17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father’s house, but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
18 Then the angel of the Lord told Gad to tell David that David should go up and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19 And David went up according to the word of Gad, which he had spoken unto him in the name of the Lord.
20 And Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons 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 threshingfloor and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord; thou shalt grant it to me for the full price, 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; I even give thee the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing instruments for wood and the wheat for the present; I give it all.