24
David replied to Araunah, "No. I'm buying it from you, and at the full market price. I'm not going to offer God sacrifices that are no sacrifice."
25
So David bought the place from Araunah for 600 shekels of gold.
26
He built an altar to God there and sacrificed Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings. He called out to God and God answered by striking the altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering with lightning.
27
Then God told the angel to put his sword back into its scabbard.
28
And that's the story of what happened when David saw that God answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite at the time he offered the sacrifice.
29
At this time the Tabernacle that Moses had constructed in the desert, and with it the Altar of Burnt Offering, were set up at the worship center at Gibeon.
30
But David, terrified by the angel's sword, wouldn't go there to pray to God anymore.
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
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.