2 Samuel 24

1 And again was the anger of Yahweh kindled against Israel, —so that he suffered David to be moved against them, saying, Go, count Israel and Judah.

Again the anger of Yahweh was ignited against Israel, and he moved David against them saying, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

2 The king, therefore, said unto Joab, captain of the force, who was with him—Go to and fro, I pray thee, throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even unto Beer -sheba, and number ye the people, —so shall I know the sum of the people.

The king said to Joab the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count all the people, so that I may know the total number of men fit for battle.”

3 Then said Joab unto the king—Yea, Yahweh thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and [suffer] the eyes of my lord the king, to see it, —but, my lord the king, wherefore doth he find pleasure in this thing?

Joab said to the king, “May Yahweh your God multiply the number of people a hundred times, and may the eyes of my master the king see it take place. But why does my master the king want this?”

4 Notwithstanding, the word of the king prevailed against Joab, and over the captains of the force, —so Joab went forth, with the captains of the force, before the king, to number the people—Israel.

Nevertheless, the king's word was final against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders went out from the king's presence to count the people of Israel.

5 And they passed over the Jordan, —and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city, that is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, even towards Jazer.

They crossed over the Jordan and encamped near Aroer, south of the city in the valley. Then they traveled on through Gad to Jazer.

6 Thus came they to Gilead, and unto the land of Tahtim-hodshi, —and came to Dan-jaan, and round about Zidon;

They came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi, then on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.

7 and entered the fortress of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites, —and they went out to the South of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.

They reached the stronghold of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to the Negev in Judah at Beersheba.

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

When they had gone throughout all the land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 And Joab delivered up the sum of the number of the people, unto the king, —and there were found to be, in Israel, eight hundred thousand men of valour, drawing the sword, —and, the men of Judah, five hundred thousand men.

Then Joab reported the total of the count of the fighting men to the king. There were in Israel 800,000 brave men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000 men.

10 And the heart of David smote him, after he had reckoned up the people, —and David said unto Yahweh—I have sinned greatly, in what I have done, Now, therefore, O Yahweh, take away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.

Then David's heart afflicted him after he had counted the men. So he said to Yahweh, “I have greatly sinned by doing this. Now, Yahweh, take away your servant's guilt, for I have acted very foolishly.”

11 And, when David arose in the morning, the word of Yahweh, had come unto Gad the prophet, the seer of David, saying:

When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

12 Go and speak unto David—Thus, saith Yahweh, Three things, do I offer thee, —choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

“Go say to David: 'This is what Yahweh says: “I am giving you three choices. Choose one of them.”'”

13 So Gad came in unto David, and told him, —and said to him: Shall there come unto thee seven years of famine in thy land? Or, for three months, wilt thou flee before thine enemies while, they, pursue thee? Or shall there be, for three days, pestilence in thy land? Now, consider and see, what, answer, I shall return to him that sent me.

So Gad went to David and said to him, “Will three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months from your enemies while they pursue you? Or will there be three days of plague in your land? Now decide what answer I should return to him who sent me.”

14 And David said unto Gad—I am in a great strait, —let us fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Yahweh, for, manifold, are, his compassions, but, into the hand of man, let me not fall.

Then David said to Gad, “I am in deep trouble. Let us fall into Yahweh's hands rather than into the hand of man, for his merciful actions are very great.”

15 So Yahweh sent forth a pestilence throughout Israel, from the morning even unto the time appointed, —and there died of the people, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, seventy thousand men.

So Yahweh sent a plague on Israel from the morning to a fixed time, and seventy thousand people died from Dan to Beersheba.

16 But, when the messenger stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem, to destroy it, then relented Yahweh as to the evil, and he said to the messenger who was destroying the people—Enough! now, stay thy hand. And, the messenger of Yahweh, was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

When the angel reached out with his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh changed his mind because of the harm it would cause, and he said to the angel who was destroying people, “Enough! Now draw back your hand.” At that time the angel of Yahweh was standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 Then said David unto Yahweh, when he saw the messenger who was smiting the people, yea he said—Lo! I, have sinned, and, I, have done perversely, but what have, these sheep, done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against the house of my father!

Then David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who had attacked the people, and said, “I have sinned, and I have acted perversely. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand punish me and my father's family!”

18 And Gad came unto David, on that day, —and said unto him—Go up, rear thou unto Yahweh an altar, in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Then Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar for Yahweh at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

19 So David went up, according to the word of Gad, as Yahweh had commanded.

So David went up as Gad instructed him to do, as Yahweh had commanded.

20 And Araunah looked out, and saw the king, and his servants, passing over unto him—so Araunah went forth, and did homage unto the king, with his face to the ground.

Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants approaching. So Araunah went out and bowed to the king with his face to the ground.

21 Then said Araunah, Wherefore, hath my lord the king come unto his servant? And David said—To buy of thee the threshing-floor, to build an altar unto Yahweh, that the plague may be stayed from off the people.

Then Araunah said, “Why has my master the king come to me, his servant?” David replied, “To buy your threshing floor, so I can build an altar for Yahweh, so that the plague may be removed from the people.”

22 Then said Araunah unto David, Let my lord the king accept it and cause to ascend what is good in his own eyes, —see! the oxen for the ascending-sacrifice, and the threshing-sledges and ox-yokes for wood.

Araunah said to David, “Take it as your own, my master the king. Do with it what is good in your sight. Look, here are oxen for the burnt offering and threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.

23 The whole, did Araunah give, as a king to a king. And Araunah said unto the king, Yahweh thy God, accept thee!

All this, my king, I, Araunah, will give to you.” Then he said to the king, “May Yahweh your God accept you.”

24 But the king said unto Araunah—Nay! but I will, buy, it of thee, for a price, and will not cause to ascend unto Yahweh my God, offerings that have cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor, and the oxen, for fifty shekels of silver;

The king said to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it at a price. I will not offer as a burnt offering to Yahweh anything that costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

25 and David built there an altar unto Yahweh, and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, —then was Yahweh entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

David built an altar for Yahweh there and offered on it burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So Yahweh answered the prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was confined.