Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

David's Census

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

1

David Takes a Census

Once again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the LORD told him.

2

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

2

So the king said to Joab and the commandersa of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel — from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south — so I may know how many people there are.”

3

And Joab said to the king, May Jehovah thy God even add to the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

3

But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God let you live to see a hundred times as many people as there are now! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this?”

4

But the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. And Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

4

But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab and the commanders of the army went out to count the people of Israel.

5

And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jaazer.

5

First they crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, south of the town in the valley, in the direction of Gad. Then they went on to Jazer,

6

And they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and came to Dan-jaan, and to the environs of Sidon;

6

then to Gilead in the land of Tahtim-hodshib and to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon.

7

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

7

Then they came to the fortress of Tyre, and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went south to Judahc as far as Beersheba.

8

And they went through all the land, and came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

8

Having gone through the entire land for nine months and twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem.

9

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king; and there were of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

9

Joab reported the number of people to the king. There were 800,000 capable warriors in Israel who could handle a sword, and 500,000 in Judah.

10

Judgment for David's Sin

And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now, I beseech thee, Jehovah, put away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

10

Judgment for David’s Sin

But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, LORD, for doing this foolish thing.”

11

And when David arose in the morning, the word of Jehovah came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

11

The next morning the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, who was David’s seer. This was the message:

12

Go and say to David, Thus saith Jehovah: I impose on thee three [things]; choose one of them that I may do it unto thee.

12

“Go and say to David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.’”

13

And Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine adversaries while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now be aware and consider what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

13

So Gad came to David and asked him, “Will you choose threed years of famine throughout your land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land? Think this over and decide what answer I should give the LORD who sent me.”

14

And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Jehovah; for his mercies are great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.

14

“I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”

15

Pestilence Sent

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

15

So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel that morning, and it lasted for three days.e A total of 70,000 people died throughout the nation, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.

16

And the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it; but Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed among the people, It is enough: withdraw now thine hand. And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

16

But as the angel was preparing to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough!” At that moment the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17

And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the angel that smote among the people, and said, Behold, it is I that have sinned, and it is I that have committed iniquity; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be on me, and on my father's house!

17

When David saw the angel, he said to the LORD, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep — what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family.”

18

David Builds an Altar

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

18

David Builds an Altar

That day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

19

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

19

So David went up to do what the LORD had commanded him.

20

And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on towards him; and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

20

When Araunah saw the king and his men coming toward him, he came and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

21

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

21

“Why have you come, my lord the king?” Araunah asked.
David replied, “I have come to buy your threshing floor and to build an altar to the LORD there, so that he will stop the plague.”

22

And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up that which is good in his sight: see, [here are] oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing-sledges and implements of the oxen for wood.

22

“Take it, my lord the king, and use it as you wish,” Araunah said to David. “Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and you can use the threshing boards and ox yokes for wood to build a fire on the altar.

23

All these things, O king, doth Araunah give to the king. And Araunah said to the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee.

23

I will give it all to you, Your Majesty, and may the LORD your God accept your sacrifice.”

24

And the king said to Araunah, No; but I will in any case buy [them] of thee at a price: neither will I offer up to Jehovah my God burnt-offerings without cost. And David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the LORD my God that have cost me nothing.” So David paid him fifty pieces of silverf for the threshing floor and the oxen.

25

And David built there an altar to Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. And Jehovah was propitious to the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

25

David built an altar there to the LORD and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the LORD answered his prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

2 Samuel 24

2 Samuel 24