The Second Book of Samuel
24 Jehovah really vex for Israel people again when somebody make David do something against them. The person talk say: “Go count how many people dey Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king tell Jo′ab wey de control the army, and wey be dey there with-am say: “Abeg, go all the tribe of Israel, from Dan go reach Be′er-she′ba, and register the people, so that I go know how them plenty reach.” 3 But Jo′ab tell the king say: “Make Jehovah your God make the people plenty times 100, and make the eyes of my lord the king see-am, but why my lord the king want do that kind thing?”
4 But the king no gree listen to Jo′ab and the people wey de control the army. So Jo′ab and the people wey de control the army comot from the king front to go register Israel people. 5 Them cross River Jordan and set their camp for A·ro′er, for the right side* of the city wey dey the center of the lowland.* Then, them continue their waka from there, go reach Gad people area, and from there, them reach Ja′zer. 6 After that one, them go Gil′e·ad and the land of Tah′tim-hod′shi and from there, them still go Dan-ja′an and waka round go Si′don. 7 Then, them go the city of Tyre wey get strong protection, and them still go all the cities of Hi′vite people and Ca′naan people, and the last place wey them go na Be′er-she′ba wey dey for the Neg′eb of Judah. 8 Na so them waka round the whole land and come back to Jerusalem. Na nine months and 20 days them use do the work. 9 Then Jo′ab tell the king the number of people wey them register. For Israel, the number of soldiers wey fit use sword fight wey them register na 800,000, and for Judah, the number of people na 500,000.
10 But David conscience* come de judge-am after e don count the people. Then e tell Jehovah say: “I don sin well-well, as I do this thing. So now, abeg Jehovah, forgive your servant for the mistake wey e do, because na foolish thing I do so.” 11 When David wake up for morning, Jehovah tell Gad wey be prophet and wey de see visions for David, say: 12 “Go tell David say, ‘This na wetin Jehovah talk: “Out of this three things wey I want tell you, choose the one wey I go do you.”’” 13 So Gad come meet David, and tell-am say: “Make serious hunger dey your land for seven years? Or make you continue to run for three months as your enemies de pursue you? Or make serious sickness wey de spread dey your land for three days? Now make you think the matter well and tell me wetin I go answer the Person wey send me.” 14 So David tell Gad say: “The thing de really worry me. Abeg, make we fall for Jehovah hand, because e de pity person no be small, but no allow me fall for man hand.”
15 Then Jehovah bring one serious sickness wey de spread for Israel, from morning till the time wey e fix. This one come make 70,000 people die from Dan go reach Be′er-she′ba. 16 When the angel stretch im hand face Jerusalem to destroy-am, Jehovah come regret* because of the serious sickness wey e bring, and e tell the angel wey de destroy the people say: “E don do! Now bring your hand down.” That time, Jehovah angel dey near the place wey A·rau′nah wey be Jeʹbus person de separate grain from plants.
17 When David see the angel wey de kill the people, e tell Jehovah say: “Na me sin, and na me be the person wey do bad, but this sheep, wetin them do? Abeg, make your hand dey against me and my papa family.”*
18 So that day, Gad come meet David and tell-am say: “Go up, go build altar for Jehovah for the place wey A·rau′nah the Jeʹbus person de separate grain from plants.” 19 So David do wetin Gad talk and go up, because na so Jehovah command-am. 20 When A·rau′nah look down and see the king and im servants wey de come meet-am, quick-quick, e comot go outside, go bow down face ground for front of the king. 21 A·rau′nah ask-am say: “Why my lord the king come meet im servant?” David answer-am say: “I come buy from you the place wey you de separate grain from plants. I want build altar there for Jehovah, so that this punishment wey the people de face go stop.” 22 But A·rau′nah tell David say: “Make my lord the king take-am, and do any sacrifice wey good for im eyes. You fit use this bulls do offering wey them de burn, and planks wey we take de separate grain from plants, plus the wood wey we de put ontop the bulls dey here, you fit use them as firewood. 23 Me, A·rau′nah de give you all this things, O king.” Then A·rau′nah tell the king say: “Make Jehovah your God do wetin you de beg-am for.”
24 But, the king tell A·rau′nah say: “No, I must buy-am with money. I no go use something wey I no pay anything for to do sacrifice wey them de burn to Jehovah my God.” So David buy that place wey them de separate grain from plants and the bulls for 50 silver shekels.* 25 And David build altar for there for Jehovah, and do sacrifice them wey them de burn and peace sacrifice them. Jehovah come answer the prayer wey David pray for the land, and e make the punishment wey e bring against Israel stop.