2 Samuel

Focuses on King David's reign, his troubles, successes, and the promise of his dynasty.

Chapter 24

1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

*Once more, God became angry with Israel and urged David to tell them to count both Israel and Judah.

2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

*The king told Joab, his army leader, "Go count all the people in Israel from Dan to Beersheba. I want to know how many there are."

3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

*Joab told the king, "Now the Lord your God will increase the people's numbers a hundred times over so you can see it. But why do you enjoy this so much?"

4 Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

*Even though the king's decision was against Joab and the army leaders, they still left his presence to count the people of Israel.

5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:

*They crossed the Jordan River and set up camp in Aroer, on the right side of a city near the middle of the Gad River, and close to Jazer.

6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,

*Then they went to Gilead and the land of Tahtimhodshi. They also visited Danjaan and reached Zidon.

7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.

*They reached Tyre's fortress and all the Hivite and Canaanite cities. They traveled southward to Judah, reaching Beersheba.

8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

*After traveling everywhere, they reached Jerusalem after nine months and twenty days.

9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

*Joab told the king the total count of the brave fighters in Israel: 800,000 from Israel and 500,000 from Judah who could all use their swords well.

10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

*David felt really bad after counting all the people. He told God he had done something very wrong and asked Him to forgive his mistake because it was a very dumb thing to do.

11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,

*When David woke up, the Lord spoke to Gad, who was David's advisor, saying,

12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

*Tell David, God says, "I give you three choices. Pick one, so I can do it for you."

13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

*So Gad spoke to David and asked if he wanted a seven-year famine, three months of running from enemies, or three days of sickness in the land. Gad wanted David to decide and told him to think about which punishment to choose because he needed to report back to the one who sent him.

14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

*David told Gad, "I'm in big trouble. Let's just be caught by God because He is very kind. I don't want to be caught by a person."

15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.

*So, God caused sickness on Israel between sunrise and a specific time, and 70,000 people from Dan to Beersheba died.

16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

*When the angel tried to destroy Jerusalem, God changed His mind and told the destroying angel to stop. The angel of God was then at a place where grain was being sorted by Araunah from Jerusalem.

17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.

*David talked to God when he saw the angel hurting people and said, "I've made a mistake and done bad things, but what did the sheep do? Please, God, punish me and my family."

18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

*On that day, Gad arrived and told David, "Go and build an altar for God on Araunah the Jebusite's grain-processing area."

19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.

*And David, following Gad's advice, went where the LORD told him to go.

20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

*Araunah noticed the king and his helpers approaching him. He then left his place, bent down, and showed great respect by putting his face on the ground in front of the king.

21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

*Araunah asked, "Why has my lord the king visited his servant?" David replied, "I came to purchase your threshing floor so I can build an altar for the LORD. This will stop the plague from affecting the people."

22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

*Araunah told David, "Please, your majesty, feel free to choose whatever you'd like for the sacrifice: here are some oxen for burning, as well as tools for cutting wood from trees and other oxen tools."

23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

*Araunah, as a king, gave all these things to the other king. He told the king, "May your God accept you."

24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

*The king told Araunah, "No, I want to buy it from you for a price." I won't offer sacrifices to God using something that costs me nothing. So, David paid Araunah 50 silver coins for the threshing floor and the oxen.

25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

*David constructed an altar for God at that location and sacrificed burnt and peace offerings. This caused God to respond favorably to the land, stopping the plague from harming Israel.

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