2 Samuel 24

David Numbers Israel and Judah

(1 Chronicles 21.1-27)

1And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2For the king said to Jo´ab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3And Jo´ab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? 4Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Jo´ab, and against the captains of the host. And Jo´ab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 5And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aro´er, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: 6then they came to Gil´e-ad, and to the land of Tahtim–hod´shi; and they came to Dan–ja´an, and about to Zidon, 7and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer–sheba. 8So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9And Jo´ab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 11For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. 14And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

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 Beer–sheba seventy thousand men. 16And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Arau´nah the Jeb´usite. 17And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

18And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Arau´nah the Jeb´usite. 19And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. 20And Arau´nah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Arau´nah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. 21And Arau´nah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22And Arau´nah said unto David, Let my lord the king take 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. 23All these things did Arau´nah, as a king, give unto the king. And Arau´nah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee. 24And the king said unto Arau´nah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

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