1 Chronicles 21
Expanded Bible
David Counts the Israelites(A)
21 ·Satan was against [or An adversary opposed] Israel, and he ·caused [incited] David to ·count [take a census of; C doing so implied trust in themselves rather than in God] the people of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and ·count [take a census of] all the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan [C the whole expanse of Israel from south to north]. Then tell me so I will know how many there are.”
3 But Joab said, “May the Lord give the ·nation [or army] a hundred times more people. My ·master [lord] the king, ·all the Israelites are [L are they not all…?] your servants. Why do you want to do this, my master? ·You will make Israel guilty of sin [Why should you bring guilt/judgment to Israel?].”
4 But the ·king commanded [king’s word/edict prevailed despite] Joab, so Joab left and went through all Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. 5 Joab gave the ·list [number] of the ·people [soldiers; warriors] 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 [was repulsed/disgusted/distressed by] King David’s order. 7 David had done something ·God had said was wrong [that displeased/offended God], so God ·punished [attacked; struck] Israel [C taking a census of the army indicated confidence in military strength].
8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by what I have done! Now, I beg you to ·forgive me, [take away the guilt/iniquity of] your servant, because I have been very foolish.”
9 The Lord said to Gad, who was David’s ·seer [prophet], 10 “Go and tell David, ‘·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: I offer you three ·choices [L things]. Choose one of them and I will ·do it [inflict it on you].’”
11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘·Choose for yourself [Take your choice:] 12 three years of ·hunger [famine]. Or choose three months of ·running from [being swept away by] your enemies as they ·chase [overtake] you with their swords. Or choose three days of ·punishment from [L the sword of] the Lord, in which a ·terrible disease [plague; pestilence] will spread through the ·country [land]. The angel of the Lord will go through Israel ·destroying [ravaging] the people.’ Now, David, decide ·which of these things [what answer] I should ·tell [give] the Lord who sent me.”
13 David said to Gad, “I am in ·great trouble [deep distress; a desperate situation]. Let ·the Lord punish me [L me fall into the hand of the Lord], because the Lord is very merciful. Don’t let ·my punishment come from [L me fall into the hand of] human beings.”
14 So the Lord sent a ·terrible disease [plague; pestilence] on Israel, and seventy thousand people died. 15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but when the angel ·started [was about/preparing] to destroy it, the Lord saw it and ·felt very sorry about the terrible things that had happened [L relented regarding the disaster/calamity]. So he said to the angel who was destroying, “That is enough! ·Put down your arm [L Withhold your hand]!” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; 2 Sam. 24:16] the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord ·in the sky [L standing between earth and heaven], with his drawn sword in this hand ·pointing toward [extended over] Jerusalem. Then David and the ·elders [leaders] bowed facedown on the ground. They were wearing ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C a sign of grief or repentance]. 17 David said to God, “·I am [L Am not I…?] the one who sinned and did wrong. I gave the order for the ·people to be counted [census]. ·These people only followed me like sheep. They did nothing wrong. [L These sheep—what have they done?] Lord my God, please ·punish [L let your hand fall on] me and my ·family [L father’s house], but ·stop the terrible disease that is killing [lift the plague from] your people.”
18 Then the angel of the Lord ·told [ordered; commanded] Gad to tell David that he should build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; 2 Sam. 24:16] the Jebusite. 19 So David ·did what Gad told him to do, [went up as Gad had spoken/instructed/commanded] in the name of the Lord.
20 ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; 2 Sam. 24:16] was ·separating the wheat from the straw [threshing wheat]. When he turned around, he saw the angel. Araunah’s four sons who were with him hid themselves. 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 [Let me have] your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord here. Then the ·terrible disease will stop [plague will be lifted from the people]. ·Sell it to me for the full price [I’ll pay top price; L Full silver].”
23 ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; v. 18] said to David, “Take this threshing floor. My master the king, do ·anything you want [L whatever is good in your eyes]. Look, I will also give you oxen for the whole burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17], the threshing ·boards [sledges; sleds] for the wood, and wheat for the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1]. I give everything to you.”
24 But King David answered Araunah, “No, I ·will pay [insist on paying] 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 [Lev. 1:1–17] that costs me nothing.”
25 So David paid ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; v. 18] ·about fifteen pounds [L six hundred shekels] of gold for the place. 26 David built an altar to the Lord there [C the site of the future Temple; 2 Chr. 3:1] and offered whole burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1]. David ·prayed to [called on] 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 [sheath].
28 When David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; v. 18], he offered sacrifices there. 29 The ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] that Moses made while the Israelites were in the ·desert [wilderness] and the altar of burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] were in Gibeon at the ·place of worship [L high place]. 30 But David could not go ·to the Holy Tent to speak with [before it to inquire of] God, because he was ·afraid [terrified] of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
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
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