2 Samuel 24

1 The Lord was angry with Israel, and he provoked David against them, saying, “go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

And the wrath of the Lord was againe kindled against Israel, and he moued Dauid against them, in that he saide, Goe, number Israel and Iudah.

2 So David told Joab, the army commander, “Go and count the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba, so I can have a total number.”

For the King said to Ioab the captaine of the hoste, which was with him, Goe speedily now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba, and nomber ye the people, that I may knowe the nomber of the people.

3 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?”

And Ioab saide vnto the King, The Lord thy God increase the people an hundreth folde more then they be, and that the eyes of my lorde the King may see it: but why doeth my lord the King desire this thing?

4 But the king was adamant so Joab and the army commanders left the king and went to census the people of Israel.

Notwithstanding the Kings worde preuailed against Ioab and against the captaines of the hoste: therefore Ioab and the captaines of the hoste went out from the presence of the King to nomber the people of Israel.

5 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.

And they passed ouer Iorden, and pitched in Aroer at the right side of the citie that is in the middes of the valley of Gad and toward Iazer.

6 Then they went on to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and then continued towards Dan, and from Dan around to Sidon.

Then they came to Gilead, and to Tahtim-hodshi, so they came to Dan Iaan, and so about to Zidon,

7 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.

And came to the fortresse of Tyrus and to all the cities of the Hiuites and of the Canaanites, and went towarde the South of Iudah, euen to Beer-sheba.

8 After traveling throughout the whole country for nine months and twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem.

So when they had gone about all the lande, they returned to Ierusalem at the ende of nine moneths and twentie dayes.

9 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.

And Ioab deliuered the nomber and summe of the people vnto the King: and there were in Israel eight hundreth thousande strong men that drewe swordes, and the men of Iudah were fiue hundreth thousand men.

10 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.”

Then Dauids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: and Dauid said vnto the Lord, I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done: therefore nowe, Lord, I beseech thee, take away the trespasse of thy seruant: for I haue done very foolishly.

11 When David got up in the morning, the Lord had sent a message to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

And when Dauid was vp in the morning, the worde of the Lord came vnto the Prophet Gad Dauids Seer, saying,

12 “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.’”

Go, and say vnto Dauid, Thus saith ye Lord, I offer thee three thinges, chuse thee which of them I shall doe vnto thee.

13 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.”

So Gad came to Dauid, and shewed him, and said vnto him, Wilt thou that seuen yeeres famine come vpon thee in thy lande, or wilt thou flee three moneths before thine enemies, they following thee, or that there bee three dayes pestilence in thy land? nowe aduise thee, and see, what answere I shall giue to him that sent me.

14 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.”

And Dauid said vnto Gad, I am in a wonderfull strait: let vs fall nowe into the hand of the Lord, (for his mercies are great) and let mee not fall into the hand of man.

15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the time designated, and seventy thousand people died from Dan to Beersheba.

So the Lord sent a pestilece in Israel, from the morning euen to the time appointed: and there dyed of the people from Dan euen to Beer-sheba seuentie thousand men.

16 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.

And when the Angel stretched out his hande vpon Ierusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented of the euil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, It is sufficient, holde nowe thine hand. And the Angel of the Lord was by the threshing place of Araunah the Iebusite.

17 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.”

And Dauid spake vnto the Lord (when he sawe the Angel that smote the people) and saide, Behold, I haue sinned, yea, I haue done wickedly: but these sheepe, what haue they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against mee and against my fathers house.

18 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.”

So Gad came the same day to Dauid, and said vnto him, Go vp, reare an altar vnto the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite.

19 So David went and did what the Lord had ordered, as Gad had told him.

And Dauid (according to the saying of Gad) went vp, as the Lord had commanded.

20 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.

And Araunah looked, and sawe the King and his seruants comming towarde him, and Araunah went out, and bowed himselfe before the King on his face to the ground,

21 “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.

And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the King come to his seruant? Then Dauid answered, To bye the threshing floore of thee for to builde an altar vnto the Lord, that the plague may cease from the people.

22 “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.

Then Araunah saide vnto Dauid, Let my lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: beholde the oxen for the burnt offring, and charets, and the instruments of the oxen for wood.

23 Your Majesty, I, Araunah, give it all to the king.” Araunah concluded by saying, “May the Lord your God respond positively to you.”

(All these things did Araunah as a King giue vnto the King: and Araunah saide vnto the King, The Lord thy God be fauourable vnto thee)

24 “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.

Then the King saide vnto Araunah, Not so, but I will bye it of thee at a price, and will not offer burnt offring vnto ye Lord my God of that which doeth cost me nothing. So Dauid bought the threshing floore, and the oxen for fiftie shekels of siluer.

25 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.

And Dauid built there an altar vnto the Lord, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings, and the Lord was appeased toward ye lande, and the plague ceased from Israel.