1 A ira do Senhor tornou a acender-se contra Israel; David foi levado a tomar uma decisão que trouxe grave prejuízo para o povo: a de levantar um recenseamento a nível nacional.2 O rei disse a Joabe, comandante do seu exército: Faz o recenseamento geral de toda a população, duma ponta à outra da nação, para que se saiba quantos são ao todo.3 Joabe replicou-lhe: Deus permita que vivas o bastante para veres este povo multiplicado, neste reino, cem vezes mais do que são agora! Mas que interesse tens tu nesse recenseamento?4 Contudo a vontade do rei prevaleceu contra a argumentação de Joabe, e este, acompanhado de outros oficiais do exército, começou a tarefa da contagem do povo de Israel. Primeiramente atravessaram o Jordão e instalaram-se em Aroer, ao sul da cidade que fica no meio do vale de Gad, junto de Jazer; depois foram para Gileade, na terra de Tatim-Hodchi, e para Dan-Jaã e para os arredores de Sidom; seguidamente deslocaram-se para a fortaleza de Tiro e para todas as cidades dos heveus e dos cananeus; para sul de Judá, até Berseba.8 Passaram assim pela terra toda, tendo completado a sua missão em nove meses e vinte dias. Joabe trouxe o número total do povo à presença do rei: eram 800.000 homens, com idade de serem recrutados para o exército, em Israel, e 500.000, nas mesmas condições, em Judá.10 Mas após ter mandado fazer o recenseamento, a consciência de David começou a acusá-lo, e disse ao Senhor: O que eu fiz foi muito mal. Peço-te que me perdoes esta minha louca transgressão.11 Na manhã seguinte veio a palavra do Senhor ao profeta Gad, que era através de quem David contactava com Deus. Disse o Senhor a Gad:12 Diz a David que lhe dou a possibilidade de escolher entre três alternativas.13 Gad veio ter com David e perguntou-lhe: Queres escolher sete anos de fome em toda a terra, ou durante três meses fugires diante dos teus inimigos, ou que haja três dias de praga na terra? Pensa nisto e dá-me depois a resposta, para que a transmita a Deus.14 É uma decisão muito difícil de tomar, respondeu David, mas é melhor cair nas mãos do Senhor, porque grande é a sua misericórdia, do que nas mãos dos homens.15 Então o Senhor enviou uma praga sobre Israel naquela manhã, e que durou três dias; setenta mil homens morreram em toda a nação. Quando o anjo do Senhor se preparava para estender a sua mão sobre Jerusalém, a fim de a destruir, o Senhor decidiu suspender o que estava a acontecer e disse-lhe que parasse. Estava ele sobre a eira de Arauna, o jebuseu, nesse momento.17 Quando David viu o anjo, disse ao Senhor: Senhor, vê bem, sou eu o único culpado por ter pecado! Estas ovelhas nada fizeram! Que o teu anjo se volte apenas para mim e para a minha família.18 Nesse dia Gad veio ter com David e disse-lhe: Constrói um altar ao Senhor na eira de Arauna, o jebuseu.19 David logo obedeceu. Quando Arauna viu o rei mais a sua gente virem na sua direcção, adiantou-se e inclinou-se na sua presença, com o rosto em terra.21 Porque vieste aqui?, perguntou Arauna David respondeu: Para te comprar a eira, e poder construir aí um altar ao Senhor, a fim de que pare esta praga.22 Arauna disse-lhe: Usa tudo o que aí está como bem entenderes! Estão aqui bois para o holocausto, podes empregar o carro e os jugos dos bois como madeira para fazer o fogo do altar. Tudo te dou. Assim o Senhor Deus aceite o teu sacrifício.

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.2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.3 And Joab said to the king, Now the LORD thy God add to the people, how many soever they may be, a hundred-fold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?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.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 towards Jazer:6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to 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 Beer-sheba.8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.9 And Joab presented the sum of the number of the people to 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 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.11 For when David had risen in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,12 Go and say to David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it to thee.13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come upon thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now consider, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.14 And David said to 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 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 Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thy hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing-place of Araunah the Jebusite.17 And David spoke to 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 thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.18 And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to the LORD in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming towards him: And Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.21 And Araunah said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.22 And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good to him: behold, here are oxen for burnt-sacrifice, and threshing-instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give to the king. And Araunah said to the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.24 And the king said to Araunah, No; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt-offerings to the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.25 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.