David

And it cometh to pass, at the time of the turn of the year--at the time of the going out of the messengers--that Joab leadeth out the force of the host, and destroyeth the land of the sons of Ammon, and cometh in and beseigeth Rabbah--David is abiding in Jerusalem--and Joab smiteth Rabbah, and breaketh it down.

And David taketh the crown of their king from off his head, and findeth it in weight a talent of gold, and in it a precious stone, and it is on the head of David: and spoil of the city he hath brought out very much,

and the people who are in it he hath brought out, and setteth to the saw, and to cutting instruments of iron, and to axes; and thus doth David to all cities of the sons of Ammon, and David turneth back, and all the people, to Jerusalem.

And he reproacheth Israel, and smite him doth Jonathan son of Shimea, brother of David.

These were born to the giant in Gath, and they fall by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

And there standeth up an adversary against Israel, and persuadeth David to number Israel,

And David saith unto Joab, and unto the heads of the people, `Go, number Israel from Beer-Sheba even unto Dan, and bring unto me, and I know their number.'

And Joab giveth the account of the numbering of the people unto David, and all Israel is a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand, each drawing sword, and Judah is four hundred and seventy thousand, each drawing sword.

and David saith unto God, `I have sinned exceedingly, in that I have done this thing; and now, cause to pass away, I pray Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have acted very foolishly.'

And Jehovah speaketh unto Gad, seer of David, saying:

`Go, and thou hast spoken unto David, saying, Thus said Jehovah, Three--I am stretching out unto thee; choose for thee one of these, and I do it to thee.'

And Gad cometh in unto David, and saith to him, `Thus said Jehovah, Take for thee--

And David saith unto Gad, `I am greatly distressed, let me fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Jehovah, for very many are His mercies, and into the hand of man let me not fall.'

and David lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem, and David falleth, and the elders, covered with sackcloth, on their faces.

And David saith unto God, `Did not I--I say to number the people? Yea, I it is who have sinned, and done great evil: and these, the flock, what did they? O Jehovah, my God, let, I pray Thee, Thy hand be on me, and on the house of my father, and not on Thy people--to be plagued.'

And the messenger of Jehovah spake unto Gad, saying for David, `Surely David doth go up to raise an altar to Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.'

And David goeth up by the word of Gad, that he spake in the name of Jehovah.

And David cometh in unto Ornan, and Ornan looketh attentively, and seeth David, and goeth out from the threshing-floor, and boweth himself to David--face to the earth.

And David saith unto Ornan, `Give to me the place of the threshing-floor, and I build in it an altar to Jehovah; for full silver give it to me, and the plague is restrained from the people.'

And Ornan saith unto David, `Take to thee--and my lord the king doth that which is good in his eyes: see, I have given the oxen for burnt-offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for a present; the whole I have given.'

And king David saith to Ornan, `Nay, for I surely buy for full silver; for I do not lift up that which is thine to Jehovah, so as to offer a burnt-offering without cost.'

And David giveth to Ornan for the place shekels of gold in weight six hundred;

and David buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and offereth burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and calleth unto Jehovah, and He answereth him with fire from the heavens on the altar of the burnt-offering.

At that time when David seeth that Jehovah hath answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificeth there;

and David is not able to go before it to seek God, for he hath been afraid because of the sword of the messenger of Jehovah.