14
So ADONAI sent a plague on Isra'el; 70,000 of the people of Isra'el died.
15
God also sent an angel to destroy Yerushalayim, but when he was about to carry out the destruction, ADONAI saw it and changed his mind about causing such distress; so he said to the destroying angel, "Enough! Now withdraw your hand."The angel of ADONAI was standing at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi.
16
David raised his eyes and saw the angel of ADONAI standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces.
17
David said to God, "Wasn't it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father's family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!"
18
Then the angel of ADONAI ordered Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to ADONAI on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi.
19
David went up at Gad's word, spoken in ADONAI's name.
20
Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As Ornan was threshing wheat,
21
David approached Ornan. When Ornan looked and saw David, he went out from the threshing-floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.
22
Then David said to Ornan, "Let me have the parcel with this threshing-floor, so that I can build on it an altar to ADONAI - I will pay you its full value - so that the plague will be lifted from the people."
23
Ornan said to David, "Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. I'm giving you the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for firewood and the wheat for the grain offering - I'm giving it all."
24
But King David said to Ornan, "No; I insist on buying it from you at the full price. I refuse to take what is yours for ADONAI or offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing."