11Then Satanstood up againstIsrael and movedDavid to numberIsrael.
2
So Davidsaid to Joab and to the princes of the people, "2Go, numberIsrael from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number."
3
Joabsaid, "3May the LORDadd to His people a hundredtimes as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord'sservants? Why does my lordseekthisthing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"
4
Nevertheless, the king'swordprevailedagainstJoab. Therefore, Joabdeparted and went throughout allIsrael, and came to Jerusalem.
5
Joabgave the number of the census of all the people to David. And 4allIsrael were 1,100,000***men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000***men who drew the sword.
6
5But he did not numberLevi and Benjaminamong them, for the king'scommand was abhorrent to Joab.
7
God was displeased* with thisthing, so He struckIsrael.
8
Davidsaid to God, "I have sinnedgreatly, in that I have donethisthing. 6But now, pleasetakeaway the iniquity of Your servant, for I have doneveryfoolishly."
10
"Go and speak to David, saying, 'Thussays the LORD, "I offer you threethings; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.""'
11
So Gadcame to David and said to him, "Thussays the LORD, 'Take for yourself
12
9eitherthreeyears of famine, or threemonths to be sweptawaybefore* your foes, while the sword of your enemiesovertakes you, or else threedays of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORDdestroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, considerwhatanswer I shall return to Him who sent me."
13
Davidsaid to Gad, "I am in greatdistress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, 10for His mercies are verygreat. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."
14
11So the LORDsent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000*men of Israelfell.
15
And Godsent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORDsaw and 12was sorryover the calamity, and said to the destroyingangel, "It is enough; nowrelax your hand." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16
Then Davidlifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORDstandingbetweenearth and heaven, with his drawnsword in his handstretched out overJerusalem. Then David and the elders, 13covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces.
17
Davidsaid to God, "Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and doneverywickedly, 14but thesesheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father'shousehold, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."
David's Altar
1815Then the angel of the LORDcommandedGad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19
So Davidwent up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the LORD.
20
Now Ornanturnedback and saw the angel, and his foursons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshingwheat.
21
As Davidcame to Ornan, Ornanlooked and sawDavid, and went out from the threshingfloor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.
22
Then Davidsaid to Ornan, "Give me the site of this threshingfloor, that I may build on it an altar to the LORD; for the fullprice you shall give it to me, that the plague may be restrained from the people."
23
Ornansaid to David, "Take it for yourself; and let my lord the kingdowhat is good in his sight. See, I will give the oxen for burntofferings and the threshingsledges for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I will give it all."
24
But KingDavidsaid to Ornan, "No, but I will surelybuy it for the fullprice; for I will not takewhat is yours for the LORD, or offer a burntofferingwhichcosts me nothing."
25
So 16DavidgaveOrnan600*shekels of gold by weight for the site.
26
Then Davidbuilt an altar to the LORDthere and offeredburntofferings and peaceofferings. And he called to the LORD and 17He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burntoffering.
27
The LORDcommanded the angel, and he put his swordback in its sheath.
28
At that time, when Davidsaw that the LORD had answered him on the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offeredsacrificethere.
29
18For the tabernacle of the LORD, whichMoses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burntoffering were in the highplace at Gibeon at that time.
30
But Davidcould not gobefore it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.