2 Samuel 24

(Exodus 30:11–16; 1 Chronicles 21:1–6)

1AgainH3254 the angerH639 of the LORDH3068 burnedH2734 against IsraelH3478, and He stirred upH5496 DavidH1732 against them, sayingH559, “GoH1980 and take a censusH4487 of IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063.”

2So the kingH4428 saidH559 toH413 JoabH3097 the commanderH8269 of his armyH2428, whoH834 was with himH854,1 “GoH7751 nowH4994 throughoutH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 from DanH1835 toH5704 BeershebaH884 and registerH6485 the troopsH5971, so that I may knowH3045 their numberH4557H5971.”

3But JoabH3097 repliedH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “May the LORDH3068 your GodH430H413 multiplyH3254 the troopsH5971 a hundredH3967 timesH6471 over, and may the eyesH5869 of my lordH113 the kingH4428 seeH7200 it. But whyH4100 does my lordH113 the kingH4428 wantH2654 to do suchH2088 a thingH1697?”

4Nevertheless, the king’sH4428 wordH1697 prevailedH2388 againstH413 JoabH3097 and againstH5921 the commandersH8269 of the armyH2428. So JoabH3097 and the commandersH8269 of the armyH2428 departedH3318 from the presenceH6440 of the kingH4428 to registerH6485 the troopsH5971 of IsraelH3478.

5They crossedH5674 the JordanH3383 and campedH2583 near AroerH6177, southH3225 of the townH5892 in the middleH8432 of the valleyH5158, and proceeded toward GadH1410H413 and JazerH3270. 6Then they wentH935 to GileadH1568 andH413 the landH776 of Tahtim-hodshiH8483,2 andH935 on to Dan-jaanH1835H1842 and aroundH5439 toH413 SidonH6721. 7They wentH935 toward the fortressH4013 of TyreH6865 and allH3605 the citiesH5892 of the HivitesH2340 and CanaanitesH3669. Finally, they went onH3318 toH413 the NegevH5045 of JudahH3063,3 to BeershebaH884.

8At the endH7097 of nineH8672 monthsH2320 and twentyH6242 daysH3117, having goneH7751 through the wholeH3605 landH776, they returnedH935 to JerusalemH3389. 9And JoabH3097 reportedH5414 to the kingH4428 the totalH4557 numberH4662 of the troopsH5971H413. In IsraelH3478 there wereH1961 800,000H8083H3967H505 menH376 of valorH2428 who drewH8025 the swordH2719, andH376 in JudahH3063 there were 500,000H2568H3967H505H376.

Judgment for David’s Sin

(1 Chronicles 21:7–13)

10AfterH310H3651 David had numberedH5608 the troopsH5971, his conscienceH3820 was strickenH5221 and heH1732 saidH559 toH413 the LORDH3068, “I have sinnedH2398 greatlyH3966 in whatH834 I have doneH6213. NowH6258, O LORDH3068, I beg YouH4994 to take awayH5674 the iniquityH5771 of Your servantH5650, forH3588 I have acted veryH3966 foolishlyH5528.”

11When DavidH1732 got upH6965 in the morningH1242, the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 had comeH1961 toH413 GadH1410 the prophetH5030, David’sH1732H559 seerH2374: 12“GoH1980 and tellH1696 DavidH1732 that this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘IH595 am offeringH5190H5921 you threeH7969 options. ChooseH977 oneH259 of them, and I will carry it outH6213 against you.’”

13So GadH1410 wentH935 and saidH5046 toH413 DavidH1732, “Do you choose to endureH935 threeH76514 yearsH8141 of famineH7458 in your landH776, threeH7969 monthsH2320 of fleeingH5127 the pursuitH1931H7291 ofH6440 your enemiesH6862, orH518 threeH7969 daysH3117 ofH1961 plagueH1698 upon your landH776? Now thenH6258, think it overH3045 and decideH7200 howH4100 I should replyH1697H7725 to Him who sent meH7971.”

14DavidH1732H413 answeredH559 GadH1410, “I am deeplyH3966 distressedH6862. PleaseH4994, let us fallH5307 into the handH3027 of the LORDH3068, forH3588 His merciesH7356 are greatH7227; but do notH408 let me fallH5307 into the handsH3027 of menH120.”

A Plague on Israel

(1 Chronicles 21:14–17)

15So the LORDH3068 sentH5414 a plagueH1698 upon IsraelH3478 from that morningH1242 untilH5704 the appointedH4150 timeH6256, and seventyH7657 thousandH505 of the peopleH5971 fromH4480 DanH1835 toH5704 BeershebaH884 diedH4191.5

16But when the angelH4397 stretchedH7971 out his handH3027 to destroyH7843 JerusalemH3389, the LORDH3068 relentedH5162 fromH413 the calamityH7451 and saidH559 to the angelH4397 who was destroyingH7843 the peopleH5971, “EnoughH7227! WithdrawH7503 your handH3027 nowH6258!” At that time the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 wasH1961 byH5973 the threshing floorH1637 of AraunahH7286 the JebusiteH2983.

17When DavidH1732 sawH7200 the angelH4397 striking downH5221 the peopleH5971H559, he saidH559 toH413 the LORDH3068, “SurelyH2009 IH595, the shepherd,7 have sinnedH2398 andH595 acted wickedlyH5753. But theseH428 sheepH6629, whatH4100 have they doneH6213? PleaseH4994, let Your handH3027 fall uponH1961 me and my father’sH1 houseH1004.”

David Builds an Altar

(1 Chronicles 21:18–30)

18And thatH1931 dayH3117 GadH1410 cameH935 toH413 DavidH1732 and saidH559 to him, “Go upH5927 and buildH6965 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068 on the threshing floorH1637 of AraunahH728 the JebusiteH2983.” 19So DavidH1732 went upH5927 at the wordH1697 of GadH1410, just asH834 the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680.

20When AraunahH728 looked outH8259 and sawH7200 the kingH4428 and his servantsH5650 comingH5674 toward himH5921, heH728 went outH3318 and bowedH7812 facedownH639H776 before the kingH4428. 21“WhyH4069 has my lordH113 the kingH4428 comeH935 toH413 his servantH5650?” AraunahH728 saidH559.

“To buyH7069 your threshing floorH1637H5973,” DavidH1732 repliedH559, “that I may buildH1129 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068, so that the plagueH4046 uponH5921 the peopleH5971 may be haltedH6113.”

22AraunahH728 saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732, “May my lordH113 the kingH4428 takeH3947 whatever seemsH7200 goodH2896 to himH5869 and offer it upH5927. Here are the oxenH1241 for a burnt offeringH5930 and the threshing sledgesH4173 and oxH1241 yokesH3627 for the woodH6086. 23O kingH4428, AraunahH728 givesH5414 all theseH3605 to the kingH4428.” He alsoH728 saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “May the LORDH3068 your GodH430 accept youH7521.”

24“NoH3808,” repliedH559 the kingH4428, “I insist on payingH7069 a priceH4242, for I will notH3808 offerH5927 to the LORDH3068 my GodH430 burnt offeringsH5930 that cost me nothingH2600.”

So DavidH1732 boughtH7069 the threshing floorH1637 and the oxenH1241 for fiftyH2572 shekelsH8255 of silverH3701.8 25AndH1732 thereH8033 he builtH1129 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068 and offeredH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offeringsH8002.

Then the LORDH3068 answered the prayersH6279 on behalf of the landH776, and the plagueH4046 uponH5921 IsraelH3478 was haltedH6113.