New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 Satan stood up against Israel, and incited David to count the people of Israel.
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A heavenly Adversary arose against Israel and incited David to count Israel.
2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, "Go, number Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, and bring me a report, so that I may know their number."
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So David told Joab and the leaders of the people, "Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people so I know how many people there are."
3 But Joab said, "May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundredfold! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"
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But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase his people a hundred times! Sir, aren't you the king, and aren't they all your servants? Why do you want to do this? Why bring guilt on Israel?"
4 But the king's word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came back to Jerusalem.
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But the king overruled Joab, who left and traveled throughout all Israel. When he returned to Jerusalem,
5 Joab gave the total count of the people to David. In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and in Judah four hundred seventy thousand who drew the sword.
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he reported to David the total number: there were 1,100,000 men available for military service in all Israel, while Judah alone had 470,000.
6 But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.
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He didn't include Levi and Benjamin among them, because Joab disagreed with the king's order.
7 But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel.
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God was offended by this census and punished Israel.
8 David said to God, "I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, I pray you, take away the guilt of your servant; for I have done very foolishly."
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Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done! Now please take away the guilt of your servant because I have done something very foolish."
9 The Lord spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying,
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The LORD told Gad, David's seer:
10 "Go and say to David, "Thus says the Lord: Three things I offer you; choose one of them, so that I may do it to you.' "
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Go and tell David, This is what the LORD says: I'm offering you three punishments. Choose one of them, and that is what I will do to you.
11 So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, "Take your choice:
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When Gad came to David, he said to him, "This is what the LORD says: Take your choice:
12 either three years of famine; or three months of devastation by your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or three days of the sword of the Lord, pestilence on the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I shall return to the one who sent me."
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three years of famine, three months of fleeing from your enemies while your enemies' sword overtakes you, or three days of the LORD's sword, that is, plague in the land and the LORD's messenger bringing disaster in every part of Israel. Decide now what answer I should take back to the one who sent me."
13 Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but let me not fall into human hands."
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"I'm in deep trouble," David said to Gad. "I'd rather fall into the hands of the LORD, who is very merciful; don't let me fall into human hands."
14 So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel; and seventy thousand persons fell in Israel.
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So the LORD sent a plague throughout Israel, and seventy thousand Israelites fell dead.
15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but when he was about to destroy it, the Lord took note and relented concerning the calamity; he said to the destroying angel, "Enough! Stay your hand." The angel of the Lord was then standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
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Then God sent a messenger to Jerusalem to destroy it. But just as the messenger was about to destroy it, the LORD looked and changed his mind about the destruction. He said to the messenger who was destroying it, "That's enough! Withdraw your hand!" At that time the LORD's messenger was standing near the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
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When David looked up, he saw the LORD's messenger stationed between the earth and the sky with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out against Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, dressed in mourning clothes, fell on their faces;
17 And David said to God, "Was it not I who gave the command to count the people? It is I who have sinned and done very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father's house; but do not let your people be plagued!"
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and David said to God, "Wasn't it I who ordered the numbering of the people? I'm the sinner, the one responsible for this evil. But these sheep—what have they done? LORD, my God, turn your hand against me and my household, but spare your people from the plague."
18 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to tell David that he should go up and erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
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The LORD's messenger ordered Gad to tell David that he should go up to the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite in order to set up an altar for the LORD.
19 So David went up following Gad's instructions, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord.
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So David went up, following the instructions Gad had delivered in the LORD's name.
20 Ornan turned and saw the angel; and while his four sons who were with him hid themselves, Ornan continued to thresh wheat.
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Ornan turned around and saw the king. His four sons who were with him hid themselves, but Ornan continued threshing wheat.
21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David; he went out from the threshing floor, and did obeisance to David with his face to the ground.
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When David approached Ornan, Ornan looked up, recognized David, left the threshing floor, and bowed to David with his face to the ground.
22 David said to Ornan, "Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord—give it to me at its full price—so that the plague may be averted from the people."
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David said to Ornan, "Give me the site of the threshing floor, charging me full price, so that I may build an altar to the LORD, and the plague among the people may come to an end."
23 Then Ornan said to David, "Take it; and let my lord the king do what seems good to him; see, I present the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for a grain offering. I give it all."
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Ornan replied to David, "Take it for yourself, and may my master the king do what he thinks is best. I'll even provide the oxen for the entirely burned offerings, the threshing boards for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering—I'll provide everything!"
24 But King David said to Ornan, "No; I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
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But King David said to Ornan, "No, I will buy them from you at a fair price. I won't offer to the LORD what belongs to you nor offer an entirely burned offering that costs me nothing."
25 So David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the site.
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Then David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the site.
26 David built there an altar to the Lord and presented burnt offerings and offerings of well-being. He called upon the Lord, and he answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
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David built an altar there for the LORD and offered entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices. He called on the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of the entirely burned offering, consuming the entirely burned offering.
27 Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
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Then the LORD commanded the messenger to return his sword to its sheath.
28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he made his sacrifices there.
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At that time, after David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.
29 For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon;
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The LORD's dwelling that Moses had made in the desert and the altar for entirely burned offerings were then at the shrine in Gibeon,
30 but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
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but David couldn't go there to seek God because he feared the sword of the LORD's messenger.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible