Stop searching everywhere for answers. Bible Gateway Plus putstrusted insightsright alongside the passage you’re reading. Free 7-day trial.
Log In/Sign Up

#
2 Samuel 24
New International Version

### David Enrolls the Fighting Men(A)

24 Again(B)the anger of theLordburned against Israel,(C)and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of(D)Israel and Judah.”

2 So the king said to Joab(E)and the army commanders[a]with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba(F)and enroll(G)the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab(H)replied to the king, “May theLordyour God multiply the troops a hundred times over,(I)and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,(J)south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.(K)6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.(L)7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre(M)and all the towns of the Hivites(N)and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba(O)in the Negev(P)of Judah.

8 After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.(Q)

10 David was conscience-stricken(R)after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to theLord, “I have sinned(S)greatly in what I have done. Now,Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.(T)”

11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of theLordhad come to Gad(U)the prophet, David’s seer:(V)12 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what theLordsays: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

13 So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three[b]years of famine(W)in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague(X)in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of theLord, for his mercy(Y)is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

15 So theLordsent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.(Z)16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, theLordrelented(AA)concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of theLord(AB)was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to theLord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[c]have done wrong. These are but sheep.(AC)What have they done?(AD)Let your hand fall on me and my family.”(AE)

### David Builds an Altar(AF)

18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to theLordon the threshing floor of Araunah(AG)the Jebusite.”19 So David went up, as theLordhad commanded through Gad.20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to theLord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”(AH)

22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen(AI)for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.23 Your Majesty, Araunah[d]gives(AJ)all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May theLordyour God accept you.”

24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to theLordmy God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”(AK)

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels[e](AL)of silver for them.25 David built an altar(AM)to theLordthere and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then theLordanswered his prayer(AN)in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

#### Footnotes

1. 2 Samuel 24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); HebrewJoab the army commander
2. 2 Samuel 24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrewseven
3. 2 Samuel 24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not havethe shepherd.
4. 2 Samuel 24:23 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscriptsKing Araunah
5. 2 Samuel 24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams

#### Cross references

1. 2 Samuel 24:1:24:1-17pp — 1Ch 21:1-17
2. 2 Samuel 24:1:S Jos 9:15
3. 2 Samuel 24:1:Job 1:6; Zec 3:1
4. 2 Samuel 24:1:S Ex 30:12; 1Ch 27:23
5. 2 Samuel 24:2:S 2Sa 20:23
6. 2 Samuel 24:2:S 2Sa 3:10
7. 2 Samuel 24:2:2Ch 2:17; 17:14; 25:5
8. 2 Samuel 24:3:S 2Sa 2:18
9. 2 Samuel 24:3:S Dt 1:11
10. 2 Samuel 24:5:S Jos 13:9
11. 2 Samuel 24:5:S Nu 21:32
12. 2 Samuel 24:6:S Ge 10:19; Jdg 1:31
13. 2 Samuel 24:7:S Jos 19:29
14. 2 Samuel 24:7:S Ex 3:8
15. 2 Samuel 24:7:Ge 21:31
16. 2 Samuel 24:7:S Dt 1:7
17. 2 Samuel 24:9:S Nu 1:44-46
18. 2 Samuel 24:10:S 1Sa 24:5
19. 2 Samuel 24:10:S Nu 22:34
20. 2 Samuel 24:10:S Nu 12:11
21. 2 Samuel 24:11:S 1Sa 22:5
22. 2 Samuel 24:11:1Sa 9:9
23. 2 Samuel 24:13:Dt 28:38-42, 48; S 32:24; Eze 14:21
24. 2 Samuel 24:13:S Ex 5:3; S 30:12; S Lev 26:25; Dt 28:21-22, 27-28, 35
25. 2 Samuel 24:14:Ne 9:28; Ps 4:1; 51:1; 86:5; 103:8, 13; 119:132; 130:4; Isa 54:7; 55:7; Jer 33:8; 42:12; Da 9:9
26. 2 Samuel 24:15:1Ch 27:24
27. 2 Samuel 24:16:S Ge 6:6
28. 2 Samuel 24:16:S Ge 16:7; S 19:13; S Ex 12:23; Ac 12:23
29. 2 Samuel 24:17:Ps 74:1; 100:3; Jer 49:20
30. 2 Samuel 24:17:S Ge 18:23
31. 2 Samuel 24:17:Jnh 1:12
32. 2 Samuel 24:18:24:18-25pp — 1Ch 21:18-26
33. 2 Samuel 24:18:Ge 22:2; 2Ch 3:1
34. 2 Samuel 24:21:Nu 16:44-50
35. 2 Samuel 24:22:S 1Sa 6:14
36. 2 Samuel 24:23:Ge 23:11
37. 2 Samuel 24:24:Mal 1:13-14
38. 2 Samuel 24:24:S Ge 23:16
39. 2 Samuel 24:25:S 1Sa 7:17
40. 2 Samuel 24:25:2Sa 21:14

New International Version(NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 byBiblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Journal the Word Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Reflect, Take Notes, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $27.99
Save: $12.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles