Study Desk

And it came to pass, at the time of the turn of the year, at the time of the going forth of kings, that Joab led forth the force of the army, and laid waste the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah, but, David, was tarrying in Jerusalem, - and Joab smote Rabbah, and overthrew it.

But, when he reproached Israel, Jonathan, son of Shimea brother of David, smote him.

These, were born unto the giant in Gath, - but they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Then said Joab, May Yahweh add unto his people, as many as they are, a hundred times, but are they not, my lord O king, all of them my lord's, as servants? wherefore should my lord seek this? wherefore should it become guilt to Israel?

But, the word of the king, prevailed against Joab, - and Joab departed, and went to and fro throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

But, Levi and Benjamin, counted he not among them, - for detestable was the word of the king unto Joab.

And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing, - but, now, I beseech thee, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have shown myself very foolish.

And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait, - Oh let me fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Yahweh, for abounding are his compassions, exceedingly, but, into the hand of man, let me not fall.

And God sent a messenger to Jerusalem, to lay it waste, but, as he was laying it waste, Yahweh looked, and relented concerning the calamity, and said unto the messenger who was laying waste, Enough! now, stay thy hand. And, the messenger of Yahweh, was standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David said unto God, Was it not, I, who gave word to number the people? Yea, I, it was who sinned and did the great wrong, what then had, these sheep, done? O Yahweh, my God, let thy hand, I beseech thee, be against me, and against the house of my father, but not against, thy people, that they should be plagued!

And Ornan turned, and saw the messenger, but, his four sons with him, were hiding themselves, - now, Ornan, had been threshing wheat.

Then said King David to Ornan, Nay! but I will, surely buy, it for silver in full, - for I will not take that which is thine for Yahweh, nor offer an ascending-sacrifice that hath cost me nothing.

But, the habitation of Yahweh, which Moses made in the desert, and the altar of ascending-sacrifice, were, at that time, in the high place at Gibeon;

but the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, Blood in abundance, hast thou shed, and, great wars, hast thou made, - thou shalt not build a house for my Name, because, much blood, hast thou shed upon the earth, before me.

And Jahath was chief, and Zizah the second, - but, Jeush and Beriah, had not many sons, so they became an ancestral house, by one reckoning.

and the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief, - and Eliezer had no other sons, but, the sons of Rehabiah, were very many.

But Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only, - and so the sons of Kish their brethren took them.

but Nadab and Abihu, died, before their father, and sons, had they none, - but Eleazar and Ithamar became priests;

But the sons of Eleazar were found to be more numerous, by the chiefs of their able men, than were the sons of Ithamar, so they divided them, - the sons of Eleazar, had chiefs, of the ancestral house, sixteen, whereas, the sons of Ithamar, had of their ancestral house, eight.

But David took not the number of them, from twenty years old, and under, - because Yahweh had said, he would multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens.