Chiastic Structure of Chaps 21-24 of Shmuel II
C Sin and Repair
B Dovid's Warriors
A Dovid's song (7th day Pesach Haftorah)
B Dovid's Warriors
C Sin and Repair
(א) וַיְהִ֣י רָעָב֩ בִּימֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים שָׁנָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁנָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ה' {ס} וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַדָּמִ֔ים עַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַגִּבְעֹנִֽים׃ (ב) וַיִּקְרָ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לַגִּבְעֹנִ֖ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְהַגִּבְעֹנִ֞ים לֹ֣א מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֚י אִם־מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָאֱמֹרִ֔י וּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נִשְׁבְּע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם וַיְבַקֵּ֤שׁ שָׁאוּל֙ לְהַכֹּתָ֔ם בְּקַנֹּאת֥וֹ לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃
(1) There was a famine during the reign of David, year after year for three years. David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD replied, “It is because of the bloodguilt of Saul and [his] house, for he put some Gibeonites to death.” (2) The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.—Now the Gibeonites were not of Israelite stock, but a remnant of the Amorites, to whom the Israelites had given an oath; and Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.—
The Gemara raises a difficulty: How could they have left Saul’s executed sons unburied all that time? Isn’t it written: “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree; but you shall surely bury him the same day” (Deuteronomy 21:23)?
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.”
(21) The LORD rewarded me according to my merit,
He requited the cleanness of my hands. (22) For I have kept the ways of the LORD
And have not been guilty before my God; (23) I am mindful of all His rules
And have not departed from His laws. (24) I have been blameless before Him,
And have guarded myself against sinning— (25) And the LORD has requited my merit,
According to my purity in His sight. (26) With the loyal You deal loyally;
With the blameless hero, blamelessly. (27) With the pure You act in purity,
And with the perverse You are wily. (28) To humble folk You give victory,
And You look with scorn on the haughty.-l
(29) You, O LORD, are my lamp;
The LORD lights up my darkness.
(1) These are the last words of David:
The utterance of David son of Jesse,
The utterance of the man set on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
The favorite of the songs of Israel (2) The spirit of the LORD has spoken through me,
His message is on my tongue; (3) The God of Israel has spoken,
The Rock of Israel said concerning me:
“He who rules men justly,
He who rules in awe of God (4) Is like the light of morning at sunrise,
A morning without clouds—
Through sunshine and rain
[Bringing]vegetation out of the earth.” (5) Is not my House established before God?
For He has granted me an eternal pact,
Drawn up in full and secured.
Will He not cause all my success
And [my] every desire to blossom? (6) But the wicked shall all
Be raked aside like thorns;
For no one will take them in his hand. (7) Whoever touches them
Must arm himself with iron
And the shaft of a spear;
And they must be burned up on the spot.
(51) Tower of victory to His king,
Who deals graciously with His anointed,
With David and his offspring evermore.
(10) The foes of the LORD shall be shattered;
He will thunder against them in the heavens.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give power to His king,
And triumph to His anointed one.
(15) David felt a craving and said, “If only I could get a drink of water from the cistern which is by the gate of Bethlehem!” (16) So the three warriors got through the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern which is by the gate of Bethlehem, and they carried it back. But when they brought it to David he would not drink it, and he poured it out as a libation to the LORD. (17) For he said, “The LORD forbid that I should do this! Can the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
(18) Abishai, the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was head of another three. He once wielded his spear against three hundred and slew them.
(24) Among the thirty were Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo [from] Bethlehem, (25) Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, (26) Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, (27) Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, (28) Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, (29) Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, (30) Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of Nahale-gaash, (31) Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, (32) Eliahba of Shaalbon, sons of eMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Jashen, Jonathan,-e (33) Shammah the Ararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Ararite, (34) Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, (35) Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, (36) Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, (37) Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite—the arms-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah— (38) Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, (39) Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.oSeptuagint and 1 Chron. 11 differ from the foregoing lists in vv. 8–38, and from each other in the number and forms of the names.
The anger of the LORD again flared up against Israel; and He incited David against them, saying, “Go and number Israel and Judah.” (2) The king said to Joab his army commander. “Make the rounds of all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people, so that I may know the size of the population.”
(י) וַיַּ֤ךְ לֵב־דָּוִד֙ אֹת֔וֹ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן סָפַ֣ר אֶת־הָעָ֑ם {פ}
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־ה' חָטָ֤אתִי מְאֹד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי וְעַתָּ֣ה ה' הַֽעֲבֶר־נָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּ֥י נִסְכַּ֖לְתִּי מְאֹֽד׃
(10) But afterward Davidreproached himself for having numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, “I have sinned grievously in what I have done. Please, O LORD, remit the guilt of Your servant, for I have acted foolishly.”
(ו) וַֽיְהִי֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֥ךְ לֵב־דָּוִ֖ד אֹת֑וֹ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ת אֶת־כָּנָ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְשָׁאֽוּל׃
(6) But afterward David reproached himself-d for cutting off the corner of Saul’s cloak.-e
(יג) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־נָתָ֔ן חָטָ֖אתִי לַה' {ס} וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נָתָ֜ן אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד גַּם־ה' הֶעֱבִ֥יר חַטָּאתְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָמֽוּת׃
(יא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֡וּל כִּֽי־רָאִ֩יתִי֩ כִֽי־נָפַ֨ץ הָעָ֜ם מֵעָלַ֗י וְאַתָּה֙ לֹֽא־בָ֙אתָ֙ לְמוֹעֵ֣ד הַיָּמִ֔ים וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים נֶאֱסָפִ֥ים מִכְמָֽשׂ׃ (יב) וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֠תָּ֠ה יֵרְד֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֵלַי֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וּפְנֵ֥י ה' לֹ֣א חִלִּ֑יתִי וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔ק וָאַעֲלֶ֖ה הָעֹלָֽה׃ {ס} (יג) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ אֶת־מִצְוַ֞ת ה' אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ךְ כִּ֣י עַתָּ֗ה הֵכִ֨ין ה' אֶת־מַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (יד) וְעַתָּ֖ה מַמְלַכְתְּךָ֣ לֹֽא־תָק֑וּם בִּקֵּשׁ֩ ה' ל֜וֹ אִ֣ישׁ כִּלְבָב֗וֹ וַיְצַוֵּ֨הוּ ה' לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֚י לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶֽׁר־צִוְּךָ֖ ה'׃ {ס}
(11) But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “I saw the people leaving me and scattering; you had not come at the appointed time, and the Philistines had gathered at Michmas. (12) I thought the Philistines would march down against me at Gilgal before I had entreated the LORD, so I forced myself to present the burnt offering.” (13) Samuel answered Saul, “You acted foolishly in not keeping the commandments that the LORD your God laid upon you! Otherwise-h the LORD would have established your dynasty over Israel forever. (14) But now your dynasty will not endure. The LORD will seek out a man after His own heart, and the LORD will appoint him ruler over His people, because you did not abide by what the LORD had commanded you.”
(יא) וַיָּ֥קׇם דָּוִ֖ד בַּבֹּ֑קֶר {פ}
וּדְבַר־ה' הָיָה֙ אֶל־גָּ֣ד הַנָּבִ֔יא חֹזֵ֥ה דָוִ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃ (יב) הָל֞וֹךְ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' שָׁלֹ֕שׁ אָנֹכִ֖י נוֹטֵ֣ל עָלֶ֑יךָ בְּחַר־לְךָ֥ אַחַת־מֵהֶ֖ם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ (יג) וַיָּבֹא־גָ֥ד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד וַיַּגֶּד־ל֑וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֡וֹ הֲתָב֣וֹא לְךָ֣ שֶׁבַע־שָׁנִ֣ים ׀ רָעָ֣ב ׀ בְּאַרְצֶ֡ךָ אִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳ֠דָשִׁ֠ים נֻסְךָ֨ לִפְנֵי־צָרֶ֜יךָ וְה֣וּא רֹדְפֶ֗ךָ וְאִם־הֱ֠י֠וֹת שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֥ים דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּאַרְצֶ֔ךָ עַתָּה֙ דַּ֣ע וּרְאֵ֔ה מָה־אָשִׁ֥יב שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר׃ {ס} (יד) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֶל־גָּ֖ד צַר־לִ֣י מְאֹ֑ד נִפְּלָה־נָּ֤א בְיַד־ה' כִּֽי־רַבִּ֣ים רַחֲמָ֔ו וּבְיַד־אָדָ֖ם אַל־אֶפֹּֽלָה׃ (טו) וַיִּתֵּ֨ן ה' דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵהַבֹּ֖קֶר וְעַד־עֵ֣ת מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיָּ֣מׇת מִן־הָעָ֗ם מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃
(11) When David rose in the morning, the word of the LORD had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: (12) “Go and tell David, ‘Thus said the LORD: I hold three things over you; choose one of them, and I will bring it upon you.’” (13) Gad came to David and told him; he asked, “Shall a seven-year famine come upon you in the land, or shall you be in flight from your adversaries for three months while they pursue you, or shall there be three days of pestilence in your land? Now consider carefully what reply I shall take back to Him who sent me.” (14) David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for His compassion is great; and let me not fall into the hands of men.”(15) The LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from morninguntil the set time;-e and 70,000 of the people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba.
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶל־ה' בִּרְאֹת֣וֹ ׀ אֶֽת־הַמַּלְאָ֣ךְ ׀ הַמַּכֶּ֣ה בָעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֤י חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְאָנֹכִ֣י הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א יָדְךָ֛ בִּ֖י וּבְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ {פ}
(19) David went up, following Gad’s instructions, as the LORD had commanded. (20) Araunah looked out and saw the king and his courtiers approaching him.So Araunah went out and bowed low to the king, with his face to the ground. (21) And Araunah asked, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “To buy the threshing floor from you, that I may build an altar to the LORD and that the plague against the people may be checked.” (22) And Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take it and offer up whatever he sees fit. Here are oxen for a burnt offering, and the threshing boards and the gear of the oxen for wood. (23) All this, O king, Araunah gives to Your Majesty. And may the LORD your God,” Araunah added, “respond to you with favor!” (24) But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I will buy them from you at a price. I cannot sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that have cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (25) And David built there an altar to the LORD and sacrificed burnt offerings and offerings of well-being. The LORD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague against Israel was checked.
- So who is Dovid?
and
- what is Jerusalem supposed to be?
(1) Then Solomon began to build the House of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where [the LORD] had appeared to his father David, at the place which David had designated, at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
(22) Thus said GOD:
Let not the wise glory in their wisdom;
Let not the strong glory in their strength;
Let not the rich glory in their riches. (23) But only in this should one glory:
Understand and know Me.
For I GOD act with kindness,
Justice, and equity in the world;
For in these I delight
—declares GOD.