¶ And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he² moved³ David against them to say, Go, number⁴ Israel and Judah.

For the king said to Joab⁵ the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now⁶ through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan⁷ even to Beersheba, and number⁸ ye the people, that I may⁹ know the number of the people.

¹⁰And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

Notwithstanding the king's¹¹ word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out¹² from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer¹³, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river¹⁴ of Gad, and toward Jazer:

Then they came to Gilead¹⁵, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi¹⁶; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon¹⁷,

And came to the strong hold of Tyre¹⁸, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba¹⁹.

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

And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand²⁰ valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

¶ And David's heart²¹ smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned²² greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away²³ the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly²⁴.

For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad²⁵, David's seer²⁶, saying,

Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer²⁷ thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may²⁸ do it unto thee.

So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven²⁹ years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee³⁰ three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days³¹' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

And David said unto Gad, I am in³² a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his³³ mercies are great³⁴: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

So the LORD³⁵ sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan³⁶ even to Beersheba seventy thousand men³⁷.

And when the angel³⁸ stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented³⁹ him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough⁴⁰: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah⁴¹ the Jebusite.

And David spake⁴³ unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned⁴⁴, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep⁴⁵, what have they done? let thine⁴⁶ hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

¶ And Gad⁴⁷ came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah⁴⁹ the Jebusite.

And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD⁵⁰ commanded.

¶ And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed⁵¹ himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

And Araunah said, Wherefore⁵² is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy⁵³ the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague⁵⁴ may be stayed from the people.

And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord⁵⁵ the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen⁵⁶ for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

All these things did Araunah, as a king⁵⁷, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD⁵⁸ thy God accept thee.

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay;⁵⁹ 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 David⁶⁰ bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

And David built there⁶¹ an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD⁶² was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.