David Counts His Fighting Men
1The Lord was very angry with Israel. He stirred up David against them. He said, “Go! Count the men of Israel and Judah.”
2So the king spoke to Joab and the army commanders with him. He said, “Go all through the territories of the tribes of Israel. Go from the town of Dan all the way to Beersheba. Count the fighting men. Then I’ll know how many there are.”
3Joab replied to the king. He said, “King David, you are my master. May the Lord your God multiply the troops 100 times. And may you live to see it. But why would you want me to count the fighting men?”
4The king’s word had more authority than the word of Joab and the army commanders. That was true in spite of what Joab had said. So they left the king and went out to count the fighting men of Israel.
5They went across the Jordan River. They camped south of the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley near Aroer. Then they went through Gad and continued on to Jazer. 6They went to Gilead and the area of Tahtim Hodshi. They continued to Dan Jaan and on around toward Sidon. 7Then they went toward the fort of Tyre. They went to all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba. It was in the Negev Desert of Judah.
8They finished going through the entire land. Then they came back to Jerusalem. They had been gone for nine months and 20 days.
9Joab reported to the king how many fighting men he had counted. In Israel there were 800,000 men who were able to handle a sword. In Judah there were 500,000.
10David felt sorry that he had counted the fighting men. So he said to the Lord, “I committed a great sin when I counted Judah and Israel’s men. Lord, I beg you to take away my guilt. I’ve done a very foolish thing.”
11Before David got up the next morning, a message from the Lord came to Gad the prophet. He was David’s seer. The message said, 12“Go and tell David, ‘The Lord says, “I could punish you in three different ways. Choose one of them for me to use against you.” ’ ”
13So Gad went to David. He said to him, “Take your choice. Do you want three years when there won’t be enough food in your land? Or do you want three months when you will run away from your enemies while they chase you? Or do you want three days when there will be a plague in your land? Think it over. Then take your pick. Tell me how to answer the one who sent me.”
14David said to Gad, “I’m suffering terribly. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord. His mercy is great. But don’t let me fall into human hands.”
15So the Lord sent a plague on Israel. It lasted from that morning until he decided to end it. From Dan all the way to Beersheba 70,000 people died. 16The angel reached his hand out to destroy Jerusalem. But the Lord stopped sending the plague. So he spoke to the angel who was making the people suffer. He said, “That is enough! Do not kill any more people.” The angel of the Lord was at Araunah’s threshing floor. Araunah was from the city of Jebus.
17David saw the angel who was striking down the people. David said to the Lord, “I’m the one who has sinned. I’m the one who has done what is wrong. I’m like a shepherd for these people. These people are like sheep. What have they done? Let your judgment be on me and my family.”
David Builds an Altar
18On that day Gad went to David. Gad said to him, “Go up to the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. Build an altar there to honor the Lord.” 19So David went up and did it. He did what the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him. So he went out to welcome them. He bowed down to the king with his face toward the ground.
21Araunah said, “King David, you are my master. Why have you come to see me?”
“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered. “I want to build an altar there to honor the Lord. When I do, the plague on the people will be stopped.”
22Araunah said to David, “Take anything you wish. Offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering. Here are threshing sleds. And here are wooden collars from the necks of the oxen. Use all the wood to burn the offering. 23Your Majesty, I’ll give all of it to you.” Araunah continued, “And may the Lord your God accept you.”
24But the king replied to Araunah, “No. I want to pay you for it. I won’t sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that haven’t cost me anything.”
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen. He paid 20 ounces of silver for them. 25David built an altar there to honor the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings. Then the Lord answered David’s prayer and blessed the land. The plague on Israel was stopped.
Daudi Ahesabu Wapiganaji
(1 Nyakati 21:1-27)
124:1 Yos 9:15; Ay 1:6; Zek 3:1; Kut 30:12; 1Nya 27:23; 2Sam 16:10; 21:11; 1Fal 22:22; 1Nya 21:1; Yak 1:13Hasira ya Bwana ikawaka tena dhidi ya Israeli, naye akamchochea Daudi dhidi yao, akisema, “Nenda ukawahesabu Israeli na Yuda.”
224:2 2Sam 20:23; 3:10; 2Nya 2:17; 17:14; 25:5; Amu 20:1; Mwa 26:4; Kum 8:13-14; 2Nya 32:25-26; Mit 18:12; 29:23; Yer 17:5Kwa hiyo mfalme akamwambia Yoabu, pamoja na majemadari wa jeshi aliokuwa nao, “Nendeni kwa makabila yote ya Israeli kuanzia Dani hadi Beer-Sheba na mwandikishe watu wapiganaji, ili niweze kujua idadi yao.”
324:3 2Sam 2:18; Kum 1:11Lakini Yoabu akamjibu mfalme, “Bwana Mungu wako na azidishe jeshi mara mia, nayo macho ya bwana wangu mfalme na yaone hili. Lakini kwa nini bwana wangu mfalme anataka kufanya kitu cha namna hii?”
424:4 1Nya 21:4; Mhu 8:4; Mdo 5:29Hata hivyo, neno la mfalme likawa na nguvu juu ya Yoabu pamoja na majemadari wa jeshi, kwa hiyo wakaondoka mbele ya mfalme kuandikisha wapiganaji wa Israeli.
524:5 Yos 13:9; Hes 21:32; Kum 2:36Baada ya kuvuka Yordani, walipiga kambi karibu na Aroeri, kusini ya mji ulioko kwenye bonde jembamba, ndipo wakipitia Gadi, wakaenda hadi Yazeri. 624:6 Mwa 10:19; Amu 1:31; Yos 19:28; Amu 18:28-29Walikwenda hadi Gileadi na pia eneo la Tahtimu-Hodshi, wakaendelea hadi Dani-Yaani na kuzunguka kuelekea Sidoni. 724:7 Yos 19:29; Kut 3:8; Kum 1:31; Yos 11:3; Mwa 21:21-33Kisha wakaenda kuelekea ngome ya Tiro pamoja na miji yote ya Wahivi na ya Wakanaani. Mwishoni, walikwenda mpaka Beer-Sheba katika Negebu ya Yuda.
8Baada ya kupita katika nchi nzima, walirudi Yerusalemu baada ya miezi tisa na siku ishirini.
924:9 Hes 1:44-46; 1Nya 21:5Yoabu akatoa hesabu ya wapiganaji kwa mfalme: Katika Israeli kulikuwako watu 800,000 wenye uwezo wa kupigana, na katika Yuda watu 500,000.
1024:10 1Sam 24:5; Hes 22:34; 12:11; 2Sam 12:13; 1Sam 13:13; Mit 18:4; 1Yn 3:20; 1Nya 21:8; Ay 33:27-28; Za 25:11Dhamiri ya Daudi ilishtuka baada ya kuwahesabu wapiganaji, naye akamwambia Bwana, “Nimefanya dhambi kubwa kwa kufanya jambo hili. Ee Bwana, sasa ninakusihi, ondoa hatia ya mtumishi wako. Nimefanya jambo la kipumbavu sana.”
1124:11 1Sam 22:5; 9:9; 1Nya 29:29Kabla Daudi hajaamka kesho yake asubuhi, neno la Bwana lilikuwa limemjia Gadi nabii, aliyekuwa mwonaji wa Daudi, kusema: 12“Nenda ukamwambie Daudi, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: Ninakupa wewe uchaguzi wa mambo matatu. Nichagulie mojawapo nitakalotenda dhidi yako.’ ”
1324:13 Kum 28:28-48; 32:24; Eze 14:21; Kut 5:3; 30:12; Law 26:25; Kum 28:21-28, 35; 1Nya 21:12Basi Gadi akaenda kwa Daudi na kumwambia, “Je, ije njaa ya miaka mitatu katika nchi yako? Au miezi mitatu ya kukimbia adui zako wakikufuatia? Au siku tatu za tauni katika nchi yako? Basi sasa, fikiri juu ya hilo na uamue jinsi nitakavyomjibu huyo aliyenituma.”
1424:14 Neh 9:28; Za 4:1; 51:1; 103:8-13; Isa 54:7; 55:7; Yer 33:8; 42:12; Dan 9:9; Isa 47:6; Zek 1:15Daudi akamjibu Gadi, “Nitataabika sana. Afadhali tuangukie mikononi mwa Bwana, kwa maana rehema zake ni kuu, lakini usiniache nianguke mikononi mwa wanadamu.”
1524:15 1Nya 24:24; 21:14; 27:24Basi Bwana akatuma tauni katika Israeli kuanzia asubuhi mpaka mwisho wa muda ulioamriwa, wakafa watu 70,000 kuanzia Dani hadi Beer-Sheba. 1624:16 Mwa 6:6; 16:7; 19:13; Kut 12:23; Mdo 12:23; 1Nya 21:15; Za 104:4; 1Sam 15:11; Za 78:38; Yer 18:5-10; Yoe 2:13; Yon 3:10Malaika aliponyoosha mkono wake ili kuangamiza Yerusalemu, Bwana akahuzunika kwa sababu ya maafa, akamwambia yule malaika aliyekuwa anawadhuru watu, “Yatosha! Rudisha mkono wako.” Wakati huo malaika wa Bwana alikuwa kwenye sakafu ya kupuria ya Arauna,24:16 Pia anaitwa Ornani kwa Kiebrania. Myebusi.
1724:17 Za 74:1; 100:3; Yer 49:20; Mwa 18:23; Yon 1:12; 1Nya 21:17Ikawa Daudi alipomwona huyo malaika aliyekuwa akiwaua watu, akamwambia Bwana, “Mimi ndiye niliyetenda dhambi na kukosa. Hawa ni kondoo tu. Wamefanya nini? Mkono wako uwe juu yangu na nyumba yangu.”
Daudi Ajenga Madhabahu
1824:18 Mwa 22:2; 2Nya 3:1Siku hiyo Gadi akamwendea Daudi na kumwambia, “Panda ukamjengee Bwana madhabahu kwenye sakafu ya kupuria ya Arauna Myebusi.” 19Kwa hiyo Daudi akakwea kama vile Bwana alivyokuwa ameamuru kwa kinywa cha Gadi. 20Arauna alipotazama na kumwona mfalme na watu wake wakija kumwelekea, alitoka nje na kusujudu mbele ya mfalme kifudifudi, akiuinamisha uso wake ardhini.
2124:21 Hes 16:44-50; Mwa 23:8Arauna akasema, “Mbona bwana wangu mfalme amekuja kwa mtumishi wake?”
Daudi akajibu, “Kununua sakafu yako ya kupuria, ili niweze kumjengea Bwana madhabahu, ili tauni iliyo katika watu iondolewe.”
2224:22 1Sam 6:14; 1Fal 19:21Arauna akamwambia Daudi, “Bwana wangu mfalme na achukue chochote kinachompendeza na akitoe sadaka. Hapa kuna maksai kwa ajili ya sadaka ya kuteketezwa, pia kuna miti ya kupuria na nira za ngʼombe kwa ajili ya kuni. 2324:23 Mwa 23:11; Eze 20:40-41; Za 20:3; 119:108; 1Pet 2:5Ee mfalme, Arauna anatoa vyote hivi kwa mfalme.” Pia Arauna akamwambia mfalme, “Bwana Mungu wako na akukubali.”
2424:24 Mal 1:13-14; Mwa 23:16Lakini mfalme akamjibu Arauna, “La hasha, nasisitiza kuvilipia. Sitatoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa kwa Bwana Mungu wangu isiyonigharimu chochote.”
Kwa hiyo Daudi akanunua ile sakafu ya kupuria nafaka na maksai, akazilipia shekeli hamsini za fedha.24:24 Shekeli 50 za fedha ni sawa na gramu 600. 2524:25 1Sam 7:17; 2Sam 21:14; 1Nya 21:28; 22:1; 2Sam 21:14; 2Nya 33:13Kisha Daudi akamjengea Bwana madhabahu mahali hapo, na kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani. Kisha Bwana akajibu kwa ajili ya nchi, nayo tauni ikakoma katika Israeli.
