'And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.' Joab protests — 'why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel?' — then counts, leaving out Levi and Benjamin, 'for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.' God is displeased; Gad brings three choices, and David chooses the one that stays inside mercy: 'let me fall now into the hand of Hashem, for very great are His mercies; and let me not fall into the hand of man.' Seventy thousand fall; the angel stands by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite with a drawn sword over Jerusalem; and David offers himself — 'even I it is who have sinned... but these sheep, what have they done?' Ornan offers the floor for nothing; David refuses: 'I will verily buy it for the full price; for I will not take that which is yours for Hashem, nor offer a burnt-offering without cost.' He builds the altar and is answered 'from heaven by fire' — and the sword is returned to its sheath. The site of the Temple has been chosen.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
verse value 3499
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "Satan" (שָׂטָ֖ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "against·Israel" (עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Satan" (שָׂטָ֖ן), "and·he·incited" (וַיָּ֙סֶת֙). The root ישראל appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "against·Israel" (root ישראל, 94x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד [and·he·stood] (130) + שָׂטָ֖ן [Satan] (359) + עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [against·Israel] (641) + וַיָּ֙סֶת֙ [and·he·incited] (476) + אֶת־דָּוִ֔יד [David] (425) + לִמְנ֖וֹת [to·number] (526) + אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (942) = 3499.
Rashi
Now Satan arose upon Israel Although this chapter is not complimentary to David, it was written here because it says at the end of the chapter that he built an altar and the Lord answered him from heaven. This is complimentary to David.
Ralbag
And Satan stood up against Israel — In the Book of Samuel (II, 24:1) it is written, "And the anger of Hashem again burned against Israel," but the matter is the same.
Metzudat David
‘And Satan stood up’ — he is the evil inclination that is planted in the heart of man. ‘against Israel’ — meaning, to do something harmful to Israel.
Metzudat Zion
'And moved' — an expression of enticement.
Malbim
'And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel' — this whole episode is recounted in Samuel, chapter 24, where I explained it at length: seeing that they had deserted him and gone after Sheba the son of Bichri, [David] no longer trusted that they would gather at his command in time of war, so he wanted to count them and record the names of the men in a register, so that every man would be obligated to go out to the army when war came — and this very wish was itself the incitement and the provocation, for in truth Israel was wholly faithful to him. There it is written, ‘[Go,] number Israel and Judah,’ but Ezra clarifies that the main intent [of the census] concerned Israel, since Judah was loyal to him.
And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people: ‘Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them.’
verse value 4064
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 71 letters. Notable word values: "and·I·may·know" (וְאֵדְעָ֖ה) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "the·people" (הָעָ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "Israel" (אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "to·Joab" (אֶל־יוֹאָב֙), "and·to·princes·of" (וְאֶל־שָׂרֵ֣י), "go" (לְכ֗וּ). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Israel" (root ישראל, 94x in I Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·unto·Dan', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 4 words.
Malbim
'Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan' — I explained there that his main intent was a sefirah [individual count] — that is, an accounting of particulars, to know each and every man — rather than a pekidah [general muster], which is merely a total count, as I explained there at length; and this distinction was the very sin — see there.
And Joab said: ‘Hashem make His people a hundred times so many more as they are; but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why does my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel?’
verse value 3574
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 90 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֨ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "like·them" (כָּהֵם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·servants" (לַעֲבָדִ֑ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 156: may·he·add, for·servants. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "unto·his·people" (עַל־עַמּ֤וֹ), "like·them" (כָּהֵם֙), "times" (פְעָמִ֔ים). The root אדון appears 3 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "he·will·be" (root היה, 104x in I Chronicles); "to·Israel" (root ישראל, 94x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·servants', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 8 words.
Ralbag
And Joab said: "Hashem make His people a hundred times so many more..." — This statement is omitted in the Book of Samuel (II, 24:9), which instead records that Israel numbered eight hundred thousand sword-drawing men, and Judah five hundred thousand. Here in this book, however, it is later mentioned that Joab son of Zeruiah "began but did not finish" [the count], and that on account of this there came great wrath upon Israel, and "the number was not entered into the account of the Chronicles of King David." It therefore seems that the following may be said — and this offers a way to resolve many such difficulties: the Book of the Chronicles of King David recorded the number as Joab reported it to the king, and he had inflated it; but the actual number that he found upon counting was what was recorded in the Book of Samuel, exactly as it was when the number was reported to the king.
Metzudat David
‘Hashem make His people a hundred times so many more’ — since it appeared from the king’s request that he thought the people were numerous, and that is why he had a desire to know their number, Joab said to him: would that Hashem add to them even beyond what they are now, and that they go on doubling again and again, until they reach a hundred times as many. ‘are they not,’ etc. — meaning: does not my lord the king already know that they are all servants to my lord? And if they increase yet further — well, “in the multitude of people is the king’s glory” — so why should he wish to know their number? Why should this become a cause of desolation for Israel? For blessing is found only in something hidden from the eye.
Metzudat Zion
'A cause of guilt' — this is from the language of desolation; similarly, 'the flocks of sheep are made desolate' (ne'esh'mu) (Joel 1:18).
Malbim
'are they not all my lord’s servants?' — he was telling him that they were loyal to their king and none of this was necessary, and moreover that it would bring on guilt, since a census brings on a plague.
Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
verse value 2336
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "was·strong" (חָזַ֣ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·word·of·the·king" (וּדְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 19: Joab, and·he·came. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·word·of·the·king" (וּדְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ), "against·Joab" (עַל־יוֹאָ֑ב), "and·he·went·throughout" (וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙). The root יואב appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·all·Israel" (root כל, 81x in I Chronicles); "and·he·came" (root בוא, 62x in I Chronicles); "and·word·of·the·king" (root דבר, 41x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·Joab', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּדְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ [and·word·of·the·king] (307) + חָזַ֣ק [was·strong] (115) + עַל־יוֹאָ֑ב [against·Joab] (119) + וַיֵּצֵ֣א [and·he·departed] (107) + יוֹאָ֗ב [Joab] (19) + וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙ [and·he·went·throughout] (471) + בְּכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [in·all·Israel] (593) + וַיָּבֹ֖א [and·he·came] (19) + יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם [Jerusalem] (586) = 2336.
And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men who drew sword; and Judah was four hundred three-score and ten thousand men who drew sword.
verse value 5874
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 94 letters. Notable word values: "and·Judah" (וִיהוּדָ֕ה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "thousand" (אֶ֣לֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "muster·of·the·people" (מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 311: man, man. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "number·of" (אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר), "muster·of·the·people" (מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם), "four" (אַרְבַּע֩). The root אלף appears 4 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "and·there·were" (root היה, 104x in I Chronicles); "all·Israel" (root כל, 81x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·David', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 16 words.
Rashi
the number of the census lit., the number of the number. A similar expression is (Num. 14:29): “... and all your numbered ones at all your numberings.” and all Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand, etc. and Judah was four hundred seventy thousand But in Samuel (II 24:9) it is written: “eight hundred thousand, etc., and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men,” which apparently means that there were not so many of Israel as are stated here. The truth is that because the anger of the Holy One, blessed be He, was upon David, Scripture did not write there the number of all of those whom he had counted. Neither did Joab count all the tribes, as it is written (verse 6): “... because the word of the king was repugnant to Joab.” But here, because of David’s honor, he does mention the number and the reckoning that he counted, because it is his honor that such a massive army was in his tribe. And the following is proof to what I explained: that even that small part of Israel that he counted, he did not write their entire number in Samuel, but here, [the Chronicler] did write the entire number that he counted, because it is written here: “and all Israel were,” whereas in Samuel it is not written: “all.” And it is explicitly proven here before us, as it is written: (below 27:24): “Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count but did not finish, and with this there was anger upon Israel, and the number did not reach the number of the chronicles of King David.”
Metzudat David
‘a thousand thousand,’ etc. — meaning, although Joab gave the king the smaller number stated in II Samuel, the truth is that they numbered a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand, etc.
Metzudat Zion
'The sum of the numbering' — [the two terms are] doubled for further clarification, as [Scripture does elsewhere]; similarly, 'the dust of the earth' (admat afar) (Daniel 12).
Malbim
'the sum of the numbering of the people' — I explained this there, and likewise the discrepancy between the number given here and the number given there [in Samuel] is clarified there, on verse 9 — see there.
But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
verse value 2166
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "word·of·the·king" (דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Levi" (וְלֵוִי֙), "he·numbered" (פָקַ֖ד), "in·their·midst" (בְּתוֹכָ֑ם). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Levi" (root לוי, 46x in I Chronicles); "word·of·the·king" (root דבר, 41x in I Chronicles); "not" (root לא, 28x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root פקד ("he·numbered") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·their·midst', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְלֵוִי֙ [and·Levi] (52) + וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן [and·Benjamin] (158) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + פָקַ֖ד [he·numbered] (184) + בְּתוֹכָ֑ם [in·their·midst] (468) + כִּֽי־נִתְעַ֥ב [for·it·was·abhorrent] (552) + דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ [word·of·the·king] (301) + אֶת־יוֹאָֽב [Joab] (420) = 2166.
Rashi
But Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them, etc. Joab knew that it would be considered a sin for the people, leading to a plague; Joab therefore said, “I can save these tribes from the census. Concerning Levi, if David says: ‘Why did you not count Levi?’ I shall answer him that they were not counted among the Children of Israel (Num. 2:33). And this is what I shall say about Benjamin: ‘Weren’t they stricken in the episode of the concubine in Gibeah? If they are afflicted now, what will be left of them?’”
Metzudat David
‘But Levi and Benjamin’ — meaning, because he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, the count that he gave the king did not reach the figure stated here; for the number stated here includes Levi and Benjamin (and even though he did not actually count them, it is possible that he stated this figure by estimation). ‘for the king’s word was abominable’ — Scripture gives the reason he did not count Levi and Benjamin, saying that the king’s command was repugnant to Joab; and so he found himself an excuse, as though to say: did not the tribe of Levi go uncounted among the children of Israel even in the days of Moses? And regarding Benjamin he was likewise evasive, as though to say: it is enough for them, all that they were diminished in the days of the concubine at Gibeah.
And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel.
verse value 1825
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "and·he·struck" (וַיַּ֖ךְ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "this" (הַזֶּ֑ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "Israel" (אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·it·was·evil" (וַיֵּ֙רַע֙), "concerning·the·word" (עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 117x in I Chronicles); "Israel" (root ישראל, 94x in I Chronicles); "concerning·the·word" (root דבר, 41x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֙רַע֙ [and·it·was·evil] (286) + בְּעֵינֵ֣י [in·eyes·of] (142) + הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים [God] (91) + עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר [concerning·the·word] (311) + הַזֶּ֑ה [this] (17) + וַיַּ֖ךְ [and·he·struck] (36) + אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (942) = 1825.
Ralbag
Therefore He smote Israel — Meaning, this was after David had chosen to fall into the hand of Hashem [rather than into the hand of man].
Metzudat David
‘with this thing’ — because they were counted without giving a ransom for their souls. ‘therefore He smote Israel’ — meaning, through this the plague came, corresponding to what David himself had chosen.
Malbim
'therefore He smote Israel' — [meaning] that some illness had already begun to spread among the people.
And David said to God: ‘I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing; but now, put away, I beseech you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.’
verse value 4879
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·God" (אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 45: greatly, very. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "I·have·sinned" (חָטָ֣אתִֽי), "the·thing" (אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר), "put·away·please" (הַֽעֲבֶר־נָא֙). The root מאד appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "to·God" (root אלהים, 117x in I Chronicles); "that" (root אשר, 77x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
and now, please put aside the iniquity of Your servant - Heb. עֲווֹן. This עֲווֹן is written with the plene spelling, with two “vavim,” i.e., please put aside the full iniquity that I committed. This word is written with the plene spelling in four places in Scripture, and this is one of them. The second is in Psalms (51:7): “Behold with iniquity (בְּעָווֹן) I was formed,” as it is explained in Leviticus Rabbah (14:5), in the section entitled: (Lev. 12:2): “If a woman conceives seed: Even if one be the most pious of the pious, it is impossible that he should have no streak of unintentional iniquity, because he intended only for his own pleasure.” The third is (Prov. 5:22): “His iniquities (עֲווֹנוֹתָיו) shall trap the wicked man,” meaning his many iniquities. The fourth is in II Kings (7:9): “... we will incur guilt (עָווֹן). Now let us go and come and relate this in the king’s palace.” They said, “If we do not go and tell this in the king’s palace, it will be a grave iniquity, because enemies will come upon them.”
Metzudat David
‘this thing’ — namely, numbering them without a ransom for their souls. ‘put away, I beseech you,’ etc. — meaning, let them not die through destruction, and then the iniquity will automatically pass away and be gone, since there will be no plague. ‘for I have done very foolishly’ — meaning: is it not I who committed a very great folly, numbering them without a ransom for their souls? What wrong have they done, that they should die by plague? And once they do not die, no iniquity will be found in me.
Metzudat Zion
'I have done very foolishly' — from the language of folly and foolishness.
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "seer·of" (חֹזֵ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·spoke" (וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·he·spoke" (וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "saying" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root חזה ("seer·of") in I Chronicles. Full calculation: וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר [and·he·spoke] (222) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + אֶל־גָּ֔ד [to·Gad] (38) + חֹזֵ֥ה [seer·of] (20) + דָוִ֖יד [David] (24) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 601.
Metzudat David
‘David’s seer’ — for all his prophecies were directed to David.
‘Go and speak to David, saying: Thus says Hashem: I offer you three things; choose you one of them, that I may do it to you.’
verse value 3372
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "go" (לֵךְ֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·do·to·you" (וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·speak" (וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨), "stretching·out" (נֹטֶ֣ה), "choose·for·you" (בְּחַר־לְךָ֛). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "saying" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'over·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 4 words.
Metzudat David
‘three’ — meaning, one of three; and similarly, ‘[you shall be my son-in-law] through the two’ (I Samuel 18) means, through one of the two.
Malbim
'I offer you three things' — he was telling him: know that you have become liable to be punished with three punishments — famine, sword, and pestilence — but because you will choose one of them willingly, I will do to you only that one; I will not punish you except with the one that you choose. And of this Gad said, ‘kabel lekha’ [accept it for yourself] — that is, accept the judgment willingly.
So Gad came to David, and said to him: ‘Thus says Hashem: Take which you will:
verse value 848
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֛וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "Gad" (גָ֖ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·David" (אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "thus·he·said" (כֹּה־אָמַ֥ר), "take·for·you" (קַבֶּל־לָֽךְ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·David', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֥בֹא [and·he·came] (19) + גָ֖ד [Gad] (7) + אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד [to·David] (55) + וַיֹּ֥אמֶר [and·he·said] (257) + ל֛וֹ [to·him] (36) + כֹּה־אָמַ֥ר [thus·he·said] (266) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + קַבֶּל־לָֽךְ [take·for·you] (182) = 848.
either three years of famine; or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days the sword of Hashem, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Hashem destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.’
verse value 9559
Insights
Verse structure: 26 words, 126 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "famine" (רָעָ֗ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·before·your·foes" (מִפְּנֵֽי־צָרֶ֘יךָ֮, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 206: see, answer. 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "if·three" (אִם־שָׁל֨וֹשׁ), "famine" (רָעָ֗ב), "if·three" (וְאִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה). The root שלוש appears 3 times in this verse. 21 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "Israel" (root ישראל, 94x in I Chronicles); "from·before·your·foes" (root פנים, 63x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 21 and 5 words.
Ralbag
Either three years of famine — In the Book of Samuel it is written "seven years of famine." I cannot conceive how to resolve this difficulty, except by saying that this prophecy was recorded thus [as three years] in the Book of the Chronicles of King David, while it was recorded [as seven years] in the Book of Samuel according to what is found there.
Metzudat David
‘either three years of famine’ — [these options are so severe] because the plague that comes on account of a census taken without a ransom is a severe matter. ‘overtakes you’ — meaning, that it overtakes you. ‘or else three days the sword of Hashem’ — meaning, this is the lighter option, since it is for a limited time and under the direct providence of the Omnipresent. ‘even pestilence,’ etc. — Scripture repeats the matter two and three times in different wording, as is the way of the biblical text. ‘consider’ — with the perception and understanding of the heart. ‘Him who sent me’ — that is, the Omnipresent, blessed be He.
Metzudat Zion
'To be swept away' — an expression of destruction, as in 'I will utterly consume them' (asof asifem) (Jeremiah 8).
Malbim
'either three years of famine' — whereas in Samuel it says seven years of famine. Since this took place near the end of David's life, Ezra clarifies that it could only be three years, for within that time David would die, and Solomon had already been promised that his reign would be one of peace and quiet. 'to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you' — for there it says, ‘fleeing before your adversary while he pursues you’; here it is clarified that the meaning is that he will overtake you with his sword, not mere pursuit. And regarding what is stated there, ‘three days’ pestilence,’ it is clarified that this would not be an ordinary plague, but rather ‘the sword of Hashem’ and a destroying angel, beyond the natural order.
And David said to Gad: ‘I am in a great strait; let me fall now into the hand of Hashem, for very great are His mercies; and let me not fall into the hand of man.’
verse value 1703
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 59 letters. Verse gematria: 1703 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "very" (מְאֹ֑ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "into·the·hand·of·Hashem" (בְיַד־יְהֹוָ֗ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 45: very, very. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "distressful·to·me" (צַר־לִ֣י), "let·me·fall·now" (אֶפְּלָה־נָּ֣א), "into·the·hand·of·Hashem" (בְיַד־יְהֹוָ֗ה). The root מאד appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "into·the·hand·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'very', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֧אמֶר [and·he·said] (257) + דָּוִ֛יד [David] (24) + אֶל־גָּ֖ד [to·Gad] (38) + צַר־לִ֣י [distressful·to·me] (330) + מְאֹ֑ד [very] (45) + אֶפְּלָה־נָּ֣א [let·me·fall·now] (167) + בְיַד־יְהֹוָ֗ה [into·the·hand·of·Hashem] (42) + כִּֽי־רַבִּ֤ים [for·great] (282) + רַחֲמָיו֙ [His·mercies] (264) + מְאֹ֔ד [very] (45) + וּבְיַד־אָדָ֖ם [and·into·the·hand·of·man] (67) + אַל־אֶפֹּֽל [let·me·not·fall] (142) = 1703.
Rashi
I am greatly oppressed You tell me, “Choose the mildest of them. It is hard for me, and I am greatly oppressed about it.” This can be compared to a [sick] person, to whom people said, “Behold you are going to die. Now in which grave do you wish to be buried? Beside your father or beside your mother?” Woe to the ears that hear such a thing! let me fall now into the hand of the Lord with the pestilence, in which all are equal, both rich and poor. for His mercies are great Perhaps He will have compassion, but our enemies will not have compassion on us.
Metzudat David
‘I am in a great strait’ — as if to say: all three are exceedingly harsh, and yet I would rather fall by the hand of Hashem — that is, by pestilence — for His mercies are abundant, and He shall surely have compassion. ‘and let me not fall into the hand of man’ — for even through the famine they would become dependent on other men, and those men would show no mercy.
So Hashem sent a pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
verse value 2792
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 38 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "pestilence" (דֶּ֖בֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Israel" (בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "from·Israel" (מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל), "seventy" (שִׁבְעִ֥ים). The root ישראל appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "in·Israel" (root ישראל, 94x in I Chronicles); "thousand" (root אלף, 77x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּתֵּ֧ן [and·he·gave] (466) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + דֶּ֖בֶר [pestilence] (206) + בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [in·Israel] (543) + וַיִּפֹּל֙ [and·he·fell] (126) + מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [from·Israel] (581) + שִׁבְעִ֥ים [seventy] (422) + אֶ֖לֶף [thousand] (111) + אִֽישׁ [man] (311) = 2792.
And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was about to destroy, Hashem beheld, and He repented Him of the evil, and said to the destroying angel: ‘It is enough; now stay your hand.’ And the angel of Hashem was standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
verse value 6516
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 108 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 6516 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "enough" (רַ֔ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Jerusalem" (לִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֘ם֮, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 114: and·he·repented, standing. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "to·Jerusalem" (לִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֘ם֮), "to·destroy·it" (לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ֒), "and·as·destroying" (וּכְהַשְׁחִ֗ית). The root מלאך appears 3 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "God" (root אלהים, 117x in I Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 6 words.
Metzudat David
‘and as he was about to destroy’ — and when he had already done much destroying, Hashem beheld their affliction and relented of the evil. ‘It is enough; now stay your hand’ — enough now, with those who have already died; stay your hand from destroying any more like this, and if anything more, let it be only little by little. ‘by the threshing-floor’ — meaning, close by the threshing-floor of Ornan.
Metzudat Zion
'Stay' — from the language of slackening.
Malbim
'And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it' — this explains what is stated there [in Samuel], ‘and the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem’ — meaning that Hashem stretched out His hand, which is the angel, [functioning as] the destroying hand of Hashem at the time of the plague. 'and as he was about to destroy, Hashem beheld' — that He commanded him to stay his hand, so that he would not destroy David along with the rest, for the destroyer does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked.
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Hashem standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
verse value 5264
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 107 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "standing" (עֹמֵ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "over·Jerusalem" (עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 24: David, David. 14 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·he·lifted" (וַיִּשָּׂ֨א), "his·eyes" (אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו), "the·messenger·of" (אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ). The root דוד appears 2 times in this verse. 20 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "upon·their·faces" (root פנים, 63x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'over·Jerusalem', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 6 words.
Rashi
extended over Jerusalem In Joshua (5:13), it says: “... and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, etc. ’Are you for us or for our adversaries?” Joshua was standing with his back opposite his adversaries, and the angel came opposite him; therefore, he wondered and asked him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” [Have you come] to help us since you are standing opposite me, or to help our enemies, because you are standing also opposite them? But here, since he saw the sword of the angel, which was extended over Jerusalem, he knew by himself that he had come to strike Israel.
Ralbag
And saw the angel of Hashem standing... — This was by way of a wondrous sign, showing the angel in this visible form while [David was] awake, just as Belshazzar saw "the palm of the hand that wrote" (Daniel 5:24), and just as Elisha showed his attendant horses and chariots of fire (II Kings 6:17).
Metzudat David
‘between the earth,’ etc. — meaning, he stood in the air.
Metzudat Zion
'Drawn' — taken out of its sheath.
Malbim
'standing between the earth and the heaven' — for he had risen up off the earth, since he had not been given permission to strike, yet he had not ascended to heaven either, since he had not been given permission for that either. And because his sword had originally been drawn toward Mount Zion — the place where he had first stood — when Hashem told him, ‘Stay your hand,’ it turned toward Jerusalem; and it is of this that the verse says, ‘stretched out over Jerusalem.’
And David said to God: ‘Is it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is who have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I pray you, O Hashem my God, be against me, and against my father’s house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued.’
verse value 5722
Insights
Verse structure: 27 words, 112 letters. Notable word values: "is·not" (הֲלֹא֩) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "what" (מֶ֣ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·God" (אֶֽל־הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים, 8 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "I·said" (אָמַ֜רְתִּי), "among·the·people" (בָּעָ֗ם), "and·I·myself" (וַאֲנִי־ה֤וּא). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 22 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "to·God" (root אלהים, 117x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root נא ("now") in I Chronicles. First appearance of the root בי ("against·me") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·have·done', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 11 words.
Rashi
but these sheep, what have they done for they are like sheep brought to the slaughter, who cannot be saved from slaughter because they are destined for it.
Metzudat David
‘but these sheep’ — meaning, the members of the people. ‘let your hand’ — the blow of Your hand, that is, the pestilence. ‘that they should be plagued’ — meaning, let it not have power to bring a plague upon them.
Then the angel of Hashem commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and rear an altar to Hashem in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
verse value 1837
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 62 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·messenger·of" (וּמַלְאַ֧ךְ, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "he·should·go·up" (יַעֲלֶ֣ה), "to·erect" (לְהָקִ֤ים), "the·Jebusite" (הַיְבֻסִֽי). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·David', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 9 words.
Metzudat David
‘that David should go up’ — that David should go up to the threshing-floor, to erect an altar there.
Malbim
'Then the angel of Hashem commanded Gad to say to David' — this clarifies that when it says there [in Samuel] that Gad told David to erect an altar, [it means] Gad received this prophecy through the destroying angel himself; since the angel had not completed his earlier mission [of destruction], he himself became the one who conveyed the prophecy to Gad — for prophecy can come by means of angels — and he himself prepared the remedy for the plague, in the manner of ‘I wound and I heal’ (Deuteronomy 32:39).
Cross-references: II Samuel 24:18; II Chronicles 3:1
And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of Hashem.
verse value 1430
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1430 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·word·of·Gad" (בִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "in·word·of·Gad" (בִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "that" (root אשר, 77x in I Chronicles). Full calculation: וַיַּ֤עַל [and·he·went·up] (116) + דָּוִיד֙ [David] (24) + בִּדְבַר־גָּ֔ד [in·word·of·Gad] (215) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + דִּבֶּ֖ר [he·spoke] (206) + בְּשֵׁ֥ם [in·name·of] (342) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 1430.
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
verse value 3375
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "threshing" (דָּ֥שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·messenger" (אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "the·messenger" (אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ), "hiding·themselves" (מִֽתְחַבְּאִ֑ים), "and·Ornan" (וְאׇרְנָ֖ן). The root ארנן appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·sons" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "with·him" (root עם, 63x in I Chronicles); "and·four·of" (root ארבע, 41x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hiding·themselves', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֣שׇׁב [and·he·turned·back] (318) + אׇרְנָ֗ן [Ornan] (301) + וַיַּרְא֙ [and·he·saw] (217) + אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ [the·messenger] (497) + וְאַרְבַּ֧עַת [and·four·of] (679) + בָּנָ֛יו [his·sons] (68) + עִמּ֖וֹ [with·him] (116) + מִֽתְחַבְּאִ֑ים [hiding·themselves] (501) + וְאׇרְנָ֖ן [and·Ornan] (307) + דָּ֥שׁ [threshing] (304) + חִטִּֽים [wheat] (67) = 3375.
Rashi
hid from the angel, to fulfill the verse (Isa. 26:20): “Go, My people, come into your chambers and close your door about you; hide for but a moment, until the wrath passes.” And Scripture also says (Exod. 12:22): “... as for you, none of you shall go out of his house until morning.” and Ornan was threshing wheat since Scripture states further (verse 23): “and the wheat for a meal offering,” lest you wonder how wheat was there.
Ralbag
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel — This is a sign that the angel was visible to everyone there; and out of great fear, his four sons went into hiding.
Metzudat David
‘And Ornan turned back’ — he turned his face around. ‘the angel’ — the one destroying among the people. ‘and his four sons’ — who were with him, hid themselves out of fear of the angel.
Malbim
'And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel' — the angel now revealed himself at the site of the threshing-floor, which was the place [appointed] for the remedy [of the plague], and Ornan hid himself from him. It was only when David reached him that he came out from his hiding place.
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed down to David with his face to the ground.
verse value 3054
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "and·he·came" (וַיָּבֹ֥א, 4 letters) and the longest is "unto·Ornan" (עַד־אׇרְנָ֑ן, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "unto·Ornan" (עַד־אׇרְנָ֑ן), "and·he·looked" (וַיַּבֵּ֤ט), "from·the·threshing-floor" (מִן־הַגֹּ֔רֶן). The root דוד appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "and·he·came" (root בוא, 62x in I Chronicles); "to·the·ground" (root ארץ, 37x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'unto·Ornan', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 10 words. Full calculation: וַיָּבֹ֥א [and·he·came] (19) + דָוִ֖יד [David] (24) + עַד־אׇרְנָ֑ן [unto·Ornan] (375) + וַיַּבֵּ֤ט [and·he·looked] (27) + אׇרְנָן֙ [Ornan] (301) + וַיַּ֣רְא [and·he·saw] (217) + אֶת־דָּוִ֔יד [David] (425) + וַיֵּצֵא֙ [and·he·went·out] (107) + מִן־הַגֹּ֔רֶן [from·the·threshing-floor] (348) + וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ [and·he·bowed·down] (730) + לְדָוִ֛יד [to·David] (54) + אַפַּ֖יִם [face] (131) + אָֽרְצָה [to·the·ground] (296) = 3054.
Metzudat David
‘to Ornan’ — meaning, close to the threshing-floor.
Then David said to Ornan: ‘Give me the place of this threshing-floor, that I may build on it an altar to Hashem; for the full price you shall give it me; that the plague may be stayed from the people.’
verse value 3625
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֔י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·shall·build·in·it" (וְאֶבְנֶה־בּ֥וֹ, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "to·Ornan" (אֶל־אׇרְנָ֗ן), "give·to·me" (תְּנָה־לִּי֙), "the·threshing-floor" (הַגֹּ֔רֶן). The root נתן appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 8 words.
Metzudat David
‘for the full price’ — meaning, for its full monetary value, its entire worth. ‘that the plague may be stayed’ — meaning, so that the plague would be stopped.
And Ornan said to David: ‘Take it to you, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes; lo, I give you the oxen for burnt-offerings, and the threshing-instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal-offering; I give it all’
verse value 5072
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 88 letters. The shortest word is "see" (רְאֵה֩, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·threshing-instruments" (וְהַמּוֹרִגִּ֧ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 860: I·give, I·give. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "take·for·you" (קַֽח־לָ֔ךְ), "to·the·burnt-offerings" (לָעֹל֗וֹת), "and·the·threshing-instruments" (וְהַמּוֹרִגִּ֧ים). The root נתן appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "the·king" (root מלך, 91x in I Chronicles); "the·all" (root כל, 81x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·eyes', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 10 words.
Rashi
and the threshing tools for [fire] wood [These are] boards with which they thresh the grain, as we learned in Avodah Zarah (24b): “A goat with hooks,” [which is the] name of a threshing-sledge, similar to (Isa. 41:15): “a new grooved threshing sledge (מוֹרַג חָרוּץ).”
Ralbag
Lo, I give you the oxen for burnt-offerings... — This narrative is given briefly in the Book of Samuel, and here it is completed [with fuller detail].
Metzudat David
‘Take it to you’ — namely, the threshing-floor. ‘and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes’ — meaning, let him offer burnt-offerings at my expense; whatever he sees fit in his eyes, etc. ‘for wood’ — meaning, to kindle the fire upon the altar.
Metzudat Zion
'And the threshing-instruments' — similar to a board of wood with thin stones embedded in its underside, with which grain is threshed; similarly, 'like a sharp new threshing-instrument' (morag) (Isaiah 41).
And king David said to Ornan: ‘Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price; for I will not take that which is yours for Hashem, nor offer a burnt-offering without cost.’
verse value 3008
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֕א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·offer·up" (וְהַעֲל֥וֹת, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "but·surely" (כִּֽי־קָנֹ֥ה), "I·will·buy" (אֶקְנֶ֖ה), "not·I·will·take" (לֹא־אֶשָּׂ֤א). The root קנה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "the·king" (root מלך, 91x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'full', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Metzudat David
‘I will not take’ — meaning, I will not take what is yours in order to give it to Hashem. ‘nor offer a burnt-offering’ — meaning, nor offer up a burnt-offering from something given to me free of charge.
So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
verse value 2980
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֥שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Ornan" (לְאׇרְנָ֖ן, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "in·the·place" (בַּמָּק֑וֹם), "shekels·of" (שִׁקְלֵ֣י). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "and·he·gave" (root נתן, 50x in I Chronicles); "hundred" (root מאה, 40x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·place', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּתֵּ֥ן [and·he·gave] (466) + דָּוִ֛יד [David] (24) + לְאׇרְנָ֖ן [to·Ornan] (331) + בַּמָּק֑וֹם [in·the·place] (188) + שִׁקְלֵ֣י [shekels·of] (440) + זָהָ֔ב [gold] (14) + מִשְׁקָ֖ל [weight] (470) + שֵׁ֥שׁ [six] (600) + מֵאֽוֹת [hundred] (447) = 2980.
Rashi
shekels of gold, weighing six hundred but at the end of Samuel (II 24:24), it is written: “for fifty shekels of silver.” How is this possible? He took fifty shekels from each tribe, totaling six hundred shekels, so that all Israel should have a share in the altar.
Ralbag
So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight — We have already noted, regarding the Book of Samuel, that he bought the threshing floor, the oxen, and the threshing-sledges for fifty shekels of silver; and [here we learn that] the ground surrounding the threshing floor, on which the Temple was built, he bought for about six hundred shekels of gold, as is written here. In this way the difficulty is resolved.
Metzudat David
‘for the place’ — meaning, for the entire field surrounding the threshing-floor.
Malbim
'six hundred shekels of gold by weight' — whereas in [the Book of] Samuel it says that he bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. Our Sages explain that when he saw that the fire had come down [from heaven] and wished to set aside this place for the Temple, he bought up the entire surrounding area and paid shekels of gold for it. They give a further explanation, that he collected fifty shekels from each tribe — see there.
And David built there an altar to Hashem, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon Hashem; and He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.
verse value 3169
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 70 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֨ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·the·heaven" (מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 57: altar, to·Hashem, altar·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "to·Hashem" (אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה), "and·he·answered·him" (וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֤הוּ), "from·the·heaven" (מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם). The root עלה appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "there" (root שם, 67x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·peace-offerings', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Ralbag
And He answered him from heaven by fire... — I think the intent here is that he did not himself place fire upon the altar, but rather prayed to Hashem, may He be blessed, and Hashem answered him with fire that He brought down from heaven to consume the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, in the sense of the verse, "and let the God that answers by fire..." (I Kings 18:24).
Metzudat David
‘by fire’ — meaning, the answer consisted in the fire coming down upon the altar.
And Hashem commanded the angel; and he put up his sword back into its sheath.
verse value 1078
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "to·its·sheath" (אֶל־נְדָנָֽהּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "his·sword" (חַרְבּ֖וֹ), "to·its·sheath" (אֶל־נְדָנָֽהּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 73x in I Chronicles). Full calculation: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·he·said] (257) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ [to·the·messenger] (121) + וַיָּ֥שֶׁב [and·he·put·back] (318) + חַרְבּ֖וֹ [his·sword] (216) + אֶל־נְדָנָֽהּ [to·its·sheath] (140) = 1078.
Rashi
And the Lord commanded the angel to return his sword, and the sword was returned to its sheath. Similar to this is (Jonah 2:11): “And the Lord said to the fish, and it spewed Jonah, etc.”
Ralbag
"Into its sheath" — meaning its case. Now, the altar of burnt-offering that he made — all this took place at a time when [the sanctioned place of worship was still] the great high place at Gibeon, and David could not go there to inquire of God at the great high place, because he was terrified by the angel's sword. Therefore David hastened to call upon Hashem there [at the threshing floor], and when he saw that Hashem, may He be blessed, answered him there, he then recognized and knew that this was the place that Hashem had chosen to place His Name; and this is why he said [what follows].
Metzudat David
‘And Hashem commanded,’ etc. — [He commanded him] to put back his sword, and so he did, putting back his sword so as not to destroy at all from then on.
Metzudat Zion
'Its sheath' — this is the scabbard of the sword; similarly, 'within its sheath' (nidneh) (Daniel 6).
At that time, when David saw that Hashem had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
verse value 2335
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "there" (שָֽׁם, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·he·had·answered·him" (כִּֽי־עָנָ֣הוּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "in·seeing·of" (בִּרְא֤וֹת), "that·he·had·answered·him" (כִּֽי־עָנָ֣הוּ), "and·he·sacrificed" (וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "there" (root שם, 67x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·Jebusite', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 2 words. Full calculation: בָּעֵ֣ת [in·the·time] (472) + הַהִ֔יא [that] (21) + בִּרְא֤וֹת [in·seeing·of] (609) + דָּוִיד֙ [David] (24) + כִּֽי־עָנָ֣הוּ [that·he·had·answered·him] (161) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּגֹ֖רֶן [in·threshing-floor·of] (255) + אׇרְנָ֣ן [Ornan] (301) + הַיְבוּסִ֑י [the·Jebusite] (93) + וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח [and·he·sacrificed] (33) + שָֽׁם [there] (340) = 2335.
Rashi
At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him This section was not written in II Samuel, but because of David’s honor, it was written here that he made an altar, and all the verses of this section are connected to one another, as if they were all one verse.
Metzudat David
‘then he sacrificed there’ — meaning, he made it his regular practice to offer his sacrifices there.
Malbim
'At that time' — this connects forward to what will be said in chapter 22:1, where it states, 'This is the house of Hashem God,' etc. David knew this from two things: (1) from the fact that he saw that Hashem had answered him — namely, that fire came down from heaven and the plague was halted; (2) from the fact that he sacrificed there, and [knew] that this had been done at Hashem's direction — even though the Tabernacle of Hashem and the altar of burnt offering were, at that time, in Gibeon, and David could not go there, because the angel had frightened him [on that road] and he was compelled to offer specifically there [at the threshing-floor]; and there he was not frightened by the angel, even though it had appeared to him there too, as above, verse 20. From all of this he knew that this was the place designated for the Chosen House [the Temple], and this is why it says, 'And David said: This is the house of Hashem God,' etc.
For the tabernacle of Hashem, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.
verse value 2765
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Moses" (מֹשֶׁ֧ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·made" (אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·the·tabernacle·of" (וּמִשְׁכַּ֣ן), "that·made" (אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה), "and·the·altar·of" (וּמִזְבַּ֥ח). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "that·made" (root עשה, 39x in I Chronicles); "the·burnt-offering" (root עלה, 38x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 2 words. Full calculation: וּמִשְׁכַּ֣ן [and·the·tabernacle·of] (416) + יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה [Hashem] (26) + אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה [that·made] (876) + מֹשֶׁ֧ה [Moses] (345) + בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר [in·the·wilderness] (248) + וּמִזְבַּ֥ח [and·the·altar·of] (63) + הָעוֹלָ֖ה [the·burnt-offering] (116) + בָּעֵ֣ת [in·the·time] (472) + הַהִ֑יא [that] (21) + בַּבָּמָ֖ה [in·the·high·place] (49) + בְּגִבְעֽוֹן [in·Gibeon] (133) = 2765.
Rashi
and the altar of the burnt offerings of Moses was still at that time in the high place, which was in Gibeon.
Metzudat David
‘in the high place’ — the site where the Tabernacle and the altar stood was called a bamah [high place], after the raised platform on which it stood — that is, the altar itself.
But David could not go before it to inquire of God; for he was terrified because of the sword of the angel of Hashem.
verse value 2456
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֑ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·was·able" (וְלֹא־יָכֹ֥ל, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·not·was·able" (וְלֹא־יָכֹ֥ל), "to·inquire" (לִדְרֹ֣שׁ), "he·was·terrified" (נִבְעַ֔ת). The root פנים appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 182x in I Chronicles); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 175x in I Chronicles); "God" (root אלהים, 117x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְלֹא־יָכֹ֥ל [and·not·was·able] (97) + דָּוִ֛יד [David] (24) + לָלֶ֥כֶת [to·go] (480) + לְפָנָ֖יו [before·it] (176) + לִדְרֹ֣שׁ [to·inquire] (534) + אֱלֹהִ֑ים [God] (86) + כִּ֣י [for] (30) + נִבְעַ֔ת [he·was·terrified] (522) + מִפְּנֵ֕י [because·of] (180) + חֶ֖רֶב [the·sword·of] (210) + מַלְאַ֥ךְ [the·angel·of] (91) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2456.
Rashi
But David could not Then, when that incident occurred that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded him to offer up a sacrifice, David could not go before it to inquire of God, i.e., before the altar that was in Gibeon. because he was frightened by the sword of the angel of the Lord and David went according to the words of the Lord and built an altar, and the Lord answered him.
Metzudat David
‘But David could not,’ etc. — and therefore he offered his sacrifices upon the altar that he had built at the threshing-floor of Ornan. ‘for he was terrified’ — meaning, he no longer had the strength, from then on, to go to Gibeon.
Metzudat Zion
'He was terrified' — an expression of dread and fright.
Rashi
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim