2 Samuel 24

1 And again the anger of יהוה was kindled against Yisrael, and He moved Dawid against them to say, “Go, number Yisrael and Judah (Yehudah).”

2 For the king said to Yoav the captain of the army, who was with him, “Go now through all the tribes of Yisrael, from Dan even to Beer-Sheva, and number you the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

3 And Yoav said unto the king, “Now יהוה your God (Elohim) add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord (adoni) the king may see it; but why doth my lord (adoni) the king delight in this thing?”

4 Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Yoav, and against the captains of the army. And Yoav and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Yisrael.

5 And they passed over Jordan (Yarden), and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Yazer.

6 Then they came to Gilad, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,

7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah (Yehudah), even to Beer-Sheva.

8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 And Yoav gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Yisrael eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah (Yehudah) were five hundred thousand men.

10 And Dawid’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And Dawid said unto יהוה, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done; and now, I beseech you, O יהוה, take away the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.”

11 For when Dawid was up in the morning, the word of יהוה came unto the prophet Gad, Dawid’s seer, saying,

12 “Go and say unto Dawid, ‘Thus saith יהוה: “I offer you three things; choose you one of them, that I may do it unto you.”’”

13 So Gad came to Dawid, and told him, and said unto him, “Shall seven years of famine come unto you in your land? Or wilt you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or that there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.”

14 And Dawid said unto Gad, “I am in a great strait; let us fall now into the hand of יהוה; for his mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man.”

15 So יהוה sent a pestilence upon Yisrael from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-Sheva seventy thousand men.

16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) to destroy it, יהוה regretted of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, “It is enough; restrain now Your hand.” And the angel of יהוה was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Yevusi.

17 And Dawid spake unto יהוה when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand, I pray you, be against me, and against my father’s house.”

18 And Gad came that day to Dawid, and said unto him, “Go up, rear an altar unto יהוה in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite (Yevusi).”

19 And Dawid, according to the saying of Gad, went up as יהוה commanded.

20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him; and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

21 And Araunah said, “Why is my lord (adoni) the king come to his servant?” And Dawid said, “To buy the threshingfloor of you, to build an altar unto יהוה, that the plague may be stayed from the people.”

22 And Araunah said unto Dawid, “Let my lord (adoni) the king takes and offer up what seemeth good unto him; behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king.” And Araunah said unto the king, “May יהוה your God (Elohim) accept you.”

24 And the king said unto Araunah, “Nay, but I will surely buy it of you at a price; neither will I offer burnt offerings unto יהוה my God (Elohim) of that which doth cost me nothing.” So Dawid bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

25 And Dawid built there an altar unto יהוה, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So יהוה was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Yisrael.