II Samuel 24

שמואל ב׳ פרק כ״ד

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: II Samuel | Chapter: 24 of 24 | Day: 100 of 742

Date: May 22, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

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 Sha’ul’s broken covenant with the Givonim was resolved through expiation on consecrated ground; here, a national crisis born of Dovid’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 “Yisrael” — the plague is stayed “me-al Yisrael” (v. 25), and the people endure.

The chapter opens with one of the most theologically arresting verses in Tanakh: “Vayosef af Hashem la-charot be-Yisrael, vayaset et Dovid bahem leimor, lekh meneh et Yisrael ve-et Yehuda” (v. 1). Hashem’s anger is again kindled — the word “vayosef,” added, suggesting an unresolved prior grievance — 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 “ha-satan.” 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 king’s heart available to such inciting in the first place? Chazal offer several readings — 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 — “May Hashem your God add to the people a hundredfold… but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” — 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 king’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, Dovid’s heart at last smites him (v. 10), and his confession — “chatati me’od asher asiti” — recalls the language of his repentance after Bat Sheva. The prophet Gad arrives with three options, and Dovid’s choice in verse 14 is one of the great theological declarations in Tanakh: “Niflah na ve-yad Hashem ki rabim rachamav, u-ve-yad adam al epolah.” 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 “rav” — enough — 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: “Hineh anokhi chatati ve-anokhi he’eveti, ve-eleh ha-tzon mah asu? Tehi na yadkha bi u-ve-veit avi.” Behold, 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. 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 Nevi’im — a king assuming the burden of his subjects’ suffering, refusing the comfort of distance. Rashi notes the echo of Dovid’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. Dovid’s refusal in verse 24 has become a foundational principle of Jewish religious practice: “Lo, ki kano ekneh me-otkha bi-mechir, ve-lo a’aleh laHashem Elohai olot chinam.” 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 — 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: “Zeh hu beit Hashem ha-Elohim, ve-zeh mizbeach le-olah le-Yisrael.” Chazal in Zevachim 62a and elsewhere identify the site with Mount Moriah, the place where Avraham bound Yitzchak — 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 Channa’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 Sha’ul’s tragedy and Dovid’s triumphs and failures, ends not with Dovid’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 son’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.

פרק כ״ד · Chapter 24

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֙סֶף֙ אַף־יְהֹוָ֔ה לַחֲר֖וֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֨סֶת אֶת־דָּוִ֤ד בָּהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֵ֛ךְ מְנֵ֥ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְאֶת־יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

aThis passage is also found, with some variations, in 1 Chron. 21.1–26. GOD’s anger againbagain Cf. above 21.1–14. flared up against Israel; and [God] incited David against them, saying, “Go and number Israel and Judah.”

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־יוֹאָ֣ב ׀ שַׂר־הַחַ֣יִל אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ שֽׁוּט־נָ֞א בְּכׇל־שִׁבְטֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע וּפִקְד֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וְיָ֣דַעְתִּ֔י אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר הָעָֽם׃ {ס}        

English:

The king said to Joab, his army commander,chis army commander Cf. 1 Chron. 21.2 “and to the officers of the army”; below, v. 4. “Make 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.”

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיוֹסֵ֣ף יְהֹוָה֩ אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ אֶל־הָעָ֜ם כָּהֵ֤ם ׀ וְכָהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים וְעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ רֹא֑וֹת וַאדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֥מָּה חָפֵ֖ץ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

Joab answered the king, “May 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?”

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב וְעַ֖ל שָׂרֵ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וַיֵּצֵ֨א יוֹאָ֜ב וְשָׂרֵ֤י הַחַ֙יִל֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִפְקֹ֥ד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

However, the king’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 king’s behest, to take a census of the people of Israel.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בַעֲרוֹעֵ֗ר יְמִ֥ין הָעִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַנַּ֥חַל הַגָּ֖ד וְאֶל־יַעְזֵֽר׃

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 … Gad, and Some Septuagint mss. read “began at Aroer, and from the town, which is … Gad, they.” [went on] to Jazer.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַגִּלְעָ֔דָה וְאֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ תַּחְתִּ֖ים חׇדְשִׁ֑י וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ דָּ֣נָה יַּ֔עַן וְסָבִ֖יב אֶל־צִידֽוֹן׃

English:

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

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ מִבְצַר־צֹ֔ר וְכׇל־עָרֵ֥י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֑י וַיֵּ֥צְא֛וּ אֶל־נֶ֥גֶב יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

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.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיָּשֻׁ֖טוּ בְּכׇל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ מִקְצֵ֨ה תִשְׁעָ֧ה חֳדָשִׁ֛ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים י֖וֹם יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

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

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתְּהִ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל שְֽׁמֹנֶה֩ מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֤לֶף אִֽישׁ־חַ֙יִל֙ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֔רֶב וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה חֲמֵשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

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 Judah’s contingent numbered 500,000.

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֤ךְ לֵב־דָּוִד֙ אֹת֔וֹ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן סָפַ֣ר אֶת־הָעָ֑ם {פ}וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה חָטָ֤אתִֽי מְאֹד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי וְעַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה הַֽעֲבֶר־נָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֥י נִסְכַּ֖לְתִּי מְאֹֽד׃

English:

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

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֥קׇם דָּוִ֖ד בַּבֹּ֑קֶר {פ}וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה הָיָה֙ אֶל־גָּ֣ד הַנָּבִ֔יא חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃

English:

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

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

הָל֞וֹךְ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שָׁלֹ֕שׁ אָנֹכִ֖י נוֹטֵ֣ל עָלֶ֑יךָ בְּחַר־לְךָ֥ אַחַת־מֵהֶ֖ם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃

English:

“Go and tell David, ‘Thus said GOD: I hold three things over you; choose one of them, and I will bring it upon you.’”

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹא־גָ֥ד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד וַיַּגֶּד־ל֑וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֡וֹ הֲתָב֣וֹא לְךָ֣ שֶׁבַע־שָׁנִ֣ים ׀ רָעָ֣ב ׀ בְּאַרְצֶ֡ךָ אִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳ֠דָשִׁ֠ים נֻסְךָ֨ לִפְנֵי־צָרֶ֜יךָ וְה֣וּא רֹדְפֶ֗ךָ וְאִם־הֱ֠י֠וֹת שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֥ים דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּאַרְצֶ֔ךָ עַתָּה֙ דַּ֣ע וּרְאֵ֔ה מָה־אָשִׁ֥יב שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר׃ {ס}        

English:

Gad came to David and told him; he asked, “Shall 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.”

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֶל־גָּ֖ד צַר־לִ֣י מְאֹ֑ד נִפְּלָה־נָּ֤א בְיַד־יְהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־רַבִּ֣ים רַחֲמָ֔ו וּבְיַד־אָדָ֖ם אַל־אֶפֹּֽלָה׃

English:

David said to Gad, “I am in great distress.gin great distress Or “deeply distressed.” Let us fall into the hands of GOD, whose compassion is great; and let me not fall into human hands.”hSeptuagint adds “So David chose the pestilence. It was the time of the wheat harvest.”

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֥ה דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵהַבֹּ֖קֶר וְעַד־עֵ֣ת מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיָּ֣מׇת מִן־הָעָ֗ם מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

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.

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ יָד֨וֹ הַמַּלְאָ֥ךְ ׀ יְֽרוּשָׁלַ֘͏ִם֮ לְשַׁחֲתָהּ֒ וַיִּנָּ֤חֶם יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר לַמַּלְאָ֞ךְ הַמַּשְׁחִ֤ית בָּעָם֙ רַ֔ב עַתָּ֖ה הֶ֣רֶף יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ הָיָ֔ה עִם־גֹּ֖רֶן (האורנה) [הָֽאֲרַ֥וְנָה] הַיְבֻסִֽי׃ {ס}        

English:

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

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶל־יְהֹוָ֜ה בִּרְאֹת֣וֹ ׀ אֶֽת־הַמַּלְאָ֣ךְ ׀ הַמַּכֶּ֣ה בָעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֤י חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְאָנֹכִ֣י הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א יָדְךָ֛ בִּ֖י וּבְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ {פ}

English:

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

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹא־גָ֥ד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ עֲלֵה֙ הָקֵ֤ם לַֽיהֹוָה֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּגֹ֖רֶן (ארניה) [אֲרַ֥וְנָה] הַיְבֻסִֽי׃

English:

Gad came to David the same day and said to him, “Go and set up an altar to GOD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֤עַל דָּוִד֙ כִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

David went up, following Gad’s instructions, as GOD had commanded.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣ף אֲרַ֗וְנָה וַיַּ֤רְא אֶת־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֹבְרִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֲרַ֔וְנָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אַפָּ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃

English:

Araunah looked out and saw the king and his courtiers approaching him.k4QSamᵃ and 1 Chron. 21.20 add “Araunah (Ornan) was threshing wheat.” So Araunah went out and bowed low to the king, with his face to the ground.

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲרַ֔וְנָה מַדּ֛וּעַ בָּ֥א אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־עַבְדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לִקְנ֧וֹת מֵעִמְּךָ֣ אֶת־הַגֹּ֗רֶן לִבְנ֤וֹת מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְתֵעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל הָעָֽם׃

English:

And Araunah asked, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “To buy the threshing floor from you, that I may build an altar to GOD and that the plague against the people may be checked.”

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲרַ֙וְנָה֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד יִקַּ֥ח וְיַ֛עַל אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑ו רְאֵה֙ הַבָּקָ֣ר לָעֹלָ֔ה וְהַמֹּרִגִּ֛ים וּכְלֵ֥י הַבָּקָ֖ר לָעֵצִֽים׃

English:

And Araunah said to David, “Let 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.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

הַכֹּ֗ל נָתַ֛ן אֲרַ֥וְנָה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ {ס}        וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲרַ֙וְנָה֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יִרְצֶֽךָ׃

English:

All this, O king,lO king Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Araunah gives to Your Majesty. And may the ETERNAL your God,” Araunah added, “respond to you with favor!”

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־אֲרַ֗וְנָה לֹ֚א כִּֽי־קָנ֨וֹ אֶקְנֶ֤ה מֵאֽוֹתְךָ֙ בִּמְחִ֔יר וְלֹ֧א אַעֲלֶ֛ה לַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖י עֹל֣וֹת חִנָּ֑ם וַיִּ֨קֶן דָּוִ֤ד אֶת־הַגֹּ֙רֶן֙ וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֔ר בְּכֶ֖סֶף שְׁקָלִ֥ים חֲמִשִּֽׁים׃

English:

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I will buy them from you at a price. I cannot sacrifice to the ETERNAL my God burnt offerings that have cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וַיִּ֩בֶן֩ שָׁ֨ם דָּוִ֤ד מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַל עֹל֖וֹת וּשְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיֵּעָתֵ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לָאָ֔רֶץ וַתֵּעָצַ֥ר הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

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.

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