of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. [1] 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. [2] [3] 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, [4] 31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
CHAP. 24.
1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. [5]
3 And Joab said to the king, Now the LORD thy God add to the people, as many as they may be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it : but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
4 But the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.
5 And they passed over Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: [6]
6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, [7]
7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.
8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9 And Joab presented the sum of the number of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
11 For when David had risen in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
12 Go and say to David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things ; choose thee one of them, that I may do it to thee.
13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come upon thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now consider, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.
14 And David said to Gad, I am in deep distress: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. [8]
15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.
16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thy hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. [9]
17 And David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
18 And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to the LORD
- ↑ a goodly...: Heb. a man of countenance, or, sight: also called, a man of great stature
- ↑ more...: or, honourable among the thirty
- ↑ guard: or, council: Heb. at his command
- ↑ brooks: or, valleys
- ↑ Go: or, Compass
- ↑ river: or, valley
- ↑ land of Tahtimhodshi: or, nether land newly inhabited
- ↑ are great: or, are many
- ↑ Araunah: also called, Ornan
