13
Davidsaid to Gad, "I am in greatdistress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, 1for His mercies are verygreat. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."
14
2So 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 3was 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, 4covered 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, 5but 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
186Then 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."
Excepting the three last verses, is contained in 2Sa 24:1-25 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there. 18894-950102-2025-1Ch21.2