1: And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against
Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and
Judah. |
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2: For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was
with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to
Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the
people. |
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3:
And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the
people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my
lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this
thing? |
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4: Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and
against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host
went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.
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5: And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the
right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and
toward Jazer: |
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6: Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi;
and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, |
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7: And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of
the Hibites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of
Judah, even to Beer-sheba. |
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8: So when they had gone through all the land, they came to
Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. |
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9: And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the
king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that
drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
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10: And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the
people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I
have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of
thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. |
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11: For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD
came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, |
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12: Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee
three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. |
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13: So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall
seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee
three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there
be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I
shall return to him that sent me. |
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14: And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall
now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not
fall into the hand of man. |
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15: So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning
even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even
to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. |
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16: And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to
destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel
that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the
angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
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17: And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that
smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly:
but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be
against me, and against my father's house. |
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18: And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up,
rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the
Jebusite. |
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19: And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the
LORD commanded. |
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20: And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming
on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king
on his face upon the ground. |
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21: And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his
servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an
altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. |
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22: And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and
offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt
sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen
for wood. |
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23: All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king.
And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. |
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24: And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it
of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD
my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the
threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. |
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25: And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered
burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the
land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. |