And the heart of Dawiḏ struck him after he had numbered the people. And Dawiḏ said to יהוה, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, I pray, O יהוה, take away the crookedness of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, O backsliding Yisra’ĕl,’ declares יהוה, ‘I shall not look on you in displeasure, for I am lovingly-committed,’ declares יהוה, ‘and I do not bear a grudge forever.
“And the Excellency of Yisra’ĕl shall witness to his face, and Yisra’ĕl and Ephrayim stumble in their crookedness. Yehuḏah shall also stumble with them.
Let the priests, servants of יהוה, weep between the porch and the slaughter-place. And let them say, “Spare Your people, O יהוה, and do not give Your inheritance to reproach, for the nations to rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their Elohim?’ ”
And He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your guilt from you, and shall put costly robes on you.”
“If you then, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give what is good to those who ask Him!
If you then, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father from heaven give the Set-apart Spirit to those asking Him!
“But the tax collector standing at a distance would not even raise his eyes to the heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘Elohim, show favour unto me, a sinner!’
who has saved us and called us with a set-apart calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and favour which was given to us in Messiah יהושע before times of old,
you also, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a set-apart priesthood, to offer up spiritual slaughter offerings acceptable to Elohim through יהושע Messiah.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light,
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of יהושע Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin.