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Friday, July 11th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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THE MESSAGE

2 Samuel 24:15

So God let loose an epidemic from morning until suppertime. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand people died. But when the angel reached out over Jerusalem to destroy it, God felt the pain of the terror and told the angel who was spreading death among the people, "Enough's enough! Pull back!" The angel of God had just reached the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel hovering between earth and sky, sword drawn and about to strike Jerusalem. David and the elders bowed in prayer and covered themselves with rough burlap.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Nation;   Plague;   Presumption;   Thompson Chain Reference - God's;   Judgments, God's;   Pestilence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Anger of God, the;   Diseases;   Plague or Pestilence, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Joab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Disease;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Destroyer;   Gad;   Jerusalem;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gad (2);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Araunah;   Canaan, History and Religion of;   Destroyer;   King, Kingship;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Genealogy;   Medicine;   Samuel, Books of;   Sin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Meals;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Gad, the Prophet;   Pestilence;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gad;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Gad;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moriah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Araunah;   Meals;   Plague;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Angelology;   Dan;   David;   Death, Angel of;   Famine;   Palestine;   Pestilence;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men died.
Hebrew Names Version
So the LORD sent a pestilence on Yisra'el from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva seventy thousand men.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.
New Century Version
So the Lord sent a terrible disease on Israel. It began in the morning and continued until the chosen time to stop. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand people died.
New English Translation
So the Lord sent a plague through Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time. Seventy thousand men died from Dan to Beer Sheba.
Amplified Bible
So the LORD sent a pestilence (plague) [lasting three days] upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.
New American Standard Bible
So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So the Lord sent a pestilece in Israel, from the morning euen to the time appointed: & there dyed of the people from Dan euen to Beer-sheba seuentie thousand men.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Yahweh sent a pestilence against Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and 70,000 men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.
Contemporary English Version
So that morning, the Lord sent an angel to spread a horrible disease everywhere in Israel, from Dan to Beersheba. And before it was over, seventy thousand people had died. When the angel was about to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord felt sorry for all the suffering he had caused and told the angel, "That's enough! Don't touch them." This happened at the threshing place that belonged to Araunah the Jebusite.
Complete Jewish Bible
So Adonai sent a plague on Isra'el from that morning until the end of the specified time; 70,000 of the people died between Dan and Be'er-Sheva.
Darby Translation
And Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the set time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
Easy-to-Read Version
So the Lord sent a disease against Israel. It began in the morning and continued until the chosen time to stop. From Dan to Beersheba 70,000 people died.
George Lamsa Translation
So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the evening; and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
Good News Translation
So the Lord sent an epidemic on Israel, which lasted from that morning until the time that he had chosen. From one end of the country to the other seventy thousand Israelites died.
Lexham English Bible
Then Yahweh sent a plague into Israel from the morning until the agreed time, and from the people from Dan to Beersheba, seventy thousand men died.
Literal Translation
And Jehovah sent a plague on Israel from the morning even to the time appointed. And from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand of the people died.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So the LORDE sent pestilece in to Israel from the morow vnto the tyme appoynted, so that there dyed of the people from Dan vnto Berseba, thre score and ten thousande men.
American Standard Version
So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
Bible in Basic English
So David made selection of the disease; and the time was the days of the grain-cutting, when the disease came among the people, causing the death of seventy thousand men from Dan as far as Beer-sheba.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so the Lorde sent a pestilence in Israel, from the morning vnto the time appoynted: And there dyed of the people from Dan to Beerseba seuentie thousand men.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
King James Version (1611)
So the Lord sent a pestilence vpon Israel, from the morning, euen to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan euen to Beersheba, seuentie thousand men.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So David chose for himself the mortality: and they were the days of wheat-harvest; and the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from morning till noon, and the plague began among the people; and there died of the people from Dan even to Bersabee seventy thousand men.
English Revised Version
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 Beer–sheba seventy thousand men.
Berean Standard Bible
So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and of the people from Dan to Beersheba, seventy thousand men died.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord sente pestilence in to Israel fro the morewtid `til to the tyme ordeyned [Note: that is, til to the oure of sacrifice of euentid; the ii. laste dayes of pestilence, weren seid bi manassing, and weren releessid for the penaunce of Dauyth. ]; and seuenti thousynde of men weren deed of the puple fro Dan `til to Bersabee.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah giveth a pestilence on Israel from the morning even unto the time appointed, and there die of the people, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, seventy thousand men,
Update Bible Version
So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
World English Bible
So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.
New King James Version
So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died.
New Living Translation
So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel that morning, and it lasted for three days. A total of 70,000 people died throughout the nation, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.
New Life Bible
So the Lord sent a disease upon Israel from the morning until the time given. And 70,000 men died, from Dan to Beersheba.
New Revised Standard
So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from that morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand of the people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So Yahweh sent forth a pestilence throughout Israel, from the morning even unto the time appointed, - and there died of the people, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, seventy thousand men.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, from the morning unto the time appointed, and there died of the people from Dan to Bersabee seventy thousand men.
Revised Standard Version
So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time; and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.

Contextual Overview

10 But when it was all done, David was overwhelmed with guilt because he had counted the people, replacing trust with statistics. And David prayed to God , "I have sinned badly in what I have just done. But now God forgive my guilt—I've been really stupid." 11When David got up the next morning, the word of God had already come to Gad the prophet, David's spiritual advisor, "Go and give David this message: ‘ God has spoken thus: There are three things I can do to you; choose one out of the three and I'll see that it's done.'" 13 Gad came to deliver the message: "Do you want three years of famine in the land, or three months of running from your enemies while they chase you down, or three days of an epidemic on the country? Think it over and make up your mind. What shall I tell the one who sent me?" 14 David told Gad, "They're all terrible! But I'd rather be punished by God , whose mercy is great, than fall into human hands." 15So God let loose an epidemic from morning until suppertime. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand people died. But when the angel reached out over Jerusalem to destroy it, God felt the pain of the terror and told the angel who was spreading death among the people, "Enough's enough! Pull back!" The angel of God had just reached the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel hovering between earth and sky, sword drawn and about to strike Jerusalem. David and the elders bowed in prayer and covered themselves with rough burlap. 17 When David saw the angel about to destroy the people, he prayed, "Please! I'm the one who sinned; I, the shepherd, did the wrong. But these sheep, what did they do wrong? Punish me and my family, not them."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the Lord: Numbers 16:46-49, Numbers 25:9, 1 Samuel 6:19, 1 Chronicles 21:14, 1 Chronicles 27:4, Matthew 24:7, Revelation 6:8

from Dan: 2 Samuel 24:2

seventy thousand men: Isaiah 37:36

Reciprocal: Leviticus 10:6 - lest wrath Leviticus 26:25 - I will send Deuteronomy 28:21 - General 1 Kings 4:25 - from Dan 1 Chronicles 21:2 - Beersheba Psalms 91:3 - and from Psalms 91:6 - destruction Ezekiel 14:19 - if I

Cross-References

Genesis 11:27
This is the story of Terah. Terah had Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran had Lot. Haran died before his father, Terah, in the country of his family, Ur of the Chaldees.
Genesis 21:14
Abraham got up early the next morning, got some food together and a canteen of water for Hagar, put them on her back and sent her away with the child. She wandered off into the desert of Beersheba. When the water was gone, she left the child under a shrub and went off, fifty yards or so. She said, "I can't watch my son die." As she sat, she broke into sobs.
Genesis 24:18
She said, "Certainly, drink!" And she held the jug so that he could drink. When he had satisfied his thirst she said, "I'll get water for your camels, too, until they've drunk their fill." She promptly emptied her jug into the trough and ran back to the well to fill it, and she kept at it until she had watered all the camels. The man watched, silent. Was this God 's answer? Had God made his trip a success or not?
Genesis 24:24
She said, "I'm the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor. And there's plenty of room in our house for you to stay—and lots of straw and feed besides."
Genesis 24:45
"I had barely finished offering this prayer, when Rebekah arrived, her jug on her shoulder. She went to the spring and drew water and I said, ‘Please, can I have a drink?' She didn't hesitate. She held out her jug and said, ‘Drink; and when you're finished I'll also water your camels.' I drank, and she watered the camels. I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?' She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel whose parents were Nahor and Milcah.' I gave her a ring for her nose, bracelets for her arms, and bowed in worship to God . I praised God , the God of my master Abraham who had led me straight to the door of my master's family to get a wife for his son.
Genesis 29:9
While Jacob was in conversation with them, Rachel came up with her father's sheep. She was the shepherd. The moment Jacob spotted Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, saw her arriving with his uncle Laban's sheep, he went and single-handedly rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. Then he kissed Rachel and broke into tears. He told Rachel that he was related to her father, that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father. When Laban heard the news—Jacob, his sister's son!—he ran out to meet him, embraced and kissed him and brought him home. Jacob told Laban the story of everything that had happened.
Exodus 2:16
The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, filling the troughs and watering their father's sheep. When some shepherds came and chased the girls off, Moses came to their rescue and helped them water their sheep.
Ruth 2:2
One day Ruth, the Moabite foreigner, said to Naomi, "I'm going to work; I'm going out to glean among the sheaves, following after some harvester who will treat me kindly." Naomi said, "Go ahead, dear daughter."
Ruth 2:17
Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. When she threshed out what she had gathered, she ended up with nearly a full sack of barley! She gathered up her gleanings, went back to town, and showed her mother-in-law the results of her day's work; she also gave her the leftovers from her lunch.
Psalms 34:15
God keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel,.... Upon the land of Israel, the people of the land, directly employing an angel to go through the coasts of it, and empowering him to inflict a pestilential disease:

from the morning even to the time appointed: from the morning the prophet Gad came to David with a message from the Lord; that very morning the plague began, and lasted to the time set for it, the three days, or at least unto the beginning of the third, when reaching Jerusalem, the Lord repented of it, and stayed his hand; though many think a much shorter time is intended; some think it lasted no more than half a day, if so much; some say but three hours f; the Septuagint version, until dinnertime; and the Syriac and Arabic versions, until the sixth hour of the day, which was noon; and so Kimchi says, some of their Rabbins interpret it of the half or middle of the day; the Targum is,

"from the time the daily sacrifice was slain until it was burnt;''

and it is the sense of several learned men that it was only from the morning until the time of the evening sacrifice, or evening prayer, about three o'clock in the afternoon, and so lasted about nine hours:

and there died of the people, from Dan even to Beersheba, seventy thousand men; so that there was a great diminution of the people in all places where they were numbered; and David's sin may be read in the punishment of it; his heart was lifted up by the numbers of his people, and now it must be humbled by the lessening of them.

f Pirke Eliezer, c. 43.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The time appointed - Perhaps “the time of the assembly,” meaning the time of the evening sacrifice, at three o’clock, when the people assembled for prayer, more commonly described as “the time of the evening oblation” Daniel 9:21; 1Ki 18:29, 1 Kings 18:36; Acts 3:1; Luke 1:10.

Seventy thousand - It is the most destructive plague recorded as having fallen upon the Israelites. In the plague that followed the rebellion of Korah there died 14,700 Numbers 16:49; in the plague, on account of Baal-Peor, 24,000 Numbers 25:9; 1 Corinthians 10:8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 24:15. From the morning - to the time appointed — That is, from the morning of the day after David had made his election till the third day, according to the condition which God had proposed, and he had accepted: but it seems that the plague was terminated before the conclusion of the third day, for Jerusalem might have been destroyed, but it was not. Throughout the land, independently of the city, seventy thousand persons were slain! This was a terrible mortality in the space of less than three days.


 
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