2 Samuel 24

1And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.

1Once again the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he pushed David to act against them by saying, 'Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.'

2And the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people.

2The king said to Joab, the commander of the army, 'Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people so that I may know how many there are.'

3And Joab said unto the king, Now Jehovah thy God add unto the people, how many soever they may be, a hundredfold; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

3But Joab replied to the king, 'May the LORD your God multiply the people a hundred times over, and may my lord the king live to see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?'

4Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

4However, the king’s order overruled Joab and the army commanders. So Joab and the commanders left the king’s presence to go and count the people of Israel.

5And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and unto Jazer:

5After crossing the Jordan River, they set up camp near Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley of Gad, and then went toward Jazer.

6then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and round about to Sidon,

6They went to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi, then on to Dan-jaan and around toward Sidon.

7and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beer-sheba.

7Next, they went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went to the southern part of Judah, to Beersheba.

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

8After they had traveled through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem. The trip took nine months and twenty days.

9And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

9Joab reported the total number of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 capable men who could handle a sword, and in Judah there were 500,000 men.

10And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, O Jehovah, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

10After he had counted the people, David’s conscience troubled him. David said to the LORD, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Please, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.'

11And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,

11When David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to the prophet Gad, who was David’s seer.

12Go and speak unto David, Thus saith Jehovah, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

12The LORD said, 'Go and tell David: This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three choices. Pick one of them for me to do to you.'

13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

13Gad went to David and told him, 'Should seven years of famine come to your land? Or should you run away from your enemies for three months while they chase you? Or should there be three days of a plague in your land? Think about it and decide what answer I should give to the one who sent me.'

14And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of Jehovah; for his mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man.

14David said to Gad, 'I am in a very difficult situation. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; do not let me fall into human hands.'

15So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

15So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the designated time. From Dan to Beersheba, 70,000 people died.

16And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay thy hand. And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

16When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD felt deep grief because of the disaster and said to the angel who was killing the people, 'That is enough! Withdraw your hand.' The angel of the LORD was then by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17And David spake unto Jehovah when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.

17When David saw the angel who was killing the people, he said to the LORD, 'I am the one who sinned and did wrong. But these people are just sheep; what have they done? Please, let your punishment be against me and my family.'

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

18That day Gad went to David and said to him, 'Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.'

19And David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Jehovah commanded.

19So David went up to do what Gad had said, just as the LORD had commanded.

20And Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

20When Araunah looked down and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

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

21Araunah asked, 'Why has my lord the king come to see his servant?' David answered, 'To buy your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the LORD, so that the plague on the people may be stopped.'

22And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, the oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood:

22Araunah said to David, 'Let my lord the king take whatever he wants and offer it. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing sleds and ox yokes can be used for the wood.'

23all this, O king, doth Araunah give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee.

23'O king, Araunah gives all of this to you.' Araunah also said to the king, 'May the LORD your God accept you!'

24And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will verily buy it of thee at a price; neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24But the king replied to Araunah, 'No, I insist on buying it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.' So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty silver coins.

25And David built there an altar unto Jehovah, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So Jehovah was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

25David built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then the LORD answered the prayers for the land, and the plague was stopped in Israel.