 1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, Go count Israel and Judah. 2 For the king said to Joab the commander of the army, who was with him, Go around through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people so that I may know the number of the people. 3 Joab said to the king, And may the Lord your God add to the people however many they be, 100 times as many, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this? 4 But the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army. Then Joab and the commanders of the army left from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel. 5 They passed over Jordan and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer. 6 They came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtimhodshi. They came to Danjaan and around to Sidon. 7 They came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites and to the south of Judah, to Beersheba. 8 They went to and fro through all the land and came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. 9 Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel 800,000 strong men who drew the sword. And the men of Judah were 500,000 men. 10 David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, I beseech you, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. 11 David rose in the morning. And the Word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David's seer saying, 12 Go and say to David, Thus says the Lord, I offer you three things. Choose one of them, so that I may do it to you. 13 So Gad came to David and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come upon you and on your land? Or will you flee three months before your enemies while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days pestilence in your land? Now seek advise and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me. 14 David said to Gad, I am in great distress. Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great. And do not let me fall into the hand of man. 15 The Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning even until the time appointed. And there died from the people, from Dan to Beersheba, 70,000 men. 16 When the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented+ and said to the destroying angel. Stop. It is enough. Then the angel of the Lord was by the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who struck the people and he said, I have sinned and done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Now I ask you to let your hand be against me and against my father's house. 18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up. Rear an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 David went, according to the saying of Gad, as the Lord commanded. 20 Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. So Araunah bowed before the king, his face to the ground. 21 Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, so that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22 Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments, and instruments of the oxen for wood. 23 All these Araunah, like a king, gave to the king. And Araunah said to the king, May the Lord your God accept you. 24 The king said to Araunah, No, but I will surely buy from you at a price. And I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God of what costs me nothing. And David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 50 shekels of silver. 25 David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
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