1 Chronicles 21
New International Version - UK
David counts the fighting men
21 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, ‘Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.’
3 But Joab replied, ‘May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?’
4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: in all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.
6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. 7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.
8 Then David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.’
9 The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer, 10 ‘Go and tell David, “This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.”’
11 So Gad went to David and said to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Take your choice: 12 three years of famine, three months of being swept away[a] before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord – days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.” Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.’
13 David said to Gad, ‘I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.’
14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead. 15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, ‘Enough! Withdraw your hand.’ The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing-floor of Araunah[b] the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell face down.
17 David said to God, ‘Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd,[c] have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.’
David builds an altar
18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord.
20 While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing-floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.
22 David said to him, ‘Let me have the site of your threshing-floor so that I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.’
23 Araunah said to David, ‘Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.’
24 But King David replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.’
25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels[d] of gold for the site. 26 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 21:12 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Samuel 24:13) of fleeing
- 1 Chronicles 21:15 Hebrew Ornan, a variant of Araunah; also in verses 18-28
- 1 Chronicles 21:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see 2 Samuel 24:17 and note); Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
- 1 Chronicles 21:25 That is, about 6.9 kilograms
1 Chronicles 21
New American Standard Bible
Census Brings Plague
21 (A)Then Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “(B)Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me word so that I may know their number.” 3 But Joab said, “(C)May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” 4 Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5 Then Joab gave the number of the census of the people to David. (D)Israel was 1,100,000 men in all who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. 6 (E)But he did not [a]count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king’s [b]command was abhorrent to Joab.
7 Now [c]God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel. 8 David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, [d]by doing this thing. (F)But now, please overlook Your servant’s guilt, for I have behaved very foolishly.”
9 The Lord spoke to (G)Gad, David’s (H)seer, saying, 10 “Go and speak to David, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I extend to you three choices; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.”’” 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take for yourself 12 (I)three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord: a plague in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall bring back to Him who sent me.” 13 David said to Gad, “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, (J)for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into human hands.”
14 (K)So the Lord [e]sent a plague on Israel; seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw and (L)was sorry about the catastrophe, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough; now relax your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of [f]Ornan the Jebusite. 16 Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, (M)covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 And David said to God, “Is it not I who [g]commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly, (N)but these sheep, what have they done? Lord, my God, just let Your hand be against me and my father’s household, and not against Your people as a plague.”
David’s Altar
18 (O)Then the angel of the Lord [h]commanded Gad to say to David, that David was to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the Lord. 20 Now Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat. 21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself to David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the [i]site of this threshing floor, so that I may build on it an altar to the Lord; you shall give it to me for the full price, so that the plague may be brought to a halt from the people.” 23 But Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself, and may my lord the king do what is good in his sight. See, I am giving the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I am giving it all.” 24 Nevertheless, King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will certainly buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer a burnt offering [j]which costs me nothing.” 25 So (P)David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the [k]site. 26 Then David built an altar there to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called to the Lord, and (Q)He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 27 The Lord commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.
28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifice there. 29 (R)For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were on the high place at Gibeon at that time. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 21:6 Lit muster
- 1 Chronicles 21:6 Lit word
- 1 Chronicles 21:7 Lit it was evil in the sight of God
- 1 Chronicles 21:8 that I did
- 1 Chronicles 21:14 Lit gave
- 1 Chronicles 21:15 In 2 Sam 24:16, Araunah
- 1 Chronicles 21:17 Lit said
- 1 Chronicles 21:18 Lit said to
- 1 Chronicles 21:22 Lit place
- 1 Chronicles 21:24 Lit gratuitously
- 1 Chronicles 21:25 Lit place
1 Chronicles 21
New Century Version
David Counts the Israelites
21 Satan was against Israel, and he caused David to count the people of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count all the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan.[a] Then tell me so I will know how many there are.”
3 But Joab said, “May the Lord give the nation a hundred times more people. My master the king, all the Israelites are your servants. Why do you want to do this, my master? You will make Israel guilty of sin.”
4 But the king commanded Joab, so Joab left and went through all Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. 5 Joab gave the list of the people to David. There were one million one hundred thousand men in all of Israel who could use the sword, and there were four hundred seventy thousand men in Judah who could use the sword. 6 But Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he didn’t like King David’s order. 7 David had done something God had said was wrong, so God punished Israel.
8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by what I have done! Now, I beg you to forgive me, your servant, because I have been very foolish.”
9 The Lord said to Gad, who was David’s seer, 10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I offer you three choices. Choose one of them and I will do it.’”
11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Choose for yourself 12 three years of hunger. Or choose three months of running from your enemies as they chase you with their swords. Or choose three days of punishment from the Lord, in which a terrible disease will spread through the country. The angel of the Lord will go through Israel destroying the people.’ Now, David, decide which of these things I should tell the Lord who sent me.”
13 David said to Gad, “I am in great trouble. Let the Lord punish me, because the Lord is very merciful. Don’t let my punishment come from human beings.”
14 So the Lord sent a terrible disease on Israel, and seventy thousand people died. 15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but when the angel started to destroy it, the Lord saw it and felt very sorry about the terrible things that had happened. So he said to the angel who was destroying, “That is enough! Put down your arm!” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord in the sky, holding his sword drawn and pointed at Jerusalem. Then David and the elders bowed facedown on the ground. They were wearing rough cloth to show their grief. 17 David said to God, “I am the one who sinned and did wrong. I gave the order for the people to be counted. These people only followed me like sheep. They did nothing wrong. Lord my God, please punish me and my family, but stop the terrible disease that is killing your people.”
18 Then the angel of the Lord told Gad to tell David that he should build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David did what Gad told him to do, in the name of the Lord.
20 Araunah was separating the wheat from the straw. When he turned around, he saw the angel. Araunah’s four sons who were with him hid. 21 David came to Araunah, and when Araunah saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed facedown on the ground before David.
22 David said to him, “Sell me your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord here. Then the terrible disease will stop. Sell it to me for the full price.”
23 Araunah said to David, “Take this threshing floor. My master the king, do anything you want. Look, I will also give you oxen for the whole burnt offerings, the threshing boards for the wood, and wheat for the grain offering. I give everything to you.”
24 But King David answered Araunah, “No, I will pay the full price for the land. I won’t take anything that is yours and give it to the Lord. I won’t offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
25 So David paid Araunah about fifteen pounds of gold for the place. 26 David built an altar to the Lord there and offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. David prayed to the Lord, and he answered him by sending down fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 27 Then the Lord commanded the angel to put his sword back into its holder.
28 When David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The Holy Tent that Moses made while the Israelites were in the desert and the altar of burnt offerings were in Gibeon at the place of worship. 30 But David could not go to the Holy Tent to speak with God, because he was afraid of the angel of the Lord and his sword.
Footnotes
- 21:2 Beersheba to Dan Beersheba was the city farthest south in Israel. Dan was the city farthest north. So this means all the people of Israel.
1 Chronicles 21
New International Reader's Version
David Counts His Fighting Men
21 Satan rose up against Israel. He stirred up David to count the men of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go! Count the men of Israel from Beersheba all the way to Dan. Report back to me. Then I’ll know how many there are.”
3 Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops 100 times. King David, you are my master. Aren’t all the men under your control? Why would you want me to count them? Do you want to make Israel guilty?”
4 In spite of what Joab said, the king’s order had more authority than Joab’s reply did. So Joab left and went all through Israel. Then he came back to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported to David how many fighting men he had counted. In the whole land of Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could use their swords well. That included 470,000 men in Judah.
6 But Joab didn’t include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the total number. The king’s command was sickening to Joab. 7 It was also evil in the sight of God. So he punished Israel.
8 Then David said to God, “I committed a great sin when I counted Israel’s men. I beg you to take away my guilt. I’ve done a very foolish thing.”
9 The Lord spoke to Gad, David’s prophet. The Lord said, 10 “Go and tell David, ‘The Lord says, “I could punish you in three different ways. Choose one of them for me to punish you with.” ’ ”
11 So Gad went to David. Gad said to him, “The Lord says, ‘Take your choice. 12 You can have three years when there will not be enough food in the land. You can have three months when your enemies will sweep you away. They will catch up with you. They will destroy you with their swords. Or you can have three days when the sword of the Lord will punish you. That means there would be three days of plague in the land. My angel would strike down people in every part of Israel.’ So take your pick. Tell me how to answer the one who sent me.”
13 David said to Gad, “I’m suffering terribly. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord. His mercy is very great. But don’t let me fall into human hands.”
14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel. And 70,000 Israelites died. 15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing it, the Lord saw it. The Lord decided to end the plague he had sent. So he spoke to the angel who was destroying the people. He said, “That is enough! Do not kill any more people!” The angel of the Lord was standing at Araunah’s threshing floor. Araunah was from the city of Jebus.
16 David looked up. He saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth. The angel was holding out a sword over Jerusalem. David and the elders fell with their faces to the ground. They were wearing the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad.
17 David said to God, “I ordered the fighting men to be counted. I’m the one who has sinned. I am the shepherd of these people. I’m the one who has done what is wrong. These people are like sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, punish me and my family. But don’t let this plague continue to strike your people.”
David Builds an Altar
18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up to the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. He wanted David to build an altar there to honor the Lord. 19 So David went up and did it. He obeyed the message that Gad had spoken in the Lord’s name.
20 Araunah was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel. Araunah’s four children were with him. They hid themselves. 21 David approached the threshing floor. Araunah looked up and saw him. So Araunah left the threshing floor. He bowed down to David with his face toward the ground.
22 David said to him, “Let me have the property your threshing floor is on. I want to build an altar there to honor the Lord. When I do, the plague on the people will be stopped. Sell the threshing floor to me for the full price.”
23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! King David, you are my master. Do what you please. I’ll even provide the oxen for the burnt offerings. Use boards from the threshing sleds for the wood. Use the wheat for the grain offering. I’ll give it all to you.”
24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No! I want to pay the full price. I won’t take what belongs to you and give it to the Lord. I won’t sacrifice a burnt offering that hasn’t cost me anything.”
25 So David paid Araunah 15 pounds of gold for the property. 26 David built an altar there to honor the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings. He called out to the Lord. The Lord answered him by sending fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.
27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel. And the angel put his sword away. 28 When the angel did that, David was still at the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. David saw that the Lord had answered him. So he offered sacrifices there. 29 At that time, the Lord’s holy tent was at the high place in Gibeon. The altar for burnt offerings was there too. Moses had made the holy tent in the desert. 30 David couldn’t go to the tent to pray to God. That’s because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
1 Chronicles 21
21st Century King James Version
21 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.”
3 And Joab answered, “The Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?”
4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men who drew the sword.
6 But Levi and Benjamin he counted not among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel.
8 And David said unto God, “I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. But now, I beseech Thee, do away with the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
9 And the Lord spoke unto Gad, David’s seer, saying,
10 “Go and tell David, saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord: I offer thee three things. Choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.’”
11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, “Thus saith the Lord: ‘Choose thee
12 either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence in the land and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.’ Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring back to Him that sent me.”
14 So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel, and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and He repented of the evil, and said to the angel who destroyed, “It is enough. Stay now thine hand.” And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16 And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17 And David said unto God, “Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is who have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me and on my father’s house, but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued.”
18 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and set up an altar unto the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the Lord.
20 And Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22 Then David said to Ornan, “Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may uild an altar therein unto the Lord. Thou shalt grant it to me for the full price, that the plague ay be stayed from the people.”
23 And Ornan said unto David, “Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that hich is good in his eyes. Lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing nstruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.”
24 And King David said to Ornan, “Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price; for will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.”
25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
26 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
27 And the Lord commanded the angel, and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
28 At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
29 For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering were at that season at the high place at Gibeon.
30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
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