืฉึฐืื ึตื™ ืฉึฐืื‘ึธื˜ึดื™ื ืฉึถืืœึนึผื ื ึดืžึฐื ื•ึผ, ืฉึถืื›ึธึผืšึฐ ื›ึฐึผืชึดื™ื‘ ื‘ึฐึผื“ึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ื”ึทื™ึธึผืžึดื™ื (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ื›ื:ื•): ืดื•ึฐืœึตื•ึดื™ ื•ึผื‘ึดื ึฐื™ึธืžึดืŸ ืœึนื ืคึธืงึทื“ ื‘ึฐึผืชื•ึนื›ึธื ื›ึดึผื™ ื ึดืชึฐืขึทื‘ ื“ึฐึผื‘ึทืจ ื”ึทืžึถึผืœึถืšึฐ ืึถืช ื™ื•ึนืึธื‘ืด. ืึธืžึทืจ ื™ื•ึนืึธื‘: ื‘ึฐึผืึตืœึผื•ึผ ืึฒื ึดื™ ื™ึธื›ื•ึนืœ ืœึฐื”ึดืฉึธึผืืžึตื˜ ื•ึฐืœื•ึนืžึทืจ, ืฉึตืื‘ึถื˜ ืœึตื•ึดื™ ืึตื™ื ื•ึน ื ึดืžึฐื ึถื” ื‘ึฐึผืžึดื ึฐื™ึทืŸ ืฉึฐืืึธืจ ืฉึฐืื‘ึธื˜ึดื™ื ื›ึดึผื™ ืึดื ืžึดื‘ึถึผืŸ ื—ึนื“ึถืฉื ื•ึธืžึทืขึฐืœึธื”, ื•ึผื‘ึดื ึฐื™ึธืžึดื™ืŸ, ื“ึทึผื™ึผื•ึน ืฉึถืื ึถึผื—ึฐืกึทืจ ื•ึฐื›ึธืœึธื” ื‘ึฐึผืคึดื™ืœึถื’ึถืฉื ื‘ึทึผื’ึดึผื‘ึฐืขึธื”. ื•ึผื‘ึดืฉึฐืืœึนืฉึดืื™ื ื•ึผืฉึฐืืชึทึผื™ึดื ืžึดื“ึผื•ึนืช ื“ึฐึผืจึทื‘ึดึผื™ ืึฑืœึดื™ืขึถื–ึถืจ ื‘ึฐึผื ื•ึน ืฉึถืืœ ืจึทื‘ึดึผื™ ื™ื•ึนืกึตื™ ื”ึทื’ึฐึผืœึดื™ืœึดื™ ืฉึธืื ึดื™ื ื•ึผ: ื›ึธึผืชื•ึผื‘ ืึถื—ึธื“ ืื•ึนืžึตืจ ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดื™ ื›ึธืœ ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ ืึถืœึถืฃ ืึฒืœึธืคึดื™ื ื•ึผืžึตืึธื” ืึถืœึถืฃ ื•ึดื™ื”ื•ึผื“ึธื” ืึทืจึฐื‘ึทึผืข ืžึตืื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืฉึดืื‘ึฐืขึดื™ื ืึถืœึถืฃ, ื•ึฐื›ึธืชื•ึผื‘ ืึถื—ึธื“ ืื•ึนืžึตืจ ื•ึทืชึฐึผื”ึดื™ ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ ืฉึฐืืžึนื ึถื” ืžึตืื•ึนืช ืึถืœึถืฃ ื•ึฐืึดื™ืฉื ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธื” ื—ึฒืžึตืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืช ืึถืœึถืฃ, ื ึดืžึฐืฆึธื ื‘ึตึผื™ื ึตื™ื”ึถื ืฉึฐืืœึนืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืช ืึถืœึถืฃ, ืึตืœึผื•ึผ ืฉึฐืืœึนืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืช ืึถืœึถืฃ ืžึทื” ื˜ึดึผื™ื‘ึธืŸ, ื‘ึธึผื ื”ึทื›ึธึผืชื•ึผื‘ ื”ึทืฉึฐึผืืœึดื™ืฉึดืื™ ื•ึฐื”ึดื›ึฐืจึดื™ืขึท (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ื›ื–:ื): ืดื•ึผื‘ึฐื ึตื™ ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ ืœึฐืžึดืกึฐืคึธึผืจึธื ืจึธืืฉึตืื™ ื”ึธืึธื‘ื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืฉึธื‚ืจึตื™ ื”ึธืึฒืœึธืคึดื™ื ื•ึฐื”ึทืžึตึผืื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืฉึนืื˜ึฐืจึตื™ื”ึถื ื”ึทืžึฐืฉึธืืจึฐืชึดื™ื ืึถืช ื”ึทืžึถึผืœึถืšึฐ ืœึฐื›ึธืœ ื“ึฐึผื‘ึทืจ ื”ึทืžึทึผื—ึฐืœึนืงึถืช ื”ึทื‘ึธึผืึธื” ื•ึฐื”ึทื™ึผื•ึนืฆึตืืช ื—ึนื“ึถืฉื ื‘ึฐึผื—ึนื“ึถืฉื ืœึฐื›ึธืœ ื—ึธื“ึฐืฉึตืื™ ื”ึทืฉึธึผืื ึธื” ื”ึทืžึทึผื—ึฐืœึนืงึถืช ื”ึธืึทื—ึทืช ืขึถืฉึฐื‚ืจึดื™ื ื•ึฐืึทืจึฐื‘ึธึผืขึธื” ืึธืœึถืฃืด, ืžึฐืœึทืžึตึผื“ ืฉึถืืึตืœึผื•ึผ ืฉึฐืืœึนืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืช ืึถืœึถืฃ ื”ึธื™ื•ึผ ื”ึทื›ึฐึผืชื•ึผื‘ึดื™ื ื‘ึฐึผื ึดืžึผื•ึผืกื•ึน ืฉึถืืœ ืžึถืœึถืšึฐ, ื•ึฐืœึนื ื”ึธื™ื•ึผ ืฆึฐืจึดื™ื›ึดื™ืŸ ืœึดืžึธึผื ื•ึนืช, ื›ึตึผื™ืฆึทื“, ืขึถืฉึฐื‚ืจึดื™ื ื•ึฐืึทืจึฐื‘ึธึผืขึธื” ืึถืœึถืฃ ืœึดืฉึฐืื ึตื™ื ืขึธืฉึธื‚ืจ, ื”ึฒืจึตื™ ื›ึธึผืืŸ ืžึธืืชึทื™ึดื ื•ึผืฉึฐืืžื•ึนื ึดื™ื ืึถืœึถืฃ ื•ึผืฉึฐืืžื•ึนื ึทืช ืึฒืœึธืคึดื™ื, ื ึดืฉึฐืืชึทึผื™ึฐึผืจื•ึผ ืฉึฐืื ึตื™ื ืขึธืฉึธื‚ืจ ืึถืœึถืฃ, ื”ึตืŸ ื”ึตืŸ ื ึฐืฉึดื‚ื™ืึตื™ ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ:
The sum of the people's census. If there was a counting, why was a [second] counting [needed]?4The verse uses two different words but they both mean "counting." He [Yoav] made two countings, one major one and one smaller one. He reasoned, "I will show him [Dovid] the smaller one and if he gets angry, I will show him the larger one." That is why the verse uses the word ืžึดืคึฐืงึธื“ which conveys [that something is] missing. This is how [the verse] is interpreted in the Pesikta. Yisroel's [total] was. They became enfeebled like a woman.5ื•ึทืชึผึดื”ึดื™ is the feminine conjugation. Eight hundred thousand. But in Divrei Hayomim6Divrei Hayomim I, 21:5. it says, "One million and one hundred thousand"? In the Aggadah of the Amoroyim7Pesikta Raba 11. we find, Rabbi Yehoshua, the son of Levi said The verses fill in in one place what is missing in another place; there are two tribes which were not counted8And they account for the difference. because this is what is written in Divrei Hayomim,9Ibid 21:6. "Levi and Binyomin were not counted among them because the king's command was abhorrent to Yoav." Yoav said, With these [tribes] I can escape [from my commitment] and say [as an excuse] The tribe of Levi is not counted together with the rest of the tribes but [instead] is counted from one month old and up10Bamidbar 2:15. [and as far as] Binyomin [is concerned] it is enough that [their ranks] were depleted by the incident of the concubine in the valley.11The story is related in Shoftim beginning in chapter 19. In the tract about the thirty-two rules [by which the Torah is elucidated] [authored] by Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Yosse the Galilite we learned [as follows], one verse says,12Divrei Hayomim I, 21:5. "The [total of] all Yisroel was one million and one hundred thousandโ€ฆ and Yehudah [totaled] four hundred and seventy thousand." Another verse says,13Our verse here. "Yisroel's [total] was eight hundred thousandโ€ฆ and the men of Yehudah were five hundred thousand." The difference between the two [accounts] is three hundred thousand." What happenned to them? A third verse redresses the imbalance, "The people of Yisroel by their number, of the heads of families and the officers in charge of thousands and of hundreds and their marshals serving the king in all matters pertaining to the division those entering [the service] and those leaving, for every month of the year, each division had twenty-four thousand men." This teaches us that the [missing] three hundred thousand were [already] accounted for in the royal record and did not need to be counted [again].14The amount of Yisroel soldiers numbered in Divrei Hayomim is 1,100,000. Subtracting the 800,000 Yisroel soldiers numbered in our verse, we get 300,000. How does this work?15How do we account for 300,000 using this verse that only mentions 24,000. Twenty four thousand for [each of the] twelve [months] gives us two hundred and eighty-eight thousand this leaves us with twelve thousand [still unaccounted for] these are the leaders of Yisroel16The leaders were not included in the 24,000 officers and marshals mentioned in Divrei Hayomim I, 27:1. themselves.17Our verse of 800,000 is the figure of those who needed to be counted. the verse in Divrei Hayomim I, 21:5 includes our 800,000 in addition to the 300,000 already accounted for.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืด ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึทึคืšึฐ ืœึตื‘ึพื“ึผึธื•ึดื“ึ™ ืึนืชึ”ื•ึน ืึทื—ึฒืจึตื™ึพื›ึตึ–ืŸ ืกึธืคึทึฃืจ ืึถืชึพื”ึธืขึธึ‘ืย {ืค}ื•ึทื™ึผึนึจืืžึถืจ ื“ึผึธื•ึดึœื“ ืึถืœึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ื—ึธื˜ึธึคืืชึดึฝื™ ืžึฐืึนื“ึ™ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืขึธืฉื‚ึดึ”ื™ืชึดื™ ื•ึฐืขึทืชึผึธึฃื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ื”ึทึฝืขึฒื‘ึถืจึพื ึธืึ™ ืึถืชึพืขึฒื•ึบึฃืŸ ืขึทื‘ึฐื“ึผึฐืšึธึ” ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ื ึดืกึฐื›ึผึทึ–ืœึฐืชึผึดื™ ืžึฐืึนึฝื“ืƒ

English:

But afterward David reproached himselffreproached himself See note at 1 Sam. 24.6. for having numbered the people. And David said to GOD, โ€œI have sinned grievously in what I have done. Please, O GOD, remit the guilt of Your servant, for I have acted foolishly.โ€

'Dovid's heart smote him' after he had counted the people -- the verb 'va'yak,' from the root of striking, marks conscience as an internal blow. Dovid confesses, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done; now, Hashem, please remove the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted with great folly,' and the phrase 'niskalti me'od' echoes his confession to Natan after the Bat-Sheva episode (II Shmuel 12:13), framing this as the second great moral collapse of his reign.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธึฅืงื‡ื ื“ึผึธื•ึดึ–ื“ ื‘ึผึทื‘ึผึนึ‘ืงึถืจย {ืค}ื•ึผื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ื”ึธื™ึธื”ึ™ ืึถืœึพื’ึผึธึฃื“ ื”ึทื ึผึธื‘ึดึ”ื™ื ื—ึนื–ึตึฅื” ื“ึธื•ึดึ–ื“ ืœึตืืžึนึฝืจืƒ

English:

When David rose in the morning, the word of GOD had come to the prophet Gad, Davidโ€™s seer:

Dovid rises in the morning and the word of Hashem comes to Gad the prophet, called here 'the seer of Dovid' (chozeh Dovid). Gad has been Dovid's prophetic counsel since the cave-of-Adullam years (I Shmuel 22:5); now, at the end of Dovid's life as at its beginning, the same prophet stands ready to deliver the divine word.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืœึžื•ึนืšึฐ ื•ึฐื“ึดื‘ึผึทืจึฐืชึผึธึฃ ืึถืœึพื“ึผึธื•ึดึ—ื“ ื›ึผึนึšื” ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืฉืึธืœึนึ•ืฉื ืึธื ึนื›ึดึ–ื™ ื ื•ึนื˜ึตึฃืœ ืขึธืœึถึ‘ื™ืšึธ ื‘ึผึฐื—ึทืจึพืœึฐืšึธึฅ ืึทื—ึทืชึพืžึตื”ึถึ–ื ื•ึฐืึถืขึฑืฉื‚ึถื”ึพืœึผึธึฝืšึฐืƒ

English:

โ€œGo and tell David, โ€˜Thus said GOD: I hold three things over you; choose one of them, and I will bring it upon you.โ€™โ€

Gad is sent with a message of three options: 'thus says Hashem -- three I bring upon you; choose one of them and I will do it to you.' The structure of offering a sinning king his choice of consequence is unusual in Tanakh, and the commentators read the offer of choice itself as an act of mercy -- Dovid is not simply punished but is granted the dignity of selecting how the decree will fall.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉึธืืœึนืฉื ืึธื ึนื›ึดื™ ื ื•ึนื˜ึตืœ ืขึธืœึถื™ืšึธ. ืึทื—ึทืช ืžึดืฉึธึผืืœึนืฉื, ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™ื—:ื›ื): ืดื‘ึดึผืฉึฐืืชึทึผื™ึดื ืชึดึผืชึฐื—ึทืชึตึผืŸ ื‘ึดึผื™ ื”ึทื™ึผื•ึนืืด, ื‘ึฐึผืึทื—ึทืช ืžึดืฉึฐึผืืชึทึผื™ึดื. ืฉึธืืœึนืฉื ืึฒื ึดื™ ื ื•ึนื˜ึตืœ ืขึธืœึถื™ืšึธ, ื›ึฐึผื ึถื’ึถื“ ืฉึธืืœึนืฉื ืฉึถืื”ึดื˜ึทึผืœึฐืชึธึผ ืขึทืœ ืฉึธืืื•ึผืœ, (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื›ื•:ื™): ืดื›ึดึผื™ ืึดื ื”ืณ ื™ึดื’ึธึผืคึถื ึผื•ึผ, ืื•ึน ื™ื•ึนืžื•ึน ื™ึธื‘ึนื ื•ึธืžึตืช, ืื•ึน ื‘ึทืžึดึผืœึฐื—ึธืžึธื” ื™ึตืจึตื“ ื•ึฐื ึดืกึฐืคึธึผื”ืด:
I will afflict you with [one of] three [things]. One of three and so [we find], "With two [of my daughters] you will marry [into my family] today",18Shmuel I, 18:21. i.e., with one of two. "I will take three from you" is retribution for the three [curses] you put on Shaul, "Either Adonoy will smite him or his day will come and he will die or he will go down to battle and perish."19Ibid, 26:10.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึนืึพื’ึธึฅื“ ืึถืœึพื“ึผึธื•ึดึ–ื“ ื•ึทื™ึผึทื’ึผึถื“ึพืœึ‘ื•ึน ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฃืืžึถืจ ืœึกื•ึน ื”ึฒืชึธื‘ึฃื•ึนื ืœึฐืšึธึฃ ืฉืึถื‘ึทืขึพืฉืึธื ึดึฃื™ืโ€‰ื€โ€‰ืจึธืขึธึฃื‘โ€‰ื€โ€‰ื‘ึผึฐืึทืจึฐืฆึถึกืšึธ ืึดืึพืฉืึฐืœึนืฉืึธึฃื” ื—ึณึ ื“ึธืฉืึดึ ื™ื ื ึปืกึฐืšึธึจ ืœึดืคึฐื ึตื™ึพืฆึธืจึถึœื™ืšึธ ื•ึฐื”ึฃื•ึผื ืจึนื“ึฐืคึถึ—ืšึธ ื•ึฐืึดืึพื”ึฑึ ื™ึ ื•ึนืช ืฉืึฐืœึนึจืฉืึถืช ื™ึธืžึดึฅื™ื ื“ึผึถึ™ื‘ึถืจึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืึทืจึฐืฆึถึ”ืšึธ ืขึทืชึผึธื”ึ™ ื“ึผึทึฃืข ื•ึผืจึฐืึตึ”ื” ืžึธื”ึพืึธืฉืึดึฅื™ื‘ ืฉืึนืœึฐื—ึดึ–ื™ ื“ึผึธื‘ึธึฝืจืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Gad came to David and told him; he asked, โ€œShall a seven-year famine come upon you in the land, or shall you be in flight from your adversaries for three months while they pursue you, or shall there be three days of pestilence in your land? Now consider carefully what reply I shall take back to the One who sent me.โ€

Gad arrives with Hashem's offer of three punishments: seven years of famine, three months of fleeing before pursuing enemies, or three days of pestilence. The options scale inversely -- years of slow attrition compress into days of immediate death -- and Dovid is told to consider carefully what answer to send back. The parallel in I Chronicles 21:12 reads 'three years' for the famine, and classical commentators address the variant by aligning the famine with the existing three years of I Shmuel 21 to total seven.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึงืืžึถืจ ื“ึผึธื•ึดึ›ื“ ืึถืœึพื’ึผึธึ–ื“ ืฆึทืจึพืœึดึฃื™ ืžึฐืึนึ‘ื“ ื ึดืคึผึฐืœึธื”ึพื ึผึธึคื ื‘ึฐื™ึทื“ึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืจึทื‘ึผึดึฃื™ื ืจึทื—ึฒืžึธึ”ื• ื•ึผื‘ึฐื™ึทื“ึพืึธื“ึธึ–ื ืึทืœึพืึถืคึผึนึฝืœึธื”ืƒ

English:

David said to Gad, โ€œI am in great distress.gin great distress Or โ€œdeeply distressed.โ€ Let us fall into the hands of GOD, whose compassion is great; and let me not fall into human hands.โ€hSeptuagint adds โ€œSo David chose the pestilence. It was the time of the wheat harvest.โ€

Dovid utters one of the most-quoted theological declarations in Tanakh: 'I am in great distress -- let us fall into the hand of Hashem, for great is His mercy, but let me not fall into the hand of man.' Rashi and Radak observe that human enemies show no compassion when they have the upper hand, while Hashem's punishments come tempered with mercy -- a foundational stance toward suffering cited throughout Jewish tradition.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฆึทืจ ืœึดื™ ืžึฐืึนื“. ื”ึทืงึฐึผื˜ึทื ึธึผื” ืฉึถืื‘ึธึผื”ึถื ืงึธืฉึธืื” ืžึฐืึนื“: ื ึดืคึฐึผืœึธื” ื ึธึผื ื‘ึฐื™ึทื“ ื”ืณ. ื”ึทื“ึถึผื‘ึถืจ, ื•ึฐืœึนื ื”ึทื—ึถืจึถื‘ ื•ึฐื”ึธืจึธืขึธื‘, ืฉึถืื’ึทึผื ื”ื•ึผื ืžึธืกื•ึผืจ ืœึทืขึฒืฉึดืื™ืจึดื™ื ืื•ึนืฆึฐืจึตื™ ืคึตึผื™ืจื•ึนืช. ืึธืžึทืจ ืจึทื‘ึดึผื™ ืึฒืœึถื›ึฐึผืกึทื ึฐื“ึฐึผืจึดื™: ืึธืžึทืจ ื“ึธึผื•ึดื“, ืึดื ืึฒื ึดื™ ื‘ึผื•ึนืจึตืจ ืœึดื™ ื”ึทื—ึถืจึถื‘ ืขึทื›ึฐืฉึธืื™ื•, ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ ืื•ึนืžึฐืจึดื™ื ื”ื•ึผื ื‘ึผื•ึนื˜ึตื—ึท ื‘ึฐึผื’ึดื‘ึผื•ึนืจึธื™ื•, ืฉึถืื”ื•ึผื ืœึนื ื™ึธืžื•ึผืช ื•ึฐื”ึธืึฒื—ึตืจึดื™ื ื™ึธืžื•ึผืชื•ึผ, ื•ึฐืึดื ืึฒื ึดื™ ื‘ึผื•ึนืจึตืจ ื”ึธืจึธืขึธื‘, ื™ึนืืžึฐืจื•ึผ ื‘ึผื•ึนื˜ึตื—ึท ื”ื•ึผื ื‘ึฐึผืขึธืฉึฐืืจื•ึน, ืึถื‘ึฐืจึทืจ ืœึดื™ ื“ึถึผื‘ึถืจ ืฉึถืื”ึทื›ึนึผืœ ืฉึธืื•ึดื™ืŸ ื‘ึผื•ึน (ืจืื” ื™ืœืงื•ื˜ ืฉืžืขื•ื ื™ ืจืžื– ืงืกื”):
I am in great anguish. The least of them is very difficult. Let us fall into the hand of Adonoy. I.e. Pestilence20Controlled exclusively by God. and not the sword nor famine because it [famine] is also controlled by the rich who have store houses of produce. Rabbi Alexandri said, Dovid reasoned, "If I choose the sword then [the people of] Yisroel will say [about me], 'he is relying on his strength to save himself from death but others will die', and if I choose famine they will say, He is relying on his wealth [to save himself]. I will choose pestilence against which everyone is equal."21Midrash Tehilim 17:4.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืชึผึตึจืŸ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ื“ึผึถึ™ื‘ึถืจึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ”ืœ ืžึตื”ึทื‘ึผึนึ–ืงึถืจ ื•ึฐืขึทื“ึพืขึตึฃืช ืžื•ึนืขึตึ‘ื“ ื•ึทื™ึผึธึฃืžื‡ืช ืžึดืŸึพื”ึธืขึธึ—ื ืžึดื“ึผึธืŸึ™ ื•ึฐืขึทื“ึพื‘ึผึฐืึตึฃืจ ืฉืึถึ”ื‘ึทืข ืฉืึดื‘ึฐืขึดึฅื™ื ืึถึ–ืœึถืฃ ืึดึฝื™ืฉืืƒ

English:

GOD sent a pestilence upon Israel from morning until the set time;iuntil the set time Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and 70,000 of the people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba.

Hashem sends the dever from morning until the 'appointed time' -- a deliberately vague phrase that classical commentators read variously as until midday, until the time of the daily offering, or as the Targum renders it, until the appointed end of the three days. Seventy thousand fall from Dan to Be'er Sheva -- the very geographical span the census had measured, the count itself converted into a death-toll.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžึตื”ึทื‘ึนึผืงึถืจ ื•ึฐืขึทื“ ืขึตืช ืžื•ึนืขึตื“. (ืชืจื’ื•ื:) ืดืžึตืขึดื“ึธึผืŸ ื“ึฐึผืžึดืชึฐื ึฐื›ึตื™ืก ืชึฐึผืžึดื™ื“ึธื ื•ึฐืขึทื“ ื“ึฐึผืžึดืชึฐืกึทืงืด:
From the morning until the appointed time. [Yonoson translates:] "From the time of the slaughtering of the daily morning offering until its blood was sprinkled."

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืœึทื—ึฉ ื™ึธื“ึจื•ึน ื”ึทืžึผึทืœึฐืึธึฅืšึฐโ€‰ื€โ€‰ื™ึฐึฝืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึ˜อึดืึฎ ืœึฐืฉืึทื—ึฒืชึธื”ึผึ’ ื•ึทื™ึผึดื ึผึธึคื—ึถื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึถืœึพื”ึธึฃืจึธืขึธึ”ื” ื•ึทึ ื™ึผึนึ ืืžึถืจ ืœึทืžึผึทืœึฐืึธึžืšึฐ ื”ึทืžึผึทืฉืึฐื—ึดึคื™ืช ื‘ึผึธืขึธืึ™ ืจึทึ”ื‘ ืขึทืชึผึธึ–ื” ื”ึถึฃืจึถืฃ ื™ึธื“ึถึ‘ืšึธ ื•ึผืžึทืœึฐืึทึคืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื”ึธื™ึธึ”ื” ืขึดืึพื’ึผึนึ–ืจึถืŸ (ื”ืื•ืจื ื”) [ื”ึธึฝืึฒืจึทึฅื•ึฐื ึธื”] ื”ึทื™ึฐื‘ึปืกึดึฝื™ืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

But when the angeljangel Lit. โ€œmessenger.โ€ extended a hand against Jerusalem to destroy it, GOD renounced further punishment and said to the angel who was destroying the people, โ€œEnough! Stay your hand!โ€ The angel of GOD was then by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

The angel stretches his hand toward Yerushalayim to destroy it, but Hashem 'repents' of the evil and tells the destroying angel: 'enough -- now stay your hand.' The angel halts at the goren of Aravnah HaYevusi, which Chazal identify with Mount Moriah -- the same mountain where Avraham bound Yitzchak and the future site of the Beit HaMikdash.
โ–ถCommentaries (2)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ึทื™ึฐื‘ึปืกึดื™. ืฉึทื‚ืจ ืžึฐืฆื•ึผื“ึทืช ืฆึดื™ึผื•ึนืŸ ื”ึธื™ึธื”, ืฉึถืืฉึธึผืืžึธื” ื™ึฐื‘ื•ึผืกึดื™:
The Yevusite. He was the chief officer of the Zion fortress the name of which is Yevusi.22Having formerly belonged to them, see earlier verses 5:6โ€“5:9.
ืจื“ืดืงRadak
ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ื™ื“ื• ื”ืžืœืืš. ื”ืจืื” ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื“ืžื•ืช ืžืœืืš ื•ื—ืจื‘ื• ืฉืœื•ืคื” ื‘ื™ื“ื• ื ื˜ื•ื™' ืขืœ ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื ื•ื”ืขืžื™ื“ื• ืกืžื•ืš ืœื’ืจืŸ ืืจื•ื ื” ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ ื›ื“ื™ ืฉื™ืจืื”ื• ื“ื•ื“ ืฉื ื•ื™ืชืคืœืœ ื•ื™ืขืชืจ ืœื• ื”ืืœ ื‘ืžืงื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ื•ืชืขืฆืจ ื”ืžื’ืคื” ื•ื™ื”ื™ื” ืกื™ืžืŸ ืœื“ื•ื“ ื›ื™ ืฉื ื”ื•ื ืžืงื•ื ื”ืขืชืจื” ื•ืฉื ื™ื”ื™ื” ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ ื•ืฉื ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืชืคืœื” ื•ื”ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื›ืžื• ืฉืฆื•ื” ืœื• ื”ืืœ ืขืœ ื™ื“ ื’ื“ ืœื”ืงื™ื ืฉื ืžื–ื‘ื— ื•ืฉื ื ืขืชืจ ืœื• ื‘ืืฉ ืฉื™ืจื“ ืžืŸ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ืขืœ ื”ืขื•ืœื” ื›ืžื• ืฉืื•ืžืจ ื‘ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื: ืืœ ื”ืจืขื”. ื›ืžื• ืขืœ ื”ืจืขื” ื•ืจื‘ื™ื ื›ืžื•ื”ื•: ืจื‘ ืขืชื” ื”ืจืฃ ื™ื“ืš. ื“ื™ ื‘ืžื’ืคื” ืืœ ืชืฉื—ืช ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื, ื•ื™ืฉ ื‘ื• ื“ืจืฉ ืืžืจ ืœื• ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ืœืžืœืืš ื˜ื•ืœ ื”ืจื‘ ืฉื‘ื”ื ื‘ืื•ืชื” ืฉืขื” ืžืช ืื‘ื™ืฉื™ ื‘ืŸ ืฆืจื•ื™ื” ืฉืฉืงื•ืœ ื›ืจื•ื‘ื” ืฉืœ ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ: ืขื ื’ื•ืจืŸ. ืกืžื•ืš ืœื’ื•ืจืŸ: ื”ืื•ืจื ื”. ื›ืชื•ื‘ ื‘ื•ื™"ื• ืงื•ื“ื ืœืจื™ืฉ ื•ืงืจื™ ื”ืืจื•ื ื” ืจื™"ืฉ ืงื•ื“ื ืœื•ื™"ื• ื•ืื—ื“ ื”ื•ื ื›ื™ ืจื‘ื™ื ื›ืžื•ื”ื• ื‘ื”ืคื•ืš ื”ืื•ืชื™ื•ืช ื•ืžื” ืฉืืžืจ ืื“ื ื‘ื”"ื ื”ื™ื“ื™ืขื” ื”ื•ื ืฉืœื ื›ืžื ื”ื’ ื•ืืคืฉืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ืฉื ืชื•ืืจ:
And the angel stretched out his hand - The Holy One projected the image of an angel with a drawn sword in his hand stretched over Jerusalem. He placed it next to the threshing floor of Aravnah the Jebusite in order that David would see it there and pray, and that Gd would be entreated of him there in that place. Then when the plague stopped it would be a sign to David that this is the place of entreaty and there will be the Holy Temple, the house of prayer and service - just as Gd commanded him through the prophet Gad to build there an altar. His prayer was answered through fire which came down from the heavens to consume his offering as it says in Divre HaYamim.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฉืืžึถืจึฉ ื“ึผึธื•ึดึจื“ ืึถืœึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึœื” ื‘ึผึดืจึฐืึนืชึฃื•ึนโ€‰ื€ ืึถึฝืชึพื”ึทืžึผึทืœึฐืึธึฃืšึฐโ€‰ื€ ื”ึทืžึผึทื›ึผึถึฃื” ื‘ึธืขึธึ—ื ื•ึทื™ึผึนึ™ืืžึถืจึ™ ื”ึดื ึผึตึจื” ืึธื ึนื›ึดึคื™ ื—ึธื˜ึธึ™ืืชึดื™ึ™ ื•ึฐืึธื ึนื›ึดึฃื™ ื”ึถืขึฑื•ึตึ”ื™ืชึดื™ ื•ึฐืึตึฅืœึผึถื” ื”ึทืฆึผึนึ–ืืŸ ืžึถึฃื” ืขึธืฉื‚ึ‘ื•ึผ ืชึผึฐื”ึดึจื™ ื ึธึฅื ื™ึธื“ึฐืšึธึ› ื‘ึผึดึ–ื™ ื•ึผื‘ึฐื‘ึตึฅื™ืช ืึธื‘ึดึฝื™ืƒย {ืค}

English:

When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to GOD, โ€œI alone am guilty, I alone have done wrong; but these poor sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand fall upon me and my fatherโ€™s house!โ€

Seeing the angel striking the people, Dovid cries out one of the most extraordinary self-sacrificial pleas in Tanakh: 'I have sinned, I have done wickedly -- but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand be against me and against my father's house.' The shepherd metaphor returns Dovid to his origins -- the king who began as a shepherd of literal sheep now begs to die in place of his metaphorical flock.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึนืึพื’ึธึฅื“ ืึถืœึพื“ึผึธื•ึดึ–ื“ ื‘ึผึทื™ึผึฃื•ึนื ื”ึทื”ึ‘ื•ึผื ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฃืืžึถืจ ืœึ—ื•ึน ืขึฒืœึตื”ึ™ ื”ึธืงึตึคื ืœึทึฝื™ื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืžึดื–ึฐื‘ึผึตึ”ื—ึท ื‘ึผึฐื’ึนึ–ืจึถืŸ (ืืจื ื™ื”) [ืึฒืจึทึฅื•ึฐื ึธื”] ื”ึทื™ึฐื‘ึปืกึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

Gad came to David the same day and said to him, โ€œGo and set up an altar to GOD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.โ€

Gad returns to Dovid that very day with Hashem's response: go up and raise an altar to Hashem at the goren of Aravnah HaYevusi. The plague's halting is to be sealed liturgically -- an altar built at the precise spot where the destroying angel stayed his hand.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึทึคืขึทืœ ื“ึผึธื•ึดื“ึ™ ื›ึผึดื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื’ึผึธึ”ื“ ื›ึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึ–ืจ ืฆึดื•ึผึธึฅื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

David went up, following Gadโ€™s instructions, as GOD had commanded.

'Dovid went up according to the word of Gad, as Hashem had commanded.' The triple chain of authority -- Hashem to Gad to Dovid -- is unusually formal, marking this ascent as a momentous prophetic-royal act: the founding of what will become the holiest site in Israel.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึทืฉืึฐืงึตึฃืฃ ืึฒืจึทึ—ื•ึฐื ึธื” ื•ึทื™ึผึทึคืจึฐื ืึถืชึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ™ืœึถืšึฐึ™ ื•ึฐืึถืชึพืขึฒื‘ึธื“ึธึ”ื™ื• ืขึนื‘ึฐืจึดึ–ื™ื ืขึธืœึธึ‘ื™ื• ื•ึทื™ึผึตืฆึตึฃื ืึฒืจึทึ”ื•ึฐื ึธื” ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทึงื—ื•ึผ ืœึทืžึผึถึ›ืœึถืšึฐ ืึทืคึผึธึ–ื™ื• ืึธึฝืจึฐืฆึธื”ืƒ

English:

Araunah looked out and saw the king and his courtiers approaching him.k4QSamแตƒ and 1 Chron. 21.20 add โ€œAraunah (Ornan) was threshing wheat.โ€ So Araunah went out and bowed low to the king, with his face to the ground.

Aravnah looks out, sees the king and his servants approaching, comes out, and prostrates himself face-down before Dovid. Aravnah is identified as HaYevusi -- the original Canaanite inhabitant whose threshing floor sits on the very mountain where the future Temple will rise; Chazal observe that the holiest site of Israel is purchased from a foreigner.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึทื™ึทึผืฉึฐืืงึตืฃ ืึฒืจึทื•ึฐื ึธื”. ืžึดืชึฐื—ึทื‘ึตึผื ื”ึธื™ึธื” ืžึดืคึฐึผื ึตื™ ื”ึทืžึทึผืœึฐืึธืšึฐ, ื›ึธึผืšึฐ ื›ึธึผืชื•ึผื‘ ื‘ึฐึผื“ึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ื”ึทื™ึธึผืžึดื™ื (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ื›ื:ื›):
Aravnoh saw. He was hiding from the angel, this is what is written in Divrei Hayomim.23Divrei Hayomim I, 21:20.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฃืืžึถืจ ืึฒืจึทึ”ื•ึฐื ึธื” ืžึทื“ึผึ›ื•ึผืขึท ื‘ึผึธึฅื ืึฒื“ึนื ึดึฝื™ึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ–ืœึถืšึฐ ืึถืœึพืขึทื‘ึฐื“ึผึ‘ื•ึน ื•ึทื™ึผึนึจืืžึถืจ ื“ึผึธื•ึดึœื“ ืœึดืงึฐื ึงื•ึนืช ืžึตืขึดืžึผึฐืšึธึฃ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื’ึผึนึ—ืจึถืŸ ืœึดื‘ึฐื ึคื•ึนืช ืžึดื–ึฐื‘ึผึตึ™ื—ึทึ™ ืœึทึฝื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืชึตืขึธืฆึทึฅืจ ื”ึทืžึผึทื’ึผึตืคึธึ–ื” ืžึตืขึทึฅืœ ื”ึธืขึธึฝืืƒ

English:

And Araunah asked, โ€œWhy has my lord the king come to his servant?โ€ David replied, โ€œTo buy the threshing floor from you, that I may build an altar to GOD and that the plague against the people may be checked.โ€

Aravnah asks why the king has come, and Dovid replies that he wishes to buy the goren in order to build an altar so the plague will be stayed from the people. The verb 've-te'atzer ha-magefa' is the pivot of the whole closing section -- it returns at the chapter's final verse to mark the resolution.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึคืืžึถืจ ืึฒืจึทึ™ื•ึฐื ึธื”ึ™ ืึถืœึพื“ึผึธื•ึดึ”ื“ ื™ึดืงึผึทึฅื— ื•ึฐื™ึทึ›ืขึทืœ ืึฒื“ึนื ึดึฅื™ ื”ึทืžึผึถึ–ืœึถืšึฐ ื”ึทื˜ึผึฃื•ึนื‘ ื‘ึผึฐืขึตื™ื ึธึ‘ื• ืจึฐืึตื”ึ™ ื”ึทื‘ึผึธืงึธึฃืจ ืœึธืขึนืœึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื”ึทืžึผึนืจึดื’ึผึดึ›ื™ื ื•ึผื›ึฐืœึตึฅื™ ื”ึทื‘ึผึธืงึธึ–ืจ ืœึธืขึตืฆึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

And Araunah said to David, โ€œLet my lord the king take it and offer up whatever he sees fit. Here are oxen for a burnt offering, and the threshing boards and the gear of the oxen for wood.

Aravnah offers everything for free: 'let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his eyes -- here are the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing sledges and the oxen-yokes for wood.' The provision is total -- animal, wood, even the implements; Radak notes that the threshing sledges (morigim) were studded boards used to thresh grain and were here repurposed as fuel for the offering.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึฐื”ึทืžึนึผืจึดื’ึดึผื™ื. ื›ึฐึผืœึดื™ ืขึตืฅ ืžึธืœึตื ื—ึฒืจึดื™ืฆึดื™ืŸ, ื•ึฐื›ึธื‘ึตื“ ื”ื•ึผื, ื•ึผืžึทืขึฒื‘ึดื™ืจึดื™ืŸ ืื•ึนืชื•ึน ืขึทืœ ื”ึทืงึทึผืฉื ืชึธึผืžึดื™ื“, ื•ึผืžึฐื—ึทืชึฐึผื›ื•ึน ืœึดื”ึฐื™ื•ึนืช ืชึถึผื‘ึถืŸ ืœึฐืžึทืึฒื›ึทืœ ื‘ึฐึผื”ึตืžื•ึนืช:
The rake. A wooden utensil full of jagged edges which is heavy and it is constantly applied to straw; it cuts it to become fodder to feed the animals:

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ื”ึทื›ึผึนึ—ืœ ื ึธืชึทึ›ืŸ ืึฒืจึทึฅื•ึฐื ึธื” ื”ึทืžึผึถึ–ืœึถืšึฐ ืœึทืžึผึถึ‘ืœึถืšึฐย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทื™ึผึนึคืืžึถืจ ืึฒืจึทึ™ื•ึฐื ึธื”ึ™ ืึถืœึพื”ึทืžึผึถึ”ืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึถึ–ื™ืšึธ ื™ึดืจึฐืฆึถึฝืšึธืƒ

English:

All this, O king,lO king Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Araunah gives to Your Majesty. And may the ETERNAL your God,โ€ Araunah added, โ€œrespond to you with favor!โ€

'Aravnah, the king, gave everything to the king' -- the verse strikingly calls Aravnah himself 'the king,' which Rashi explains as a reference to his former status as the Yevusi king of the city. He blesses Dovid with 'may Hashem your God favor you' -- the gentile who once held the mountain blesses the Israelite king who is about to consecrate it.
โ–ถCommentaries (2)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืึฒืจึทื•ึฐื ึธื” ื”ึทืžึถึผืœึถืšึฐ. ืฉึทื‚ืจ ื”ึทื™ึฐื‘ื•ึผืกึดื™ ื”ึธื™ึธื”:
Aravnoh the prince. He was the chief officer of the Yevusi [fortress].24See Rashi earlier on verse 16.
ืจื“ืดืงRadak
ื”ื›ืœ ื ืชืŸ. ื”ื•ื ื ืชืŸ ืื‘ืœ ืœื ืจืฆื” ื“ื•ื“ ืœืงื‘ืœ ื‘ืžืชื ื”: ืืจื•ื ื” ื”ืžืœืš. ืžืœืš ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ ื”ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ื‘ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื ื”ื™ื” ื›ื™ ืืฃ ื‘ื™ืžื™ ื“ื•ื“ ื”ื™ื” ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ ื‘ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื ื›ืžื• ืฉื ืฉืืจื• ืฉื ืžืฉื›ื‘ืฉื•ื” ื‘ื ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื›ืžื• ืฉื›ืชื•ื‘ ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ ืืช ื‘ื ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื‘ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื ืขื“ ื”ื™ื•ื ื”ื–ื” ื•ื”ื™ื• ืฉื ืœืžืก ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื•ื”ื™ื• ืœื”ื ื‘ืชื™ื ืฉื“ื•ืช ื•ื›ืจืžื™ื ืข"ื™ ื”ืžืก ืฉื”ื™ื• ืขื•ื‘ื“ื™ื ืœื‘ื ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื ื™ืžืŸ ื•ื–ื” ื”ืฉื“ื” ื•ื”ื’ื•ืจืŸ ื”ื™ื” ืœืืจื•ื ื” ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ ื•ืจืฆื” ืœืชืชื ืœื“ื•ื“ ื•ืœื ืจืฆื” ืœืงื‘ืœื ื›ื™ ืื ื‘ืžื—ื™ืจ ื•ืืฃ ืื—ืจ ืฉื›ื‘ืฉ ื“ื•ื“ ื”ืžืฆื•ื“ื” ื”ื ื™ื—ื ืœืฉื‘ืช ื‘ืขื™ืจ ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื ืื•ืชื ืฉื”ื™ื• ื™ื•ืฉื‘ื™ื ื‘ืขื™ืจ ืžืชื—ืœื” ืœืžืก ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื•ื”ื™ื• ืฉื ืขื“ ืฉื‘ื ื” ืฉืœืžื” ืืช ื”ื‘ื™ืช ื•ื–ื” ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ ืœื ื”ื™ื” ืžืŸ ืฉื‘ืข ืื•ืžื•ืช ืืœื ืžืคืœืฉืชื™ื ืžื–ืจืข ืื‘ื™ืžืœืš ื›ืžื• ืฉืคื™ืจืฉื ื• ื‘ืกืคืจ ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ื•ื”ื™ื” ืžื•ืชืจ ืœื”ื ื™ื—ื ืœืฉื‘ืช ื‘ืืจืฅ ื›ื™ื•ืŸ ืฉืงื‘ืœื• ืขืœื™ื”ื ืฉืœื ืœืขื‘ื•ื“ ืข"ื ื•ืฉืืจ ืžืฆื•ืช ืฉื”ื•ื–ื”ืจื• ืขืœื™ื”ื ื‘ื ื™ ื ื— ื•ืืคื™' ืžื–' ืื•ืžื•ืช ื”ื™ื• ื™ื›ื•ืœื™ืŸ ืœืฉื‘ืช ื‘ืืจืฅ ื‘ืชื ืื™ ื–ื” ืฉืœื ื™ื—ื˜ื™ืื• ืฉื ืืžืจ ืœื ื™ืฉื‘ื• ื‘ืืจืฆืš ืคืŸ ื™ื—ื˜ื™ืื• ืื•ืชืš ืœื™ ืื‘ืœ ื›ืœ ื–ืžืŸ ืฉืื™ื ืŸ ื—ื•ื˜ืื™ืŸ ืฉืงื‘ืœื• ืขืœื™ื”ื ื–' ืžืฆื•ืช ืžื•ืชืจ ืœื”ื ื™ื—ื ื‘ืืจืฅ ื•ื‘ืžืงืฆืช ื ืกื—ืื•ืช ื”ืชืจื’ื•ื ืชืจื’ื ื ืชืŸ ืืจื•ื ื” ื”ืžืœืš ืœืžืœืš ื™ื”ื‘ ืืจื•ืŸ ืœืžืœื›ื ื“ื™ ื‘ืขื ืžื™ื ื™ื” ืžืœื›ื: ื™ืจืฆืš. ื›ืชืจื’ืžื• ื™ืงื‘ืœ ืงืจื‘ื ืš ื‘ืจืขื•ื:
Aravnah the king โ€“ He was the king of the Jebusites who dwelled in Jerusalem. Even in the days of David the Jebusites remained in Jerusalem, just as they had remained there after the conquest by Yehudah, as it is written "โ€ฆbut the Jebusites dwelt with the children of Judah in Jerusalem to this day." (Yehoshua 15:63) They lived as a subject people, paying a tax of servitude to Yehudah and Benyamin in order to keep their homes, vineyards and fields. This field and threshing floor belonged to Aravnah the Jebusite and he wanted to give them to David, but he did not want to accept them except as a full purchase. Even after David conquered the stronghold, he allowed the Jebusites who had been there originally under tax and servitude to stay in the city of Jerusalem until Shlomo built the Holy Temple. These Jebusites were not one of the seven nations, but rather Phillistines descended from Avimelech as I explained in the book of Yehoshua. Therefore it was permissible to leave them settled in the land on the condition that they not cause others to sin, as it says "They shall not dwell in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Meโ€ฆ" (Shemot 23:33) So long as they are not sinning, meaning that they have accepted upon themselves the seven Noachide laws, it is permissible to leave them in the land. In some versions the Targum translated 'All this Aravnah the king gave to the king' as 'Aravnah gave to the king that which the king asked of him.'

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึจืืžึถืจ ื”ึทืžึผึถึœืœึถืšึฐ ืึถืœึพืึฒืจึทึ—ื•ึฐื ึธื” ืœึนึšื ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืงึธื ึจื•ึน ืึถืงึฐื ึถึคื” ืžึตืึฝื•ึนืชึฐืšึธึ™ ื‘ึผึดืžึฐื—ึดึ”ื™ืจ ื•ึฐืœึนึงื ืึทืขึฒืœึถึ›ื” ืœึทื™ื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึทึ–ื™ ืขึนืœึฃื•ึนืช ื—ึดื ึผึธึ‘ื ื•ึทื™ึผึดึจืงึถืŸ ื“ึผึธื•ึดึคื“ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื’ึผึนึ™ืจึถืŸึ™ ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึทื‘ึผึธืงึธึ”ืจ ื‘ึผึฐื›ึถึ–ืกึถืฃ ืฉืึฐืงึธืœึดึฅื™ื ื—ึฒืžึดืฉืึผึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

But the king replied to Araunah, โ€œNo, I will buy them from you at a price. I cannot sacrifice to the ETERNAL my God burnt offerings that have cost me nothing.โ€ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Dovid refuses the gift with a foundational principle of Jewish religious practice: 'I will not offer to Hashem my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing' (olot chinam). He purchases the goren and oxen for fifty shekels of silver; the parallel in I Chronicles 21:25 records 600 shekels of gold for the entire site, which classical commentators resolve as fifty shekels collected from each of the twelve tribes -- so the entire nation contributed to the Temple Mount's purchase.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉึฐืืงึธืœึดื™ื ื—ึฒืžึดืฉึดึผืื™ื. ื•ึผื‘ึฐื“ึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ื”ึทื™ึธึผืžึดื™ื (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ื›ื:ื›ื”) ื”ื•ึผื ืื•ึนืžึตืจ, ืดืฉึดืืงึฐืœึตื™ ื–ึธื”ึธื‘ ืžึดืฉึฐืืงึทืœ ืฉึตืืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืชืด, ื”ึธื ื›ึตึผื™ืฆึทื“, ื’ึธึผื‘ึธื” ื—ึฒืžึดืฉึดึผืื™ื ืฉึฐืืงึธืœึดื™ื ื›ึถึผืกึถืฃ ืžึดื›ึธึผืœ ืฉึตืื‘ึถื˜ ื•ึฐืฉึตืื‘ึถื˜, ื”ึฒืจึตื™ ืฉึตืืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืช, ื•ึฐื ึธืชึทืŸ ืœื•ึน ื›ึถึผืกึถืฃ ื‘ึดึผื“ึฐืžึตื™ ื”ึทื–ึธึผื”ึธื‘. ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ืฉึธืื ึดื™ื ื•ึผ ื‘ึฐึผืกื•ึนืฃ ืฉึฐืื—ึดื™ื˜ึทืช ืงึธื“ึธืฉึดืื™ื (ื–ื‘ื—ื™ื ืงื˜ื– ื‘): ื’ึธึผื‘ึธื” ื›ึถึผืกึถืฃ ื‘ึฐึผืฉึตืืฉื ืžึตืื•ึนืช ื›ึถึผืกึถืฃ ื‘ึฐึผืฉึดืืงึฐืœึตื™ ื–ึธื”ึธื‘. ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ืฉึธืื ึดื™ื ื•ึผ ื‘ึฐึผืกึดืคึฐืจึดื™. ื—ืกืœืช ืกืคืจ ืฉืžื•ืืœ:
Fifty shekolim. [But] in Divrei Hayomim25Divrei Hayomim I, 21:25. it says, "Golden Shekolim weighing six hundred," how is this possible? [The answer is] he collected fifty silver shekolim from each tribe that is [a total of] six hundred26 and he gave him an amount of silver that had the value of [six hundred] gold [shekolim]. We also are taught this in the end of Zevochim,27 "He collected an amount of silver that had a value of six hundred gold shekolim, and we also learned this in the Sifri.28Re'eh, 10.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดึฉื‘ึถืŸึฉ ืฉืึธึจื ื“ึผึธื•ึดึคื“ ืžึดื–ึฐื‘ึผึตึ™ื—ึทึ™ ืœึทื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึทื™ึผึทึฅืขึทืœ ืขึนืœึ–ื•ึนืช ื•ึผืฉืึฐืœึธืžึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึผึตืขึธืชึตึคืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืœึธืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ื•ึทืชึผึตืขึธืฆึทึฅืจ ื”ึทืžึผึทื’ึผึตืคึธึ–ื” ืžึตืขึทึฅืœ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึฝืœืƒ

English:

And David built there an altar to GOD and sacrificed burnt offerings and offerings of well-being. GOD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague against Israel was checked.

Dovid builds an altar to Hashem, offers olot and shelamim, and Hashem is entreated for the land -- the plague is stayed from upon Yisrael. Sefer Shmuel ends here, with the verb 've-ye'ater' echoing 21:14 at the close of the famine narrative, sealing a closing chiasm. The book's final word is 'Yisrael' -- a sefer that began with Channa's barren prayer and the corruption of Shilo ends with the Temple Mount secured and the nation preserved.

โ† II Samuel 23 | I Kings 1 โ†’

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Chapter 23II Samuel ยท ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ืณ