大卫调查人口
（代上21．1－27）
耶和华的怒气又向以色列发作，激起大卫来对付他们，说：“去，数点以色列人和犹大人。”
And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2大卫对跟随他的约押元帅说：“你来回走遍以色列众支派，从但直到别是巴，数点百姓，我好知道百姓的数目。”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.
3约押对王说：“愿耶和华－你的神使百姓的数目增加百倍，使我主我王亲眼得见。我主我王何必要做这事呢？”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?
4但王坚持他对约押和众军官的命令。约押和众军官就从王面前出去，数点以色列的百姓。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.
5他们过约旦河，在迦得谷中、城的右边亚罗珥安营，与雅谢相对。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:
6他们来到基列，到了他停．合示地☛“他停．合示地”：七十士译本的一些抄本是“赫人的加低斯”。，又来到但．雅安，绕到西顿。Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,
7他们来到推罗的堡垒，以及希未人和迦南人的各城，又出来，到犹大尼革夫☛“尼革夫”是音译，意思是“旷野干旱的地方”，指“南方之地”。的别是巴。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.
8他们来回走遍全地，过了九个月又二十天，就回到耶路撒冷。So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9约押向王报告百姓的总数：以色列拿刀的勇士有八十万；犹大有五十万人。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.
10大卫数点百姓以后，心中自责。大卫向耶和华说：“我做这事大大有罪了。耶和华啊，现在求你除掉仆人的罪孽，因我所做的非常愚昧。”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.
11大卫早晨起来，耶和华的话临到迦得先知，就是大卫的先见，说：For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
12“你去告诉大卫：‘耶和华如此说：我向你提出三样，随你选择一样，我好降给你。’”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.
13于是迦得来到大卫那里告诉他，问他：“你要国中有七☛“七”：七十士译本是“三”；参代上21．12。年的饥荒呢？或是你在敌人面前逃跑，被追赶三个月呢？或是在你国中有三日的瘟疫呢？现在你要考虑思量，我怎样去回覆那差我来的。”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.
14大卫对迦得说：“我很为难。我们宁愿落在耶和华的手里，因为他有丰盛的怜悯；我不愿落在人的手里。”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.
15于是，耶和华降瘟疫给以色列。自早晨到所定的时候，从但直到别是巴，百姓中死了七万人。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.
16天使向耶路撒冷伸手要毁灭这城的时候，耶和华改变心意，不降那灾难，就对那在百姓中施行毁灭的天使说：“够了！住手吧！”耶和华的使者正在耶布斯人亚劳拿的禾场那里。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.
17大卫看见那在百姓中施行毁灭的天使，就向耶和华说：“看哪，我犯了罪，行了恶，但这群羊做了什么呢？愿你的手攻击我和我的父家。”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.
18当日，迦得来到大卫那里，对他说：“你上去，在耶布斯人亚劳拿的禾场上为耶和华立一座坛。”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.
19大卫就照着迦得的话，照着耶和华所吩咐的上去了。And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
20亚劳拿观看，看见王和臣仆向他走过来。亚劳拿就出去，脸伏于地，向王下拜。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.
21亚劳拿说：“我主我王为何来到仆人这里呢？”大卫说：“我要买你这禾场，为耶和华筑一座坛，使瘟疫在百姓中停止。”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.
22亚劳拿对大卫说：“我主我王，你眼中看为好，就拿去献祭。看，这里有牛可以作燔祭，有打粮的器具和套牛的轭可以当作柴。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.
23王啊，这一切，亚劳拿都献给王。”亚劳拿又对王说：“愿耶和华－你的神悦纳你。”All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
24王对亚劳拿说：“不，我一定要按价钱向你买；我不能用白白得来的东西作燔祭献给耶和华－我的神。”大卫就用五十舍客勒银子买了那禾场与牛。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.
25大卫在那里为耶和华筑了一座坛，献燔祭和平安祭。耶和华垂听了为那地的祈求，瘟疫就在以色列中停止了。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.