David Takes Rabbah

20 In the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army. He destroyed the land of the sons of Ammon. And he gathered his army around Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab fought against Rabbah, and won. ² Then David took the crown from their king’s head. He found that its gold weighed as much as an older child. And there were stones of much worth in it. It was placed on David’s head. He brought out the riches of the city, a very large amount. ³ He brought out the people who were in it, and made them work with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then he and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Philistines’ Strong Men Destroyed

⁴ After this there was a war with the Philistines at Gezer. Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, who was one of the sons of those who were very tall and strong. And the Philistines were put under their power. ⁵ There was war with the Philistines again. Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. Goliath’s spear was as big as the cross-piece of a cloth-maker. ⁶ Again there was war at Gath. A very tall man was there who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all. He was a son of those who were very tall and strong. ⁷ When he spoke against Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. ⁸ These were sons of the people of Gath who were very tall and strong. And they were killed by David and his servants.

David Numbers Israel and Judah

21 Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. ² So David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go and number Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then let me know how many people there are.” ³ Joab said, “May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord want this thing done? Why should he bring guilt upon Israel?” ⁴ But the king’s word was stronger than Joab. So Joab left and went through all of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem. ⁵ He gave the number of all the people to David. There were 1,100,000 men in all Israel who used the sword. And there were 470,000 men in Judah who used the sword. ⁶ But Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin among them because he did not like what the king had told him to do. ⁷ God was not pleased that Israel was numbered so He punished Israel. ⁸ David said to God, “I have sinned very much by doing this thing. But now I beg You, take away the sin of Your servant for I have done a very foolish thing.”

⁹ The Lord said to Gad, David’s man of God, ¹⁰ “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says. “I give you three things to choose from. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’” ¹¹ So Gad came to David and said, “This is what the Lord says. ‘Choose one of these. ¹² Three years of no food in the land; three months to be destroyed by the sword of those who hate you; or three days of the sword of the Lord. This would be a disease sent upon the land. The angel of the Lord would destroy with disease through all the land of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I should give Him Who sent me.” ¹³ David said to Gad, “I am in much trouble. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord. For His loving-kindness is very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man.” ¹⁴ So the Lord sent a disease upon Israel. And 70,000 men of Israel died. ¹⁵ God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw the trouble and was sorry. He said to the destroying angel, “It is enough. Now take your hand away.” The angel of the Lord was standing by the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁶ Then David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven. The angel had his sword in his hand, held out over Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders fell on their faces. They were dressed in cloth made from hair. ¹⁷ David said to God, “Was it not I who said that the people must be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done a very bad thing. But what have these sheep done? O Lord my God, I beg You, let Your hand be against me and my father’s house. But do not let the trouble be upon Your people.”

¹⁸ Then the angel of the Lord told Gad to say to David, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” ¹⁹ So David went up when he heard what Gad said in the name of the Lord. ²⁰ Now Ornan was beating the grain. He turned and saw the angel. And his four sons hid themselves. ²¹ Ornan looked and saw David coming. So he went out from the grain-floor and put his face to the ground showing respect to David. ²² David said to him, “Give me this part of the grain-floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. Give it to me for the full price. Then the disease will be turned away from the people.” ²³ Ornan said to David, “Take it. Let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I will give the bulls for burnt gifts. I will give the objects made of wood used for beating grain for the fire-wood. And I will give the grain for the grain gift. I will give it all.” ²⁴ But King David said to Ornan, “No, I will buy it for the full price. I will not take what is yours for the Lord. And I will not give a burnt gift for which I do not pay.” ²⁵ So David gave Ornan 600 pieces of gold by weight for the place. ²⁶ Then David built an altar there to the Lord. He gave burnt gifts and peace gifts, and he called to the Lord. The Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt gifts. ²⁷ Then the Lord told the angel to return his sword to its holder.

²⁸ When David saw that the Lord had answered him on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he gave his gifts there. ²⁹ The meeting tent which Moses had made in the desert was in the high place at Gibeon then. The altar of burnt gifts was there also. ³⁰ But David could not go in front of it to pray to God. For he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

David Gets Ready to Build the House of God

22 Then David said, “This is the house of the Lord God. And this is the altar of burnt gifts for Israel.”

² David told his men to gather the strangers who were in the land of Israel. And he had servants cut stones to build the house of God. ³ He gave large amounts of iron to be used for making nails for the doors of the gates, and for making the parts that hold it all together. He gave more brass than could be weighed. ⁴ And he gave too many cedar trees to number. For the Sidonians and Tyrians brought many cut cedar trees to David. ⁵ David said, “My son Solomon is young and does not yet have much learning. And the house that is to be built for the Lord must be very beautiful. It must be very great, and well-known in all lands. So I will get things ready for it to be built.” David made many things ready for it before his death.

⁶ Then he called for his son Solomon, and gave him the work of building a house for the Lord God of Israel. ⁷ David said to Solomon, “My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. ⁸ But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have taken much blood, and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house to My name, because you have poured so much blood upon the earth before Me. ⁹ See, a son will be born to you, who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all those who hate him on every side. His name will be Solomon. And I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰ He will build a house for My name. He will be My son, and I will be his father. I will make his throne in Israel last forever.’ ¹¹ Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and help you to do well. May you build the house of the Lord your God just as He has said you would. ¹² Only, may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding. When He has you rule over Israel, may you keep the Law of the Lord your God. ¹³ Then you will do well, if you are careful to obey the Laws which the Lord gave to Israel by Moses. Be strong and have strength of heart. Do not be afraid or troubled. ¹⁴ With much trouble I have made things ready for the house of the Lord. There is gold weighing as much as 100,000 men. There is silver weighing as much as 1,000,000 men. And there is too much brass and iron to weigh. I have made wood and stone ready, and you may add to them. ¹⁵ You have many servants and workmen who cut and build with stones and wood. There are men who are able to do every kind of work well. ¹⁶ Of the gold and silver and brass and iron, there is more than enough. So get ready and work, and may the Lord be with you.”

¹⁷ David told all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said to them, ¹⁸ “Is not the Lord your God with you? Has He not given you peace on every side? For He has given the people of the land into my hand. The land is put under my rule before the Lord and His people. ¹⁹ Now set your heart and soul to look to the Lord your God. Get ready and build the holy place of the Lord God. Then you may bring the special box with the Law of the Lord. You may bring the holy objects of God. And put them into the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord.”