2 Samuel 24

1 Yahweh was angry with the Israeli people again, so he incited David to cause trouble for them. He said to David, “Send [some men] to count the people of Israel and Judah.”

And it repeated [the] anger of Yahweh to burn on Israel and he incited David against them saying go count Israel and Judah.

2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, “Go [with your officers] through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan [city in the far north] to Beersheba [town in the far south], and count the people, in order that I may know how many people [there are who are able to be soldiers in the army].”

And he said the king to Joab - [the] commander of the army who [was] with him go about please in all [the] tribes of Israel from Dan and to Beer Sheba and enroll the people and I will know [the] number of the people.

3 But Joab replied to the king, “Your Majesty, I wish/desire that Yahweh our God will cause there to be 100 times as many people [in Israel] as there are now, and I wish/desire that you would see that happen [before you die]. But why do you want us to do this?”

And he said Joab to the king and may he add Yahweh God your to the people like them - and like them a hundred times and [the] eyes of lord my the king [are] seeing [it] and lord my the king why? does he delight in the thing this.

4 But the king commanded Joab and his officers to do it. So they left the king and went out to count the people of Israel.

And it prevailed [the] word of the king to Joab and over [the] commanders of the army and he went out Joab and commanders of the army before the king to enroll the people Israel.

5 They crossed the Jordan [River] and set up their tents south of Aroer [town], in the middle of the valley, in the territory [that was given to the tribe] of Gad. From there they went [north] to Jazer [city]

And they passed over the Jordan and they encamped at Aroer [the] south of the city which [is] in [the] middle of the wadi Gad and to Jazer.

6 Then they went [north] to [the] Gilead [region] and to Kadesh [city], in the land where the Heth people-group lived. Then they went to Dan [city in the far north of Israel], and then further west, to Sidon [city near the Mediterranean Sea].

And they came Gilead towards and to [the] land of Tahtim Hodshi and they came Dan towards Jaan and around to Sidon.

7 Then they went [south] to Tyre, a city with high walls around it, and to all the cities where the Hiv and Canaan people-groups live. Then they went [east] to Beersheba, in the southern part of Judah.

And they came [the] fortress of Tyre and all [the] cities of the Hivite[s] and the Canaanite[s] and they went out to [the] Negev of Judah Beer Sheba.

8 After nine months and 20 days, when they had finished going throughout the land [and counting the people], they returned to Jerusalem.

And they went about in all the land and they came from [the] end of nine months and twenty day[s] Jerusalem.

9 They reported to the king the number of people that they had counted. There were 800,000 men in Israel and 500,000 men in Judah who were able to become soldiers in the army [MTY].

And he gave Joab [the] number of [the] muster of the people to the king and it was Israel eight hundred thousand man of strength [who] drew a sword and [the] man of Judah [was] five hundred thousand man.

10 But after David’s men had counted the people, David regretted [IDM] that he had told them to do that. [One night] he said to Yahweh, “I have committed a very big sin. Please forgive me, because what I have done is very foolish.”

And it struck [the] heart of David him after thus he had counted the people. And he said David to Yahweh I have sinned exceedingly [that] which I have done and now O Yahweh take away please [the] iniquity of servant your for I have acted foolishly exceedingly.

11 When David got up the next morning, Yahweh gave a message to the prophet Gad. He said to him,

And he arose David in the morning. And [the] word of Yahweh it came to Gad the prophet [the] seer of David saying.

12 “Go and tell this to David: ‘I am allowing you to choose one of three things [to punish you]. I will do whichever one you choose.’”

Go and you will speak to David thus he says Yahweh three [things] I [am] laying on you choose for yourself one from them so I may do [it] to you.

13 So Gad went to David and told him [what Yahweh had said]. He said to David, “You can choose whether there will be three years of famine in your land, or three months of your [army] running away from your enemies, or three days when there will be a (plague/very severe illness) in your land. You think about it and choose [which one you want, and tell me], and I will return to Yahweh and tell him what your answer is.”

And he went Gad to David and he told to him and he said to him ¿ will it come to you seven years - famine - in land your or? three months fleeing you before opponents your and he [will be] pursuing you and or? to be three days pestilence in land your now know and see what? will I bring back [the] [one who] sent me word.

14 David said to Gad, “All those are very terrible things for me to choose between! But allow Yahweh to punish [MTY] me, because he is very merciful. Do not allow humans to punish me, [because they will not be merciful].”

And he said David to Gad it is distress to me exceedingly let us fall please in [the] hand of Yahweh for [are] great (compassion his *QK) and in [the] hand of humankind may not I fall.

15 So Yahweh sent a plague on the Israeli people. It started that morning and did not stop until the time that he had chosen/set. All over the land, from Dan to Beersheba, there were 70,000 Israelis who died [because of the plague].

And he gave Yahweh pestilence in Israel from the morning and until a time of an appointed time and he died of the people from Dan and to Beer Sheba seventy thousand man.

16 When [Yahweh’s] angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy [the people by this plague], Yahweh changed his mind about punishing [any more] people. He said to the angel who was killing them [with the plague], “Stop what you are doing [IDM]! That is enough!” [When he said that, ] the angel was standing at the ground where Araunah, from the Jebus people-group, threshed grain.

And he stretched out hand his the angel - Jerusalem to destroy it and he relented Yahweh concerning the harm and he said to the angel the destroyer among the people enough now let drop hand your and [the] angel of Yahweh he was near [the] threshing floor of (Araunah *QK) the Jebusite.

17 When David saw the angel who was causing the people to become sick and die, he said to Yahweh, “Truly, I am the one who has committed the sin. I have done a very wicked thing, but these people are [as innocent as] sheep [MET]. They have certainly not [RHQ] done anything [that is wrong]. So you should punish [IDM] me and my family, [not these people]!”

And he said David to Yahweh when saw he - the angel - who was striking down the people and he said here! I (the shepherd *X) I have sinned and I I have done wrong and these the sheep what? have they done let it be please hand your on me and on [the] house of father my.

18 That day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up to the place where Araunah threshes grain, and build an altar to [worship] Yahweh there.”

And he came Gad to David on the day that and he said to him go up raise up to Yahweh an altar on [the] threshing floor of (Araunah *QK) the Jebusite.

19 So David did what Gad told him to do, which was what Yahweh had commanded, [and he went up there].

And he went up David according to [the] word of Gad just as he had commanded Yahweh.

20 When Araunah looked down and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he prostrated himself on the ground in front of the king, with his face touching the ground.

And he looked down Araunah and he saw the king and servants his passing on to him and he went out Araunah and he bowed down to the king face his [the] ground towards.

21 Araunah said, “Your Majesty, why have you come to me?” David replied, “[I have come] to buy this ground where you thresh grain, in order to build an altar to Yahweh [and offer sacrifices on it], in order that he will stop the plague.”

And he said Araunah why? has he come lord my the king to servant his and he said David to buy from with you the threshing floor to build an altar to Yahweh so it may be restrained the plague from on the people.

22 Araunah replied to David, “Your Majesty, offer to Yahweh whatever you wish/want. Here, take my oxen to use for the offering that will be completely burned on the altar. And here, take their yokes and the boards [that I use] for the threshing, [and use them] for the wood that you will burn.

And he said Araunah to David let him take and let him offer up lord my the king the good (in eyes his *QK) see the ox[en] for the burnt offering and the threshing-sledges and [the] equipment of the ox[en] for the wood.

23 I, Araunah, am giving all this to you, the king.” Then he said, “I desire/hope that Yahweh our God will accept your offering.”

Everything he gives Araunah O king to the king. And he said Araunah to the king Yahweh God your may he accept favorably you.

24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, [I will not take these things as a gift.] I will pay you for it. I will not take sacrifices that have cost me nothing, and offer them to Yahweh to be completely burned on the altar.” So he paid 50 pieces of silver to Araunah for the oxen and the ground.

And he said the king to Araunah In-deed certainly I will buy [it] from you for a price and not I will offer up to Yahweh God my burnt offerings without paying and he bought David the threshing floor and the ox[en] for silver shekels fifty.

25 Then David built an altar to Yahweh, and he offered [the oxen] to be completely burned on the altar, and he also offered sacrifices to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. Then, Yahweh answered David’s prayers, and he caused the plague in Israel to end.

And he built there David an altar to Yahweh and he offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings and he was entreated Yahweh for the land and it was restrained the plague from on Israel.