撒母耳記下 24
1 耶和華又向以色列人發怒，就激動大衛，使他吩咐人去數點以色列人和猶大人。
The Lord was angry with Israel, and he provoked David against them, saying, “go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
2 大衛就吩咐跟隨他的元帥約押說：「你去走遍以色列眾支派，從但直到別是巴，數點百姓，我好知道他們的數目。」
So David told Joab, the army commander, “Go and count the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba, so I can have a total number.”
3 約押對王說：「無論百姓多少，願耶和華－你的上帝再加增百倍，使我主我王親眼得見。我主我王何必喜悅行這事呢？」
But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord multiply his people a hundred times over, Your Majesty, and may you live to see it! But why does Your Majesty want to do this?”
4 但王的命令勝過約押和眾軍長。約押和眾軍長就從王面前出去，數點以色列的百姓。
But the king was adamant so Joab and the army commanders left the king and went to census the people of Israel.
5 他們過了約旦河，在迦得谷中、城的右邊亞羅珥安營，與雅謝相對，
They crossed the Jordan and camped on the south side of the town of Aroer, in the middle of the valley, and then continued towards Gad and Jazer.
6 又到了基列和他停‧合示地，又到了但‧雅安，繞到西頓，
Then they went on to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and then continued towards Dan, and from Dan around to Sidon.
7 來到泰爾的保障，並希未人和迦南人的各城，又到猶大南方的別是巴。
After this they went to the fortress of Tyre, and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. They ended up in the Negev of Judah at Beersheba.
8 他們走遍全地，過了九個月零二十天，就回到耶路撒冷。
After traveling throughout the whole country for nine months and twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem.
9 約押將百姓的總數奏告於王：以色列拿刀的勇士有八十萬；猶大有五十萬。
Joab reported to the king the number of people that had been counted. In Israel there were 800,000 fighting men who could use the sword, and in Judah there were 500,000.
10 大衛數點百姓以後，就心中自責，禱告耶和華說：「我行這事大有罪了。耶和華啊，求你除掉僕人的罪孽，因我所行的甚是愚昧。」
Afterwards, David felt really bad for ordering the census. He said to God, “I have committed a terrible sin by doing this. Please take away the guilt of your servant, for I have been very stupid.”
11 大衛早晨起來，耶和華的話臨到先知迦得，就是大衛的先見，說：
When David got up in the morning, the Lord had sent a message to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
12 「你去告訴大衛，說耶和華如此說：『我有三樣災，隨你選擇一樣，我好降與你。』」
“Go and tell David that this is what the Lord says: ‘I'm giving you three options. Choose one of them, and that's what I'll do to you.’”
13 於是迦得來見大衛，對他說：「你願意國中有七年的饑荒呢？是在你敵人面前逃跑，被追趕三個月呢？是在你國中有三日的瘟疫呢？現在你要揣摩思想，我好回覆那差我來的。」
So Gad went and told David, “You can choose three years of famine in your land; or three months of running from your enemies while they chase you; or three days of plague in your land. So think about it and decide how I should reply to the One who sent me.”
14 大衛對迦得說：「我甚為難！我願落在耶和華的手裏，因為他有豐盛的憐憫。我不願落在人的手裏。」
David replied to Gad, “This is an awful situation for me! Please, let the Lord decide my punishment, for he is merciful. Don't let me be punished by people.”
15 於是，耶和華降瘟疫與以色列人，自早晨到所定的時候；從但直到別是巴，民間死了七萬人。
So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the time designated, and seventy thousand people died from Dan to Beersheba.
16 天使向耶路撒冷伸手要滅城的時候，耶和華後悔，就不降這災了，吩咐滅民的天使說：「夠了！住手吧！」那時耶和華的使者在耶布斯人亞勞拿的禾場那裏。
But just as the angel was getting ready to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented from causing such a disaster and told the destroying angel, “That's enough. You can stop now.” Right then the angel of the Lord was standing beside the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 大衛看見滅民的天使，就禱告耶和華說：「我犯了罪，行了惡；但這群羊做了甚麼呢？願你的手攻擊我和我的父家。」
When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I'm the one who has sinned; I'm the one who has done wrong. These people are just sheep. What have they done? Punish me and my family instead.”
18 當日，迦得來見大衛，對他說：「你上去，在耶布斯人亞勞拿的禾場上為耶和華築一座壇。」
On that day Gad went to David and told him, “Go and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
19 大衛就照着迦得奉耶和華名所說的話上去了。
So David went and did what the Lord had ordered, as Gad had told him.
20 亞勞拿觀看，見王和他臣僕前來，就迎接出去，臉伏於地，向王下拜，
When Araunah looked up, he saw the king and his officials approaching. So he went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
21 說：「我主我王為何來到僕人這裏呢？」大衛說：「我要買你這禾場，為耶和華築一座壇，使民間的瘟疫止住。」
“Why has Your Majesty come to see me, your servant?” Araunah asked. “To buy your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord in order that the plague on the people may be stopped.” David replied.
22 亞勞拿對大衛說：「我主我王，你喜悅用甚麼，就拿去獻祭。看哪，這裏有牛可以作燔祭，有打糧的器具和套牛的軛可以當柴燒。
“Take it, and Your Majesty can use it to make offerings as you think best,” Araunah told David. “Here are the oxen for burnt offerings, and here are the threshing boards and the yokes for the oxen for firewood.
23 王啊，這一切，我亞勞拿都奉給你」；又對王說：「願耶和華－你的上帝悅納你。」
Your Majesty, I, Araunah, give it all to the king.” Araunah concluded by saying, “May the Lord your God respond positively to you.”
24 王對亞勞拿說：「不然。我必要按着價值向你買；我不肯用白得之物作燔祭獻給耶和華－我的上帝。」大衛就用五十舍客勒銀子買了那禾場與牛。
“No, I insist on paying you for it,” the king replied. “I won't present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that didn't cost me anything.” David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25 大衛在那裏為耶和華築了一座壇，獻燔祭和平安祭。如此，耶和華垂聽國民所求的，瘟疫在以色列人中就止住了。
David built an altar to the Lord there, and presented burnt offerings and friendship offerings. The Lord answered his prayer for the country, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
