Part 196 (1/2)

23:32. Eliaba of Salaboni. The sons of Ja.s.sen, Jonathan,

23:33. Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite,

23:34. Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,

23:35. Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

23:36. Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

23:37. Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia,

23:38. Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite;

23:39. Urias the Hethite, thirty and seven in all.

2 Kings Chapter 24

David numbereth the people: G.o.d sendeth a pestilence, which is stopt by David's prayer and sacrifice.

24:1. And the anger of the Lord was again kindled against Israel, and stirred up David among them, saying: Go, number Israel and Juda.

Stirred up, etc... This stirring up was not the doing of G.o.d, but of Satan; as it is expressly declared, 1 Chron. or Paralip. 21.1.

24:2. And the king said to Joab the general of his army: Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Bersabee, and number ye the people that I may know the number of them.

24:3. And Joab said to the king: The Lord thy G.o.d increase thy people, and make them as many more as they are now, and again multiply them a hundredfold in the sight of my lord the king: but what meaneth my lord the king by this kind of thing?

24:4. But the king's words prevailed over the words of Joab, and of the captains of the army: and Joab, and the captains of the soldiers went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

24:5. And when they had pa.s.sed the Jordan, they came to Aroer to the right side of the city, which is in the vale of Gad.

24:6. And by Jazer they pa.s.sed into Galaad, and to the lower land of Hodsi, and they came into the woodlands of Dan. And going about by Sidon,

24:7. They pa.s.sed near the walls of Tyre, and all the land of the Hevite, and the Chanaanite, and they came to the south of Juda into Bersabee:

24:8. And having gone through the whole land, after nine months and twenty days, they came to Jerusalem.

24:9. And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people to the king, and there were found of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and of Juda five hundred thousand fighting men.

24:10. But David's heart struck him, after the people were numbered: and David said to the Lord: I have sinned very much in what I have done: but I pray thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of thy servant, because I have done exceeding foolishly.

David's heart struck him, after the people were numbered... That is he was touched with a great remorse for the vanity and pride which had put him upon numbering the people.

24:11. And David arose in the morning, and the word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet and the seer of David, saying:

24:12. Go, and say to David: Thus saith the Lord: I give thee thy choice of three things, choose one of them which thou wilt, that I may do it to thee.