2 Samuel 24

2 Samuel 24:1 Yahveh’s anger burned against Israel again, and he stirred up David against them to say: “Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.”

2 Samuel 24:2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the people so I can know their number.”

2 Samuel 24:3 Joab replied to the king, “May Yahveh your God multiply the people a hundred times more than they are– while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?”

2 Samuel 24:4 Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king’s presence to register the people of Israel.

2 Samuel 24:5 They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and then proceeded toward Gad and Jazer.

2 Samuel 24:6 They went to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites and continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon.

2 Samuel 24:7 They went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Afterward, they went to the Negev of Judah at Beer-sheba.

2 Samuel 24:8 When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

2 Samuel 24:9 Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were eight hundred thousand valiant armed men from Israel and five hundred thousand men from Judah.

2 Samuel 24:10 David’s heart struck him after he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, Lord, because I’ve been very foolish, please take away your servant’s guilt.”

2 Samuel 24:11 When David got up in the morning, the word of Yahveh had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer:

2 Samuel 24:12 “Go and say to David, ‘This is what Yahveh says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them, and I will do it to you.'”

2 Samuel 24:13 So Gad went to David, told him the choices, and asked him, “Do you want three years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days? Now, consider carefully what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”

2 Samuel 24:14 David answered Gad, “I have great anxiety. Please, let us fall into Yahveh’s hands because his mercies are great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”

2 Samuel 24:15 So Yahveh sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men died.

2 Samuel 24:16 Then the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to put an end to it, but Yahveh relented concerning the destruction and said to the angel who was putting an end to the people, “Enough, withdraw your hand now!” The angel of Yahveh was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

2 Samuel 24:17 When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.”

2 Samuel 24:18 Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up and set up an altar to Yahveh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

2 Samuel 24:19 David went up in obedience to Gad’s command, just as Yahveh had commanded.

2 Samuel 24:20 Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground.

2 Samuel 24:21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “To buy the threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord, so the plague on the people may be halted.”

2 Samuel 24:22 Araunah said to David, “My lord the king may take whatever he wants and offer it. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.

2 Samuel 24:23 Your Majesty, Araunah gives everything here to the king.” Then he said to the king, “May Yahveh your God accept you.”

2 Samuel 24:24 The king answered Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to Yahveh my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for twenty ounces of silver.

2 Samuel 24:25 He built an altar to Yahveh there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then Yahveh was receptive to prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel ended.

links:

Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, September 29, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, September 30, 2019
surrendering our sovereignty

The 2 SAMUEL shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23:1 These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob. This is the most delightful of Israel’s songs.

2 Samuel 23:2 The Breath of Yahveh spoke through me, his word was on my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,

2 Samuel 23:4 is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”

2 Samuel 23:5 Is it not true my house is with God? For he has established a permanent covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will he not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?

2 Samuel 23:6 But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside; they can never be picked up by hand.

2 Samuel 23:7 The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear. They will be completely burned up on the spot.

2 Samuel 23:8 These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men that he killed at one time.

2 Samuel 23:9 After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle,

2 Samuel 23:10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. Yahveh brought about a great victory that day. Then the people came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.

2 Samuel 23:11 After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The people fled from the Philistines,

2 Samuel 23:12 but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So Yahveh brought about a great victory.

2 Samuel 23:13 Three of the thirty leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.

2 Samuel 23:14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

2 Samuel 23:15 David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!”

2 Samuel 23:16 So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord.

2 Samuel 23:17 David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their throats. So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

2 Samuel 23:18 Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.

2 Samuel 23:19 Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

2 Samuel 23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah struck two sons of Ariel of Moab down, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

2 Samuel 23:21 He also struck an Egyptian, an impressive man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.

2 Samuel 23:22 These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors.

2 Samuel 23:23 He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

2 Samuel 23:24 Among the Thirty were Joab’s brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

2 Samuel 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

2 Samuel 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

2 Samuel 23:27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

2 Samuel 23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

2 Samuel 23:29 Heleb son of Baanah the Netophahite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,

2 Samuel 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,

2 Samuel 23:31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

2 Samuel 23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of

2 Samuel 23:33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

2 Samuel 23:34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

2 Samuel 23:35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

2 Samuel 23:36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

2 Samuel 23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,

2 Samuel 23:38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

2 Samuel 23:39 and Uriah the Hethite. There were thirty-seven in all.

links:

famous last words
mighty men

The 2 SAMUEL shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Samuel 22

2 Samuel 22:1 David spoke the words of this song to Yahveh on the day Yahveh rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the grasp of Saul.

2 Samuel 22:2 He said: Yahveh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,

2 Samuel 22:3 my God, my rock where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, you save me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:4 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.

2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.

2 Samuel 22:6 The ropes of Sheol[1] entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

2 Samuel 22:7 I called to Yahveh in my distress; I called to my God. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry for help reached his ears.

2 Samuel 22:8 Then the land shook and quaked; the foundations of the sky trembled; they shook because he burned with anger.

2 Samuel 22:9 Smoke rose from his nostrils, and consuming fire came from his mouth; coals were burned by it.

2 Samuel 22:10 He bent the sky and came down, total darkness beneath his feet.

2 Samuel 22:11 He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.[2]

2 Samuel 22:12 He made darkness a canopy around him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

2 Samuel 22:13 From the radiance of his presence, blazing coals were burning.

2 Samuel 22:14 Yahveh thundered from the sky; the Most High made his voice heard.

2 Samuel 22:15 He shot arrows and scattered them; he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.

2 Samuel 22:16 The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the Lord, at the breathing[3] of the breath of his nostrils.

2 Samuel 22:17 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he pulled me out of deep water.

2 Samuel 22:18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

2 Samuel 22:19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but Yahveh was my support.

2 Samuel 22:20 He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:21 Yahveh rewarded me according to my righteousness; he repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

2 Samuel 22:22 For I have kept the ways of Yahveh and have not turned from my God to wickedness.

2 Samuel 22:23 Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me and have not disregarded his statutes.

2 Samuel 22:24 I was blameless before him and kept myself from my iniquity.

2 Samuel 22:25 So Yahveh repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

2 Samuel 22:26 With the faithful you prove yourself faithful, with the blameless you prove yourself blameless,

2 Samuel 22:27 with the pure you prove yourself pure; but with the crooked you prove yourself shrewd.

2 Samuel 22:28 You rescue an oppressed people, but your eyes are set against the proud– you humble them.

2 Samuel 22:29 Lord, you are my lamp; Yahveh illuminates my darkness.

2 Samuel 22:30 With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.

2 Samuel 22:31 God– his way is perfect; the word of Yahveh is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

2 Samuel 22:32 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock? Only our God.

2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strong refuge; he makes my way perfect.

2 Samuel 22:34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.

2 Samuel 22:35 He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

2 Samuel 22:36 You have given me the shield of your salvation; your help exalts me.

2 Samuel 22:37 You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.

2 Samuel 22:38 I pursue my enemies and exterminatethem; I do not turn back until they are wiped out.

2 Samuel 22:39 I wipe them out and crush them, and they do not rise; they fall beneath my feet.

2 Samuel 22:40 You have clothed me with strength for battle; you subdue my adversaries beneath me.

2 Samuel 22:41 You have made my enemies retreat before me; I annihilate those who hate me.

2 Samuel 22:42 They look, but there is no one to save them– they look to the Lord, but he does not answer them.

2 Samuel 22:43 I pulverize them like dust of the land; I crush them and trample them like mud in the streets.

2 Samuel 22:44 You have freed me from the feuds among my people; you have preserved me as head of nations; a people I had not known serve me.

2 Samuel 22:45 Foreigners submit to me cringing; as soon as they hear, they obey me.

2 Samuel 22:46 Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications.

2 Samuel 22:47 Yahveh lives– blessed be my rock! God, the rock of my salvation, is exalted.

2 Samuel 22:48 God– he grants me vengeance and casts down peoples under me.

2 Samuel 22:49 He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; you rescue me from violent men.

2 Samuel 22:50 Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about your name.

2 Samuel 22:51 He is a tower of salvation for his king; he shows loyalty to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

[1] שְׁאוֹל = Sheol (the death state). 2 Samuel 22:6.

[2]רוּחַ = wind, breath. 2 Samuel 22:11, 16; 23:2.

[3]נְשָׁמָה = breathing. 2 Samuel 22:16.

links:

famous last words
Sheol in the Bible- The Old Testament Consensus
where did all the spirits go?

The 2 SAMUEL shelf in Jeff’s library