thine enemies, to take thee; or three days the sword of the LORD, and pestilence in the land, to destroy the angel of the LORD throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore see what answer I shall give unto him that sent me.

And David said unto Gad: I am almost afraid; but I will fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; and I will not fall into the hands of men.

Then the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel, and seventy thousand men fell out of Israel.

And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy them. And when the LORD saw the destruction, he repented him of the evil, and said unto the angel that destroyed, It is enough; stay thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Arnan the Jebusite.

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, and a naked sword stretched out in his hand over Jerusalem. And David and the ancients, covered with sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

And David said unto God, Am not I he that numbered the people? I am he that hath sinned, and done evil: but these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, let thy hand be against me, and against my father’s house, and not against thy people to afflict them.

And the angel spake unto Gad, that he should tell David to go up, and to set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Arnan the Jebusite.

So David went up according to the word of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.

And Arnan, when he turned, and saw the angel, and his four sons with him, hid themselves: for Arnan threshed wheat.

And it came to pass, when David went to Arnan, that Arnan saw and knew David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and worshipped David with his face to the ground.

And David said unto Arnan, Give me a place in the threshingfloor, that I may build an altar unto the LORD upon it: for full money shalt thou give it me, that the plague of the people may cease.

And Arnan said unto David, Take thee, and do, my lord the king, as it pleaseth thee: behold, I give the ox for a burnt offering, and the crockery for wood, and the wheat for a meat offering: all these I give.

And king David said unto Arnan, Not so, but for a full price will I buy it: for I will not take that which is thine before the LORD, neither will I have it for a free burnt offering.

So David gave Arnan for the room of gold by weight six hundred shekels.

And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And when he called upon the LORD, he heard him by fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.

And the LORD spake unto the angel, that he should put up his sword into his sheath.

At that time, when David saw that the LORD had heard him in the place of Arnan the Jebusite, he used to sacrifice there.

For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering, were at that time in Gibeon on high.

But David could not go before them to seek God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
Ch. 23, v. 1: And David said, Here shall be the house of the LORD God, and this the altar of the burnt offering of Israel.
(1 Chronicles)
Chapter 23 (otherwise 22nd)
Necessary preparation for the building of the temple.

And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel, and to appoint masons to hew stones to build the house of God.

And David prepared much iron for nails for the doors of the gates, and that which was to be nailed, and so much brass as was not to be weighed;

Also cedar wood without number: for they of Zidon and Tyre brought much cedar wood unto David.

For David said, Solomon my son is a boy, and tender: but the house that shall be built for the LORD shall be great, and his name and his fame shall be exalted throughout all the earth: therefore will I provide for him. So David made much provision before his death.

And he called Solomon his son, and commanded him to build the house of the LORD God of Israel.

And said unto him, My son, I had it in mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God.

But the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Thou hast shed much blood, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not therefore build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed so much blood upon the earth before me.

Behold, the son that shall be born unto thee shall be a quiet man: for I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon: for I will give peace and quietness unto Israel all the days of his life.

He shall build an house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father. And I will confirm his royal throne over Israel for ever.

Now therefore, my son, the LORD be with thee, and thou shalt be blessed to build an house unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken of thee.

The LORD also shall give thee wisdom and understanding, and shall command thee Israel, that thou keep the law of the LORD thy God.

But then shalt thou be blessed, if thou keep thyself to do the commandments and the statutes which the LORD Moses commanded Israel. Be of good courage, and be not afraid: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Behold, I have brought in my poverty unto the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and brass and iron without number; for they are too much for him. I have also sent wood and stones: thou mayest make more.

So hast thou many workmen, stonemasons, and carpenters, of stone and wood, and all manner of workmen, of all manner of work,

Of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, without number. Arise thou, therefore, and set it right: the LORD will be with thee.

And David commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son.

Is not the LORD your God with you, and hath given you rest round about? For he hath delivered the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and the land is lodged before the LORD, and before his people.

Set your hearts therefore, and your souls, to seek the LORD your God. And arise, and build unto the LORD God a sanctuary, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of the LORD, into the house that is to be built unto the name of the LORD.
Ch. 24. v. 1. So David made Solomon his son king over Israel, when he was old and full of life.
(1 Chronicles)
Chapter 24 (otherwise 23rd)
The Levites number, order and office.

And David gathered together all the princes of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, 3. And they numbered the Levites from thirty years old and upward: and their number was from head to head of strong men thirty and eight thousand.

Of whom were appointed twenty and four thousand to do the work of the house of the LORD, and six thousand officers and judges.

And four thousand keepers of the gate, and four thousand singers of the praises of the LORD
with stringed instruments, which I have made to sing praises.

And David made order among the children of Levi, namely, among Gershon, and Kohath, and Meran.

the Gersonites were: Laedan and Simei.

The children of Laedan: the first Jehiel, Setham, and Joel, the three.

And the sons of Shimei were: Solomith, and Haziel, and Haran, the three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laedan.

These also were the sons of Shimei; Jahath, and Sheina, and Jeus, and Briah. These four were also Simei’s children.

And Jahath was the first, and Sheina the second. But Jeus and Briah had not many children; therefore they were counted for a father’s house.

And the sons of Kohath were: Amram, Jezehar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the four.

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to be sanctified in the most holy place, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister, and to bless in the name of the LORD for ever.

And Moses the man of God’s children were called of the tribe of the Levites.

And the sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Gershom: the first was Zebuel.

The sons of Eliezer: the first was Rehabiah. And Eliezer had no other children. But the children of Rehabiah were many.

The children of Jezehar were: Solomith the first.

The sons of Hebron were: Jena the first, Amariah the second, Jehaziel the third, and Jakmeam the fourth.

The children of Uzziel were: Micah the first and Isaiah the other.

the children of Merari were: Maheli and Musi. The children of Maheli were: Eleazar and Kis.

And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and the sons of Kish, their brethren, took them.

The children of Musi were: Maheli, Eder, and Jeremoth the three.

These are the sons of Levi, of the house of their fathers, and the chief of the fathers, numbered by name among the chief, which did the work of the service