1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord' servants? why then does my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
4 Nevertheless the king' word prevailed against Joab. Why Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred three score and ten thousand men that drew sword.
6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king' word was abominable to Joab.
7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
8 And David said to God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech you, do away the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.
9 And the LORD spoke to Gad, David' seer, saying,
10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus said the LORD, I offer you three things: choose you one of them, that I may do it to you.
11 So Gad came to David, and said to him, Thus said the LORD, Choose you
12 Either three years'famine; or three months to be destroyed before your foes, while that the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise yourself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
13 And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
14 So the LORD sent pestilence on Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now your hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
17 And David said to God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I pray you, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father' house; but not on your people, that they should be plagued.
18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar to the LORD in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the LORD.
20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar therein to the LORD: you shall grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
23 And Ornan said to David, Take it to you, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: see, I give you the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.
24 And king David said to Ornan, No; but I will truly buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is your for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
26 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.
27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
28 At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.
3 And Joab answered, May Jehovah make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lords servants? Why then does my lord desire this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?
4 Nevertheless the kings word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
6 But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the kings word was abhorrent to Joab.
7 And this thing caused the eye of God to quiver; therefore He struck Israel.
8 So David said to God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.
9 And Jehovah spoke to Gad, Davids seer, saying,
10 Go and speak to David, saying, Thus says Jehovah: I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.
11 So Gad came to David and said to him, Thus says Jehovah: Choose for yourself,
12 either three years of famine, or three months of being defeated before your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of Jehovah; the plague in the land, with the Angel of Jehovah destroying throughout all the territory of Israel. Now consider what word I shall return to the One sending me.
13 And David said to Gad, I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of Jehovah, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.
14 So Jehovah sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.
15 And God sent the Angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, Jehovah looked and was moved to compassion regarding the evil, and said to the Angel who was destroying, It is enough; now restrain Your hand. And the Angel of Jehovah stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16 And David lifted his eyes and saw the Angel of Jehovah standing between earth and the heavens, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. And David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
17 And David said to God, Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O Jehovah my God, be against me and my fathers house, but not against Your people to be plagued.
18 And the Angel of Jehovah commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and set up an altar unto Jehovah on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of Jehovah.
20 And Ornan turned and saw the Angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan had been threshing wheat.
21 And David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed to David with his face to the ground.
22 And David said to Ornan, Give me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it unto Jehovah. You shall give it to me for the full price, that the plague may be restrained from the people.
23 And Ornan said to David, Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I have also given you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I have given it all.
24 And King David said to Ornan, No, but I will buy to acquire it for the full price, for I will not take away what is yours for Jehovah, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
25 So David gave to Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place.
26 And David built there an altar unto Jehovah, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon Jehovah; and He answered him from the heavens by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
27 And Jehovah commanded the Angel, and He returned His sword to its sheath.
28 At that time, when David saw that Jehovah had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
29 For the tabernacle of Jehovah and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon.
30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he had been terrified of the sword of the Angel of Jehovah.