2Samuel 24

The Census Taken

24AGAIN THE anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.H3254H639H3068H2734H3478H5496H1732H559H3212H4487H3478H30632For the king said to Joab the captain of the host who was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know their number.H4428H559H3097H8269H2428H7751H7626H3478H1835H884H6485H5971H3045H4557H59713And Joab said to the king, May the Lord your God add a hundred times as many people as there are, and let the eyes of my lord the king see it; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?H3097H559H4428H3068H430H3254H5971H1992H3967H6471H5869H113H4428H7200H113H4428H2654H16974But the king's word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So they went from the king's presence to number the Israelites.H4428H1697H2388H3097H8269H2428H3097H8269H2428H3318H6440H4428H6485H5971H34785They passed over the Jordan and encamped in Aroer, on the south side of the city lying in the midst of the ravine [of the Arnon] toward Gad, and on to Jazer.H5674H3383H2583H6177H3225H5892H8432H5158H1410H32706Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan [Dan in the forest] and around to Sidon,H935H1568H776H8483H935H1842H5439H67217And came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the South (the Negeb) of Judah at Beersheba.H935H4013H6865H5892H2340H3669H3318H5045H3063H8848So when they had gone through all the land [taking the census], they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.H7751H776H935H3389H7097H8672H2320H6242H31179And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king. There were in Israel 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.H3097H5414H4557H4662H5971H4428H3478H8083H3967H505H2428H376H381H8025H2719H376H3063H2568H3967H505H37610But David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. David said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done. I beseech You, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.H1732H3820H5221H310H5608H5971H1732H559H3068H2398H3966H6213H3068H5674H5771H5650H3966H552811When David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,H1732H6965H1242H1697H3068H5030H1410H1732H2374H55912Go and say to David, Thus says the Lord, I hold over you three choices; select one of them, so I may bring it upon you.H1980H559H1732H1696H3068H5190H7969H977H259H621313So Gad came to David and told him and said, Shall seven years of famine come to your land? Or will you flee three months before your pursuing enemies? Or do you prefer three days of pestilence in your land? Consider and see what answer I shall return to Him Who sent me.H1410H935H1732H5046H559H7651H8141H7458H935H776H5127H7969H2320H6440H6862H7291H7969H3117H1698H776H3045H7200H1697H7725H797114And David said to Gad, I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercies are many {and} great; but let me not fall into the hands of man.H1732H559H1410H3966H6887H5307H3027H3068H7356H7227H5307H3027H120

Pestilence Sent

15So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba 70,000 men.H3068H5414H1698H3478H1242H6256H4150H4191H5971H1835H884H7657H505H37616And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented of the evil {and} reversed His judgment and said to the destroying angel, It is enough; now stay your hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.H4397H7971H3027H3389H7843H3068H5162H7451H559H4397H7843H5971H7227H7503H3027H4397H3068H1637H728H298317When David saw the angel who was smiting the people, he spoke to the Lord 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 [only] against me and against my father's house.H1732H559H3068H7200H4397H5221H5971H559H2398H5753H6629H6213H3027H1H1004

David Builds an Altar

18Then Gad came to David and said, Go up, rear an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.H1410H935H3117H1732H559H5927H6965H4196H3068H1637H728H298319So David went up according to Gad's word, as the Lord commanded.H1732H1697H1410H5927H3068H668020Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming toward him; and [he] went out and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.H728H8259H7200H4428H5650H5674H728H3318H7812H4428H639H77621Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing floor from you, to build there an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.H728H559H113H4428H935H5650H1732H559H7069H1637H1129H4196H3068H4046H6113H597122And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for wood.H728H559H1732H113H4428H3947H5927H2896H5869H7200H1241H5930H4173H3627H1241H608623All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king. And Araunah said to the king, The Lord your God accept you.H728H4428H5414H4428H728H559H4428H3068H430H752124But King David said to Araunah, No, but I will buy it of you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God of that which costs me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.H4428H559H728H7069H7069H4242H5927H5930H3068H430H2600H1732H7069H1637H1241H2572H8255H370125David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and Israel's plague was stayed.H1732H1129H4196H3068H5927H5930H8002H3068H6279H776H4046H6113H3478