16 But when the divine messenger stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord regretted doing this disaster and said to the messenger who was destroying the people, "That’s enough! Withdraw your hand." At that time the Lord’s messenger was by the threshing floor of Araunah from Jebus.
17 When David saw the messenger who was striking down the people, he said, "I’m the one who sinned! I’m the one who has done wrong. But these sheep—what have they done wrong? Turn your hand against me and my household."
18 That same day Gad came to David and told him, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah from Jebus."
19 So David went up, following Gad’s instructions, just as the Lord had commanded.
20 Araunah looked up and saw the king and his servants approaching him. Araunah rushed out and bowed low before the king, his nose to the ground.
21 Araunah said, "Why has my master and king come to his servant?"David said, "To buy this threshing floor from you to build an altar to the Lord, so the plague among the people may come to an end."
22 Then Araunah said to David, "Take it for yourself, and may my master the king do what he thinks is best. Here are oxen for the entirely burned offering, and here are threshing boards and oxen yokes for wood.