his wrath upon him, and
upon all his family, but spare the people.

4. When God heard his supplication, he caused the pestilence to cease,
and sent Gad the prophet to him, and commanded him to go up immediately
to the thrashing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, and build an altar there
to God, and offer sacrifices. When David heard that, he did not neglect
his duty, but made haste to the place appointed him. Now Araunah was
thrashing wheat; and when he saw the king and all his servants coming
to him, he ran before, and came to him and worshipped him: he was by
his lineage a Jebusite, but a particular friend of David's; and for that
cause it was that, when he overthrew the city, he did him no harm, as we
informed the reader a little before. Now Araunah inquired, "Wherefore
is my lord come to his servant?" He answered, to buy of him the
thrashing-floor, that he might therein build an altar to God, and
offer a sacrifice. He replied, that he freely gave him both the
thrashing-floor and the ploughs and the oxen for a burnt-offering; and
he besought God graciously to accept his sacrifice. But the king made
answer, that he took his generosity and magnanimity loudly, and accepted
his good-will, but he desired him to take the price of them all, for
that it was not just to offer a sacrifice that cost nothing. And when
Araunah said he would do as he pleased, he bought the thrashing-floor
of him for fifty shekels. And when he had built an altar, he
performed Divine service, and brought a burnt-offering, and offered
peace-offerings also. With these God was pacified, and became gracious
to them again. Now it happened that Abraham [24]came and offered his son
Isaac for a burnt-offering at that very place; and when the youth was
ready to have his throat cut, a ram appeared on a sudden, standing by
the altar, which Abraham sacrificed in the stead of his son, as we have
before related. Now when king David saw that God had heard his prayer,
and had graciously accepted of his sacrifice, he resolved to call that
entire place The Altar of all the People, and to build a temple to God
there; which words he uttered very appositely to what was to be done
afterward; for God sent the prophet to him, and told him that there
should his son build him an altar, that son who was to take the kingdom
after him.

CHAPTER 14. That David Made Great Preparations For The House Of God; And
That, Upon Adonijah's Attempt To Gain The Kingdom, He Appointed So