1   And the wrath of the Lord was ^note againe kindled against Israel, and ^note he moued Dauid against them, in that he saide, Goe, number Israel and Iudah.

2   For the King said to Ioab the captaine of the hoste, which was with him, Goe speedily now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba, and nomber ye the people, that I may knowe the ^note nomber of the people.

3   And Ioab saide vnto the King, The Lorde thy God increase the people an hundreth folde mo then they be, and that the eyes of my lorde the King may see it: but why doeth my lord the King desire this thing?

4   Notwithstanding the Kings worde preuailed against Ioab and against the captaines of the hoste: therefore Ioab and the captaines of the hoste went out from the presence of the King to nomber the people of Israel.

5   ¶2; And they passed ouer Iorden, & pitched in Aroer at the right side of the citie that is in the middes of the ^note valley of Gad and toward Iazer.

6   Then they came to Gilead, and to ^note Tahtim-hodshi, so they came to Dan Iaan, and so about to Zidon,

7   And came to the fortresse of ^note Tyrus and to all the cities of the Hiuites and of the Canaanites, and went towarde the South of Iudah, euen to Beer-sheba.

8   ¶2; So when they had gone about all the lande, they returned to Ierusalem at the ende of nine moneths and twentie dayes.

9   ¶2; And Ioab deliuered the nomber and summe of the people vnto the King: and there were in Israel ^note eight hundreth thousande strong men that drewe swordes, and the men of Iudah were ^note fiue hundreth thousand men.

10   Then Dauids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: and Dauid said vnto the Lorde, I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done: therefore nowe, Lorde, I beseech thee, take away the trespasse of thy seruant: for I haue done very foolishly.

11   ¶2; And when Dauid was vp in the morning, the worde of the Lord came vnto the Prophet Gad Dauids ^note Seer, saying,

12   Go, & say vnto Dauid, Thus saith þe; Lord, I offer thee three thinges, chuse thee which of them I shall doe vnto thee.

13   So Gad came to Dauid, and shewed him, and said vnto him, Wilt thou that ^note seuen yeeres famine come vpon thee in thy lande, or wilt

The plague. Araunahs threshing floore. thou flee three moneths before thine enemies, they following thee, or that there bee three dayes pestilence in thy land? nowe aduise thee, and see, what answere I shal giue to him that sent me.

14   ¶2; And Dauid said vnto Gad, I am in a wonderfull strait: let vs fall nowe into the hand of the Lord, (for his mercies are great) and let mee not fall into the hand of man.

15   So the Lord sent a pestil&ebar;ce in Israel, from the morning euen to the time appointed: & there dyed of the people from ^note Dan euen to Beer-sheba seuentie thousand men.

16   And when the Angel stretched out his hande vpon Ierusalem to destroy it, the Lord ^note repented of the euil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, It is sufficient, ^note holde nowe thine hand. And the Angel of the Lorde was by the threshing place of Araunah the Iebusite.

17   And Dauid spake vnto the Lorde (when he sawe the Angel that smote the people) and saide, Behold, I haue sinned, yea, I haue done wickedly: but these sheepe, what haue they ^note done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against mee and against my fathers house.

18   ¶2; So Gad came the same day to Dauid, and said vnto him, Go vp, reare an altar vnto the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite.

19   And Dauid (according to the saying of Araunahs threshing floore. Gad) went vp, as the Lord had commanded.

20   And Araunah looked, and sawe the King and his seruants comming towarde him, and Araunah went out, and bowed himselfe before the King on his face to the ground,

21   And ^note Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the King come to his seruant? Then Dauid answered, To bye the threshing floore of thee for to builde an altar vnto the Lorde, that the plague may cease from the people.

22   Then Araunah saide vnto Dauid, Let my lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: beholde the oxen for the burnt offring, and charets, and the instruments of the oxen for wood.

23   (All these things did Araunah ^note as a King giue vnto the King: and Araunah saide vnto the King, The Lord thy God be fauourable vnto thee)

24   Then the King saide vnto Araunah, Not so, but I will bye it of thee at a price, and will not offer burnt offring vnto þe; Lorde my God of that which doeth cost me nothing. So Dauid bought the threshing floore, and the oxen for ^note fiftie shekels of siluer.

25   And Dauid built there an altar vnto the Lorde, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings, and the Lord was appeased toward þe; lande, and the plague ceased from Israel.

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