24:1 Once again the LORD became angry with Israel, and he incited David against them saying, “Go and count Israel.” 24:2 So the king said to Joab who was in charge of his army, “Go throughout all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and muster the army, so that I may know what the size of the army is.”

24:3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God increase the army a hundred-fold, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it happen! But why does my lord the king desire this thing?”

24:4 But the king’s word prevailed over that of Joab and the leaders of the army. So Joab and the leaders of the army went out from the king’s presence in order to muster the Israelite army.

24:5 They crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, on the south side of the city, in the midst of the wadi of Gad, near Jazer. 24:6 Then they went on to Gilead and to the region of Tahtim Hodshi, coming to Dan Jaan and on around to Sidon. 24:7 Then they went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beersheba. 24:8 They went throughout all the land and, after nine months and twenty days, came back to Jerusalem.

24:9 Then Joab gave the report about the muster of the army to the king: there were in Israel eight hundred thousand warriors who were skilled with the sword, and in Judah there were five hundred thousand men.

24:10 But David’s conscience was pricked after he had so numbered the army. David said to the LORD, “I have greatly sinned by doing this. Now, O LORD, please forgive¹ your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

24:11 When David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had already come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer, saying, 24:12 “Go and tell David, ‘Here is what the LORD says: I am holding out to you a choice of three things. Make your own choice, and I will do it for you.’”

24:13 So Gad came to David and informed him of this. He said to him, “Shall seven² years of famine come on your land? Or three months of your fleeing from your adversary with him in hot pursuit? Or three days of plague in your land? Think it over and make your decision.³ What should I say to the one who has sent me?” 24:14 David replied to Gad, “This is agonizing!⁴ But let us fall into the LORD’s hands, for his mercy is great; don’t let me fall into the hands of men!”

24:15 So the LORD sent a plague in Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time. Seventy thousand men from Dan to Beersheba died. 24:16 When the angel extended his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented over the calamity and said to the angel destroying the people, “Now that’s enough! Relax your hand!” Now the angel of the LORD was near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:17 When he saw the angel who was destroying the people, David said to the LORD, “Look, it is I who have sinned and committed iniquity. But this flock—what have they done? Let your hand be against me and against the house of my father.”

24:18 So Gad went to David on that day and said to him, “Go up and construct an altar for the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 24:19 Do David went up as Gad had said, according to the LORD’s instructions.

24:20 When Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants approaching him, he⁵ went out and bowed to the king with his face to the ground. 24:21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “In order to purchase from you the threshing floor so as to build an altar for the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.” 24:22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes⁶ and offer it. Look! Here are oxen for burnt offerings, and threshing sledges⁷ and harnesses⁸ for wood. 24:23 I the servant of my lord⁹ the king give it all to the king!” Araunah further said to the king, “May the LORD your God treat you favorably!” 24:24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, I much prefer to purchase it from you for a price. I will not offer to the LORD my God offerings that haven’t cost me anything.”

So David purchased the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty pieces of silver. 24:25 Then David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then the LORD was appeased for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.