2 Samuel 24

1 And the anger of Jehovah addeth to burn against Israel, and [an adversary] moveth David about them, saying, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.'

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

2 And the king saith unto Joab, head of the host that [is] with him, 'Go to and fro, I pray thee, through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, and inspect ye the people — and I have known the number of the people.'

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

3 And Joab saith unto the king, 'Yea, Jehovah thy God doth add unto the people, as they are, a hundred times, and the eyes of my lord the king are seeing; and my lord the king, why is he desirous of this thing?'

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 And the word of the king is severe towards Joab, and against the heads of the force, and Joab goeth out, and the heads of the force, [from] before the king to inspect the people, even Israel;

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

5 and they pass over the Jordan, and encamp in Aroer, on the right of the city that [is] in the midst of the brook of Gad, and unto Jazer,

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 and they come in to Gilead, and unto the land of Tahtim-Hodshi, and they come in to Dan-Jaan, and round about unto Zidon,

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 and they come in to the fortress of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivite, and of the Canaanite, and go out unto the south of Judah, to Beer-Sheba.

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 And they go to and fro through all the land, and come in at the end of nine months and twenty days to Jerusalem,

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

9 and Joab giveth the account of the inspection of the people unto the king, and Israel is eight hundred thousand men of valour, drawing sword, and the men of Judah five hundred thousand men.

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 And the heart of David smiteth him, after that he hath numbered the people, and David saith unto Jehovah, 'I have sinned greatly in that which I have done, and now, O Jehovah, cause to pass away, I pray Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have acted very foolishly.'

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 And David riseth in the morning, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Gad the prophet, seer of David, saying,

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

12 'Go, and thou hast spoken unto David, Thus said Jehovah: Three — I am lifting up for thee, choose thee one of them, and I do [it] to thee.'

“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 And Gad cometh in unto David, and declareth to him, and saith to him, 'Do seven years of famine come in to thee in thy land? or three months art thou fleeing before thine adversary — and he pursuing thee? or are three days' pestilence in thy land? now, know and see what word I take back to Him sending me.'

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 And David saith unto Gad, 'I have great distress, let us fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Jehovah, for many [are] His mercies, and into the hand of man let me not fall.'

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 And Jehovah giveth a pestilence on Israel from the morning even unto the time appointed, and there die of the people, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, seventy thousand men,

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 and the messenger putteth forth his hand to Jerusalem to destroy it, and Jehovah repenteth concerning the evil, and saith to the messenger who is destroying among the people, 'Enough, now, cease thy hand;' and the messenger of Jehovah was near the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

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 And David speaketh unto Jehovah, when he seeth the messenger who is smiting among the people, and saith, 'Lo, I have sinned, yea, I have done perversely; and these — the flock — what have they done? Let, I pray Thee, Thy hand be on me, and on the house of my father.'

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 And Gad cometh in unto David on that day, and saith to him, 'Go up, raise to Jehovah an altar in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite;'

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 and David goeth up, according to the word of Gad, as Jehovah commanded.

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

20 And Araunah looketh, and seeth the king and his servants passing over unto him, and Araunah goeth out and boweth himself to the king — his face to the earth.

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 And Araunah saith, 'Wherefore hath my lord the king come unto his servant?' and David saith, 'To buy from thee the threshing-floor, to build an altar to Jehovah, and the plague is restrained from the people.'

“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 And Araunah saith unto David, 'Let my lord the king take and cause to ascend that which is good in his eyes; see, the oxen for a burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments, and the instruments of the oxen, for wood;'

“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 the whole hath Araunah given, [as] a king to a king; and Araunah saith unto the king, 'Jehovah thy God doth accept thee.'

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

24 And the king saith unto Araunah, 'Nay, for I do surely buy from thee for a price, and I do not cause to ascend to Jehovah my God burnt-offerings for nought;' and David buyeth the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver,

“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 and David buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and Jehovah is entreated for the land, and the plague is restrained from Israel.

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.