David Numbers Israel and Judah

1And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

2For 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 Beer-sheba, and number you the people, that I may know the number of the people.

3And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD your God add unto the people, however many they may be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

4Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. And Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

5And they passed over Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lies in the midst of the valley of Gad, and toward Jazer:

6Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and around to Sidon,

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 Joab gave 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.

God Punishes David

10And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech you, O LORD, take away the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.

11And 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 says the LORD, I offer you three things; choose you one of them, that I may do it unto you.

13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto you in your land? or will you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? now consider, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

14And David said unto Gad, I am in a great distress: 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 turned from the destruction, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now your hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17And David spoke unto the LORD when he saw the angel that struck the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I pray you, be against me, and against my father's house.

18And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, erect an altar unto the LORD in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

19And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.

20And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

21And Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

22And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good unto him: behold, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and yokes of the oxen for wood.

23All these things, O King, Araunah gives unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD your God accept you.

24And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it from you at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which does cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor 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 heeded supplications for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.