David

In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, Yo'av led the army out in force and laid waste to the country of the people of 'Amon; then he came and laid siege to Rabbah. But David stayed in Yerushalayim, while Yo'av attacked Rabbah and destroyed it.

David took the crown off Malkam's head and found it to weigh sixty-six pounds, with its gold and precious stones; and it was placed on David's head. He carried off great quantities of spoil from the city.

In addition, he brought out the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, iron harrows and axes. This is what he did to all the cities of the people of 'Amon. Then David and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.

When he mocked Isra'el, Y'honatan the son of Shim'a David's brother killed him.

These were sons of the giant in Gat; they fell at the hands of David and his servants.

The Adversary [Hebrew: Satan] now rose up against Isra'el and incited David to take a census of Isra'el.

David said to Yo'av and the leaders of the people, "Go, take a census of Isra'el from Be'er-Sheva to Dan; then report to me, so that I can know how many of them there are."

Yo'av reported the results of the census to David: in Isra'el were 1,100,000 men who could handle a sword, while Y'hudah had 470,000 men who could handle a sword.

David said to God, "I have greatly sinned by doing this. But now, please! Put aside your servant's sin, for I have done a very foolish thing."

ADONAI spoke to Gad, David's seer:

"Go and tell David that ADONAI says, 'I am offering you a choice of three punishments: choose one of them, and I will execute it against you.'"

Gad came to David and said to him, "Take your choice:

David said to Gad, "This is very hard for me. Let me fall into the hand of ADONAI, because his mercies are very great, rather than have me fall into the hand of man."

David raised his eyes and saw the angel of ADONAI standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces.

David said to God, "Wasn't it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father's family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!"

Then the angel of ADONAI ordered Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to ADONAI on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi.

David went up at Gad's word, spoken in ADONAI's name.

David approached Ornan. When Ornan looked and saw David, he went out from the threshing-floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.

Then David said to Ornan, "Let me have the parcel with this threshing-floor, so that I can build on it an altar to ADONAI - I will pay you its full value - so that the plague will be lifted from the people."

Ornan said to David, "Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. I'm giving you the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for firewood and the wheat for the grain offering - I'm giving it all."

But King David said to Ornan, "No; I insist on buying it from you at the full price. I refuse to take what is yours for ADONAI or offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing."

So David bought the place from Ornan for 600 shekels of gold by weight [fifteen pounds].

Then David built an altar to ADONAI there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called on ADONAI, who answered him from heaven by fire on the altar for burnt offerings.

When David saw that ADONAI had answered him at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi, he sacrificed there.

But David could not go into its presence to consult God, because the sword of the angel of ADONAI had struck him with terror.