Shmuel Bais 24:12

12 Go, say unto Dovid, Thus saith Hashem, I offer thee shalosh (three, three things); choose for thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

Shmuel Bais 24:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 24:12

Go, and say unto David
Not my servant David, as Nathan was bid to say to him when it was in his heart to build an house for him, ( 2 Samuel 7:5 ) ; but now he had sinned and displeased the Lord, and therefore it is only plain David:

thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three [things];
or lay them before thee to consider of which thou wouldest have done; the Targum is,

``one of three things I cast upon thee,''

as a burden to bear; one of the three I will certainly inflict upon thee by way of chastisement:

choose thee one of them, that I may [do it] unto thee;
here is mercy mixed with judgment; the Lord is angry, yet shows great condescension and goodness; a sovereign Being, who could have imposed what punishment he pleased, and even all the three after mentioned, yet resolves but on one, and leaves that to the option of David.

Shmuel Bais 24:12 In-Context

10 And the lev Dovid struck him after that he had numbered HaAm. And Dovid said unto Hashem, Chatati (I have sinned) me’od (greatly) in what I have done; and now, Hashem, take away the avon (iniquity, guilt) of Thy eved; for I have done very foolishly.

11 For when Dovid rose up in the boker, the Devar Hashem came unto Gad HaNavi, the Chozeh Dovid (Seer of Dovid), saying,

12 Go, say unto Dovid, Thus saith Hashem, I offer thee shalosh (three, three things); choose for thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

13 So Gad came to Dovid, and told him, and said unto him, Shall shalosh [see 1Chr 21:12, Hebrew here says sheva] shanim of ra’av (famine) come unto thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee shloshah chodashim before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? Or that there be shloshet yamim dever (three days of pestilence) in thy land? Now consider, and see what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.

14 And Dovid said unto Gad, I am in a great tzar (distress); let us fall now into the Yad Hashem; for His rachamim are rabbim: and let me not fall into the yad adam.