1 Chronicles 21

David’s Military Census

(Exodus 30:11–16; 2 Samuel 24:1–9)

1Then SatanH78541 rose upH5975 againstH5921 IsraelH3478 and incitedH5496 DavidH1732 to take a censusH4487 of IsraelH3478. 2So DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 JoabH3097 andH413 the commandersH8269 of the troopsH5971, “GoH1980 and countH5608 the IsraelitesH3478 fromH884 BeershebaH884 toH5704 DanH1835 and bring meH935H413 a report, so that I may knowH3045 their numberH4557.”

3But JoabH3097 repliedH559, “May the LORDH3068H5921 multiplyH3254 His troopsH5971 a hundredH3967 timesH6471 over. My lordH113 the kingH4428, are they notH3808 allH3605 servantsH5650 of my lordH113? WhyH4100 does my lordH113 wantH1245 to do thisH2063? WhyH4100 should he bringH1961 guiltH819 on IsraelH3478?”

4Nevertheless, the king’sH4428 wordH1697 prevailedH2388 againstH5921 JoabH3097. So JoabH3097 departedH3318 and traveledH1980 throughoutH3605 IsraelH3478, and then he returnedH935 to JerusalemH3389. 5And JoabH3097 reportedH5414 toH413 DavidH1732 the totalH4557 numberH4662 of the troopsH5971. In allH3605 IsraelH3478 there wereH1961 1,100,000H505H3967 menH376 who drewH8025 the swordH2719, including 470,000H702H3967H7657H505H376H8025H2719 in JudahH3063. 6But Joab did notH3808 includeH6485 LeviH3878 and BenjaminH1144 in the countH8432, becauseH3588 the king’sH4428 commandH1697 was detestableH8581 toH854 himH3097.

Judgment for David’s Sin

(2 Samuel 24:10–14)

7ThisH2088 commandH1697 was also evilH7489H5921 in the sightH5869 of GodH430; so He struckH5221 IsraelH3478.

8Then DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 GodH430, “I have sinnedH2398 greatlyH3966 becauseH834 I have doneH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697. NowH6258 I beg YouH4994 to take awayH5674 the iniquityH5771 of Your servantH5650, forH3588 I have acted veryH3966 foolishlyH5528.”

9And the LORDH3068H413 instructedH1696 GadH1410, David’sH1732H559 seerH2374, 10“GoH1980 and tellH1696 DavidH1732 that this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘IH589 am offeringH5186H5921 you threeH7969 options. ChooseH977 oneH259 of them, and I will carry it outH6213 against you.’”

11So GadH1410 wentH935 and saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘You must chooseH6901 12betweenH518 threeH7969 yearsH8141 of famineH7458, threeH7969 monthsH2320 of being swept awayH55952 beforeH6440 your enemiesH6862 and overtakenH5381 by their swordsH2719H341, orH518 threeH7969 daysH3117 of the swordH2719 of the LORDH3068—days of plagueH1698 upon the landH776, with the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 ravagingH7843 everyH3605 partH1366 of IsraelH3478.’ Now thenH6258, decideH7200 howH4100 I should replyH7725H1697 to Him who sent meH7971.”

13DavidH1732H413 answeredH559 GadH1410, “I am deeply distressedH6862H3966. PleaseH4994, let me fallH5307 into the handH3027 of the LORDH3068, forH3588 His merciesH7356 are veryH3966 greatH7227; but do notH408 let me fallH5307 into the handsH3027 of menH120.”

A Plague on Israel

(2 Samuel 24:15–17)

14So the LORDH3068 sentH5414 a plagueH1698 upon IsraelH3478, and seventyH7657 thousandH505 menH376 of IsraelH3478 fell deadH5307.

15Then GodH430 sentH7971 an angelH4397 to destroyH7843 JerusalemH3389, but as the angel was doing soH7843, the LORDH3068 saw itH7200 and relentedH5162 fromH5921 the calamityH7451, and He saidH559 to the angelH4397 who was destroying the peopleH7843, “EnoughH7227! WithdrawH7503 your handH3027 nowH6258!”

At that time the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 was standingH5975 byH5973 the threshing floorH1637 of OrnanH7713 the JebusiteH2983.

16When DavidH1732 lifted upH5375 his eyesH5869 and sawH7200 the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 standingH5975 betweenH996 heavenH8064 andH996 earthH776, with a drawnH8025 swordH2719 in his handH3027 stretched outH5186 overH5921 JerusalemH3389, DavidH1732 and the eldersH2205, clothedH3680 in sackclothH8242, fellH5307 facedownH5921H6440. 17And DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 GodH430, “Was it notH3808 IH589 who gave the orderH559 to countH4487 the peopleH5971? IH5894 am the oneH1931 whoH834 has sinnedH2398 and acted wickedlyH7489. But theseH428 sheepH6629, whatH4100 have they doneH6213? O LORDH3068 my GodH430, pleaseH4994 let Your handH3027 fall uponH1961 me and my father’sH1 houseH1004, but do notH3808 let this plagueH4046 remain upon Your peopleH5971.”

David Builds an Altar

(2 Samuel 24:18–25)

18Then the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 orderedH559H413 GadH1410 to tellH559 DavidH1732H3588 to go upH5927H1732 and buildH6965 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068 on the threshing floorH1637 of OrnanH771 the JebusiteH2983. 19So DavidH1732 went upH5927 at the wordH1697 that GadH1410 had spokenH1696 in the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068.

20Now OrnanH771 was threshingH1758 wheatH2406 when heH771 turnedH7725 and sawH7200 the angelH4397; and his fourH702 sonsH1121 who were with himH5973 hid themselvesH2244. 21DavidH1732 cameH935 toH5704 OrnanH771, and when OrnanH771 looked outH5027 and sawH7200 DavidH1732, he leftH3318H4480 the threshing floorH1637 and bowedH7812 facedownH639H776 before DavidH1732.

22Then DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 OrnanH771, “GrantH5414 me the siteH4725 of this threshing floorH1637, that I may buildH1129 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068. Sell itH5414 to me for the fullH4392 priceH3701, so that the plagueH4046 uponH5921 the peopleH5971 may be haltedH6113.”

23OrnanH771 saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732, “TakeH3947 it! May my lordH113 the kingH4428 doH6213 whatever seems goodH2896 to himH5869. LookH7200, I will giveH5414 the oxenH1241 for the burnt offeringsH5930, the threshing sledgesH4173 for the woodH6086, and the wheatH2406 for the grain offeringH4503—I will giveH5414 it allH3605.”

24“NoH3808,” repliedH559 KingH4428 DavidH1732, “I insist on payingH7069 the fullH4392 priceH3701, forH3588 I will notH3808 takeH5375 for the LORDH3068 whatH834 belongs to you, nor will I offerH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 that cost me nothingH2600.”

25So DavidH1732 paidH5414 OrnanH771 sixH8337 hundredH3967 shekelsH8255 of goldH2091H49485 for the siteH4725. 26AndH1732 thereH8033 he builtH1129 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068 and offeredH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offeringsH8002. He calledH7121 uponH413 the LORDH3068, who answered himH6030 with fireH784 fromH4480 heavenH8064 onH5921 the altarH4196 of burnt offeringH5930.

27Then the LORDH3068 spokeH559 to the angelH4397, who put his swordH2719 backH7725 intoH413 its sheathH5084.

28At thatH1931 timeH6256, when DavidH1732 sawH7200 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 had answered himH6030 at the threshing floorH1637 of OrnanH771 the JebusiteH2983, he offered sacrificesH2076 thereH8033. 29For the tabernacleH4908 of the LORDH3068 thatH834 MosesH4872 had madeH6213 in the wildernessH4057 and the altarH4196 of burnt offeringH5930 were presentlyH6256H1931 at the high placeH1116 in GibeonH1391, 30but DavidH1732 couldH3201 notH3808 goH1980 before itH6440 to inquireH1875 of GodH430, becauseH3588 he was afraidH1204 ofH6440 the swordH2719 of the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068.