1
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provokedDavid to numberIsrael.
2
And Davidsaid to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, numberIsrael from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
3
And Joabanswered, The LORD make his people an hundredtimes so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lordrequire this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
4
Nevertheless the king's wordprevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joabdeparted, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
5
And Joabgave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousandthousand and an hundredthousandmen that drewsword: and Judah was fourhundred threescore and tenthousandmen that drewsword.
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But Levi and Benjamincounted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
7
And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smoteIsrael.
8
And Davidsaid unto God, I have sinnedgreatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have doneveryfoolishly.
9
And the LORDspake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
10Go and tellDavid, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
11
So Gadcame to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
12
Either threeyears' famine; orthreemonths to be destroyedbefore thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemiesovertaketh thee; or else threedays the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORDdestroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
13
And Davidsaid unto Gad, I am in a greatstrait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for verygreat are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
14
So the LORDsentpestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israelseventythousandmen.
15
And Godsent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORDbeheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORDstood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORDstand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawnsword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17
And Davidsaid unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and doneevilindeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
18
Then the angel of the LORDcommandedGad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19
And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
20
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his foursons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshingwheat.
21
And as Davidcame to Ornan, Ornanlooked and sawDavid, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22
Then Davidsaid to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the fullprice: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
23
And Ornansaid unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the kingdo that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee 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 kingDavidsaid to Ornan, Nay; but I will verilybuy it for the fullprice: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
25
So Davidgave to Ornan for the placesixhundredshekels of gold by weight.
26
And Davidbuilt there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
27
And the LORDcommanded the angel; and he put up his swordagain into the sheath thereof.
28
At that time when Davidsaw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
29
For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Mosesmade in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
30
But Davidcould not gobefore it to enquire of God: for he was afraidbecause of the sword of the angel of the LORD.