David's Census and the Altar

Israel was under the Lord’s anger, and David gave orders to count Israel and Judah. Joab warned him and questioned why he wanted this, but the king’s command stood. So Joab and the commanders went out through the land to carry out the count.

The counting went on for many months. When Joab brought back the numbers, David’s heart struck him. He confessed that he had sinned greatly and acted foolishly, and he begged God to take away his guilt. Chronicles also says God was displeased with this thing.

The prophet Gad then brought David three choices of judgement: famine, defeat before enemies, or three days of pestilence in the land. David was in deep distress. He said he would rather fall into the Lord’s hand than into human hands, because the Lord’s mercies are very great.

A plague came on Israel, and seventy thousand died. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem, the Lord relented and told the angel to stop at the threshing floor of Araunah, also called Ornan, the Jebusite. David and the elders humbled themselves, and David pleaded that the judgement fall on him and his father’s house instead of the people.

Gad told David to build an altar there. Araunah, or Ornan, offered the site and what was needed for the sacrifice, but David insisted on paying and would not offer the Lord something that cost him nothing. He built the altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. The Lord answered, the plague was removed, and the angel put away his sword.