Chapter 21

And Satan stood up⁴ against Israel, and provoked⁵⁵ David to number² Israel.

And David said⁴ to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go,³ number³ Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring⁵⁴ the number of them to me, that I may know⁴ [it].

And Joab answered,⁴ The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more⁵⁵ as they [be]: but, my lord the king, [are] they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require¹⁷ this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

Nevertheless the king's word prevailed¹ against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed,⁴ and went¹⁰¹ throughout all Israel, and came⁴ to Jerusalem.

And Joab gave⁴ the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all [they of] Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew⁶ sword: and Judah [was] four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew⁶ sword.

But Levi and Benjamin counted¹ he not among them: for the king's word was abominable⁸ to Joab.

And God was displeased^{4 5869} with this thing; therefore he smote⁵⁵ Israel.

And David said⁴ unto God, I have sinned¹ greatly, because I have done¹ this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away⁵⁴ the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.⁸

And the LORD spake¹⁷ unto Gad, David's seer, saying,²

Go³ and tell¹⁴ David, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD, I offer⁶ thee three [things]: choose³ thee one of them, that I may do⁴ [it] unto thee.

So Gad came⁴ to David, and said⁴ unto him, Thus saith¹ the LORD, Choose¹⁶ thee

Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed¹² before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies⁶ overtaketh⁵⁶ [thee]; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying⁵⁶ throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise³ thyself what word I shall bring again⁵⁵ to him that sent⁶ me.

And David said⁴ unto Gad, I am in a great strait:¹ let me fall⁴ now into the hand of the LORD; for very great [are] his mercies: but let me not fall⁴ into the hand of man.

So the LORD sent⁴ pestilence upon Israel: and there fell⁴ of Israel seventy thousand men.

And God sent⁴ an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy⁵³ it: and as he was destroying,⁵³ the LORD beheld,¹ and he repented¹¹ him of the evil, and said⁴ to the angel that destroyed,⁵⁶ It is enough, stay⁵⁴ now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood⁶ by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David lifted up⁴ his eyes, and saw⁴ the angel of the LORD stand⁶ between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn⁷ sword in his hand stretched out⁷ over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders [of Israel, who were] clothed³⁰ in sackcloth, fell⁴ upon their faces.

And David said⁴ unto God, [Is it] not I [that] commanded¹ the people to be numbered?² even I it is that have sinned¹ and done evil⁵² indeed;⁵³ but [as for] these sheep, what have they done?¹ let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

Then the angel of the LORD commanded¹ Gad to say² to David, that David should go up,⁴ and set up⁵³ an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David went up⁴ at the saying of Gad, which he spake¹⁴ in the name of the LORD.

And Ornan turned back,⁴ and saw⁴ the angel; and his four sons with him hid¹⁰² themselves. Now Ornan was threshing¹ wheat.

And as David came⁴ to Ornan, Ornan looked⁵⁵ and saw⁴ David, and went out⁴ of the threshingfloor, and bowed¹⁰¹ himself to David with [his] face to the ground.

Then David said⁴ to Ornan, Grant³ me the place of [this] threshingfloor, that I may build⁴ an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant³ it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed¹¹ from the people.

And Ornan said⁴ unto David, Take³ [it] to thee, and let my lord the king do⁴ [that which is] good in his eyes: lo,³ I give¹ [thee] the oxen [also] for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give¹ it all.

And king David said⁴ to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily² buy⁴ it for the full price: for I will not take⁴ [that] which [is] thine for the LORD, nor offer⁵³ burnt offerings without cost.

So David gave⁴ to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

And David built⁴ there an altar unto the LORD, and offered⁵⁵ burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called⁴ upon the LORD; and he answered⁴ him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

And the LORD commanded⁴ the angel; and he put up his sword again⁵⁵ into the sheath thereof.

At that time when David saw² that the LORD had answered¹ him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed⁴ there.

For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made¹ in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, [were] at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

But David could¹ not go² before it to enquire² of God: for he was afraid⁸ because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.