And Satanstood upagainstIsrael, and provokedDavidto numberIsrael. And DavidsaidtoJoaband tothe rulersof the people, Go, numberIsraelfrom Beer-sheba even toDan; and bringthe numberof them tome, that I may know it . And Joabanswered, The LORDmake his peoplea hundredtimesso many moreas they be : but, my lordthe king, are they notallmy lord's servants? whythen doth my lordrequirethis thing? whywill he bea cause of trespassto Israel? Nevertheless the king's wordprevailedagainstJoab. Wherefore Joabdeparted, and wentthroughout allIsrael, and cameto Jerusalem. And Joabgavethe sumof the numberof the peopleuntoDavid. And all they of Israelwerea thousandthousandand a hundredthousandmenthat drewsword: and Judah was fourhundredthreescore and tenthousandmenthat drewsword. But Leviand Benjamincountedhe notamongthem: forthe king's wordwas abominableto Joab. And Godwas displeasedwiththisthing; therefore he smoteIsrael. And DavidsaiduntoGod, I have sinnedgreatly, becauseI have donethisthing: but now, I beseech thee, do awaythe iniquityof thy servant; forI have done very foolishly. And the LORDspokeuntoGad, David's seer, saying, Goand tellDavid, saying, Thussaiththe LORD, Iofferthee three things : choosethee oneof them, that I may do it unto thee. So GadcametoDavid, and saidunto him, Thussaiththe LORD, Choosethee Eitherthreeyears' famine; orthreemonthsto be destroyedbeforethy foes, while that the swordof thine enemiesovertaketh thee ; or elsethreedaysthe swordof the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angelof the LORDdestroyingthroughout allthe coastsof Israel. Nowtherefore advisethyself whatwordI shall bring againto him that sentme. And DavidsaiduntoGad, I am in a great strait: let me fallnowinto the handof the LORD; forverygreat are his mercies: but let me notfallinto the handof man. So the LORDsentpestilenceupon Israel: and there fellof Israelseventythousandmen. And Godsentan angelunto Jerusalemto destroyit: and as he was destroying, the LORDbeheld, and he repented himofthe evil, and saidto the angelthat destroyed, It is enough, staynowthine hand. And the angelof the LORDstoodbythe threshingfloorof Ornanthe Jebusite. And Davidlifted uphis eyes, and sawthe angelof the LORDstandbetweenthe earthand the heaven, having a drawnswordin his handstretched outoverJerusalem. Then Davidand the elders of Israel, who were clothedin sackcloth, fellupontheir faces. And DavidsaiduntoGod, Is it notI that commandedthe peopleto be numbered? even Iitis thathave sinnedand done evil indeed; but as for thesesheep, whathave they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORDmy God, beon me, and on my father's house; but noton thy people, that they should be plagued. Then the angelof the LORDcommandedGadto sayto David, thatDavidshould go up, and set upan altarunto the LORDin the threshingfloorof Ornanthe Jebusite. And Davidwent upat the sayingof Gad, whichhe spokein the nameof the LORD. And Ornanturned back, and sawthe angel; and his foursonswithhim hid themselves. Now Ornanwas threshingwheat. And as DavidcametoOrnan, Ornanlookedand sawDavid, and went outofthe threshingfloor, and bowed himselfto Davidwith his faceto the ground. Then DavidsaidtoOrnan, Grantme the placeof this threshingfloor, that I may buildan altartherein unto the LORD: thou shalt grantit me for the fullprice: that the plaguemay be stayedfromthe people. And OrnansaiduntoDavid, Take it to thee, and let my lordthe kingdo that which is goodin his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instrumentsfor wood, and the wheatfor the meat offering; I giveit all. And kingDavidsaidto Ornan, Nay; butI will verily buyit for the fullprice: forI will nottake that which is thine for the LORD, nor offerburnt offeringswithout cost. So Davidgaveto Ornanfor the placesixhundredshekelsof goldby weight. And Davidbuilttherean altarunto the LORD, and offeredburnt offeringsand peace offerings, and calleduponthe LORD; and he answeredhim fromheavenby fireuponthe altarof burnt offering. And the LORDcommandedthe angel; and he put up his sword againintothe sheaththereof. At thattimewhen Davidsawthatthe LORDhad answeredhim in the threshingfloorof Ornanthe Jebusite, then he sacrificedthere. For the tabernacleof the LORD, whichMosesmadein the wilderness, and the altarof the burnt offering, were at thatseasonin the high placeat Gibeon. But Davidcouldnotgobeforeit to inquireof God: forhe was afraidbecauseof the swordof the angelof the LORD.