17
And David said unto G-d: 'Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let Thy hand, I pray Thee, O HaShem my G-d, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against Thy people, that they should be plagued.'
18
Then the angel of HaShem commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and rear an altar unto HaShem in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19
And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of HaShem.
20
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons that were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
21
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed down to David with his face to the ground.
22
Then David said to Ornan: 'Give me the place of this threshing-floor, that I may build thereon an altar unto HaShem; for the full price shalt thou give it me; that the plague may be stayed from the people.'
23
And Ornan said unto David: 'Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes; lo, I give thee the oxen for burnt-offerings, and the threshing-instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal-offering; I give it all'
24
And king David said to Ornan: 'Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price; for I will not take that which is thine for HaShem, nor offer a burnt-offering without cost.'
25
So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
26
And David built there an altar unto HaShem, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon HaShem; and He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.
27
And HaShem commanded the angel; and he put up his sword back into the sheath thereof.
28
At that time, when David saw that HaShem had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
29
For the tabernacle of HaShem, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.
30
But David could not go before it to inquire of G-d; for he was terrified because of the sword of the angel of HaShem.