2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21; 1 Chronicles 22; Psalms 30

1 The LORD became angry with Israel again, so he provoked David to turn against Israel. He said, "Go, count Israel and Judah."

2 King David said to Joab, the commander of the army who was with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and count the people. That way I will know how many there are."

3 Joab responded to the king, "May the LORD your God multiply the people a hundred times over, and may Your Majesty [live] to see it. But why does Your Majesty wish to do this?"

4 However, the king overruled Joab and the commanders of the army. So they left the king [in order] to count the people of Israel.

5 They crossed the Jordan River and camped at Aroer, south of the city in the middle of the valley. Then they went to Gad and to Jazer.

6 They went to Gilead and to Tahtim Hodshi and then to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.

7 They went to the fortified city of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

8 When they had covered the whole country, they came to Jerusalem after 9 months and 20 days.

9 Joab reported the census figures to the king: In Israel there were 800,000 able-bodied men who could serve in the army, and in Judah there were 500,000.

10 After David counted the people, his conscience troubled him. David said to the LORD, "I have committed a terrible sin by what I have done. LORD, please forgive me because I have acted very foolishly."

11 When David got up in the morning, the LORD spoke his word to the prophet Gad, David's seer.

12 "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I'm offering you three choices. Choose the one you want me to do to you.'"

13 When Gad came to David, he told David this and asked, "Should seven years of famine come to you and your land, or three months during which you flee from your enemies as they pursue you, or should there be a three-day plague in your land? Think it over, and decide what answer I should give the one who sent me."

14 "I'm in a desperate situation," David told Gad. "Please let us fall into the LORD's hands because he is very merciful. But don't let me fall into human hands."

15 So the LORD sent a plague among the Israelites from that morning until the time he had chosen. Of the people from Dan to Beersheba, 70,000 died.

16 But when the Messenger stretched out his arm to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD changed his mind about the disaster. "Enough!" he said to the Messenger who was destroying the people. "Put down your weapon." The Messenger of the LORD was at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 When David saw the Messenger who had been killing the people, he said to the LORD, "I've sinned. I've done wrong. What have these sheep done? Please let your punishment be against me and against my father's family."

18 That day Gad came to David and said to him, "Go, set up an altar for the LORD at Araunah the Jebusite's threshing floor."

19 David went as Gad had told him and as the LORD had commanded him.

20 When Araunah looked down and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down with his face touching the ground in front of the king.

21 "Why has Your Majesty come to me?" Araunah asked. David answered, "To buy the threshing floor from you and to build an altar for the LORD. Then the plague on the people will stop."

22 Araunah said to David, "Take it, Your Majesty, and offer whatever you think is right. There are oxen for the burnt offering, and there are threshers and oxen yokes for firewood."

23 All this Araunah gave to the king and said, "May the LORD your God accept you."

24 "No!" the king said to Araunah. "I must buy it from you at a [fair] price. I won't offer the LORD my God burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 1¼ pounds of silver.

25 David built an altar for the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So the LORD heard the prayers for the country, and the plague on Israel stopped.

1 Satan attempted to attack Israel by provoking David to count the Israelites.

2 David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, "Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Bring me [the results] so that I may know how many [people] there are."

3 Joab responded, "May the LORD multiply his people a hundred times over. But, Your Majesty, aren't they all your servants? Why are you trying to do this? Why do you wish to make Israel guilty of [this] sin?"

4 However, the king overruled Joab. So Joab left, went throughout Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.

5 Joab reported the census figures to David: In Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could serve in the army, and in Judah there were 470,000 who could serve in the army.

6 Joab didn't include Levi and Benjamin in the number because he was disgusted with the king's order.

7 God considered the census to be sinful, so he struck Israel [with a plague].

8 David said to God, "I have committed a terrible sin by doing this thing. Forgive me because I have acted very foolishly."

9 The LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer.

10 "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I'm offering you three choices. Choose the one you want me to do to you.'"

11 When Gad came to David, he said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Take your pick:

12 either three years of famine, or three months during which your enemies will chase you away when their swords catch up to you, or three days of the LORD's sword--a plague in the land with the Messenger of the LORD destroying the whole country of Israel.' Decide what answer I should give the one who sent me."

13 "I'm in a desperate situation," David told Gad. "Please let me fall into the LORD's hands because he is extremely merciful. But don't let me fall into human hands."

14 So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and 70,000 Israelites died.

15 God also sent a Messenger to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was destroying it, the LORD reconsidered and changed his mind about the disaster. "Enough!" he said to the destroying Messenger. "Put down your weapon." The Messenger of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

16 When David looked up, he saw the Messenger of the LORD standing between heaven and earth. The Messenger had a sword in his hand and stretched it over Jerusalem. David and the leaders were dressed in sackcloth. They bowed down with their faces touching the ground.

17 David said to God, "I'm the one who ordered the people to be counted. I am the one who sinned and did wrong. What have these sheep done? LORD my God, let your punishment be against me and my father's family, but don't punish your people with a plague."

18 The LORD's Messenger told Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar for the LORD at Ornan the Jebusite's threshing floor.

19 David went as Gad had told him in the LORD's name.

20 Now, Ornan had turned around and seen the Messenger. Ornan's four sons who were with him hid, but Ornan kept on threshing the wheat.

21 When David arrived, Ornan looked up and saw him. So he left the threshing floor and bowed down with his face touching the ground in front of David.

22 David said to Ornan, "Let me have the land this threshing floor is on. I'll build an altar for the LORD on it. Sell it to me for the full price. Then the plague on the people will stop."

23 Ornan said to David, "Take it, Your Majesty, and do whatever you think is right. I'll give you oxen for the burnt offering, threshers for firewood, and wheat for the grain offering. I'll give you everything."

24 "No," King David told Ornan, "I insist on buying it for the full price. I won't take what is yours for the LORD and offer burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing."

25 So David gave Ornan 15 pounds of gold for that place.

26 David built an altar for the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him by [sending] fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.

27 So the LORD spoke to the Messenger, and he put his sword back in its scabbard.

28 At that time, when David saw the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.

29 The LORD's tent that Moses made in the desert and the altar for burnt offerings were at the worship site at Gibeon.

30 However, David couldn't go there to consult God because he was frightened by the sword of the LORD's Messenger.

1 Then David said, "This is where the LORD God's temple will be. Israel's altar for burnt offerings will also be here."

2 David ordered the foreigners living in Israel to gather. He appointed some of them to cut stones to build God's temple.

3 David prepared a large quantity of iron for nails and fittings on the doors of the gates. He also prepared so much bronze that it couldn't be weighed.

4 The men of Sidon and Tyre brought David so many cedar logs that the logs couldn't be counted.

5 David thought, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the temple that will be built for the LORD must be magnificent, large, famous, praised, and honored in all other countries. I'll prepare [the building materials] for him." So David prepared many materials [for Solomon] before he died.

6 He summoned his son Solomon and commanded him to build a temple for the LORD God of Israel.

7 David told his son Solomon, "I had my heart set on building a temple for the name of the LORD, my God.

8 But the LORD spoke his word to me by saying, 'You have caused a lot of bloodshed and fought in a lot of wars. You must not build a temple for my name because you have caused so much bloodshed in my presence.

9 You will have a son who will be a peaceful man. I will give him peace from all the enemies around him. His name will be Solomon [Peace], and in his time I will give Israel peace and quiet.

10 He will build a temple for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom permanently over Israel.'"

11 [David continued,] "Now, son, the LORD will be with you. You will be successful, and you will build the temple of the LORD your God as he predicted you would.

12 The LORD will give you insight and understanding as he commands you to take charge of Israel and to follow the Teachings of the LORD your God.

13 Then you will succeed if you will carefully obey the laws and decrees the LORD commanded Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or terrified.

14 "Despite my troubles I've made preparations for the LORD's temple. There are 7,500,000 pounds of gold, 75,000,000 pounds of silver, and so much bronze and iron that it can't be weighed. I've also prepared wood and stones, and you may add to them.

15 You have many kinds of workers: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and men skilled in every kind of work.

16 The gold, silver, bronze, and iron are more than can be counted. So get to work! May the LORD be with you."

17 David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.

18 [David said,] "Isn't the LORD your God with you? Hasn't he given you peace with all your neighbors? He put the people who live in this country under my power, and the country has been conquered by the LORD and his people.

19 So dedicate your hearts and lives to serving the LORD your God. Start building the holy place of the LORD God so that you can bring the ark of the LORD's promise and God's holy utensils into the temple that will be built for the LORD's name."

1 I will honor you highly, O LORD, because you have pulled me out [of the pit] and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

2 O LORD my God, I cried out to you for help, and you healed me.

3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave. You called me back to life from among those who had gone into the pit.

4 Make music to praise the LORD, you faithful people who belong to him. Remember his holiness by giving thanks.

5 His anger lasts only a moment. His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night, but there is a song of joy in the morning.

6 When all was well with me, I said, "I will never be shaken."

7 O LORD, by your favor you have made my mountain stand firm. When you hid your face, I was terrified.

8 I will cry out to you, O LORD. I will plead to the Lord for mercy:

9 "How will you profit if my blood is shed, if I go into the pit? Will the dust [of my body] give thanks to you? Will it tell about your truth?"

10 Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me! O LORD, be my helper!

11 You have changed my sobbing into dancing. You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy

12 so that my soul may praise you with music and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.