17. And David said to 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 on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be afflicted.
18. Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and erect an altar to the LORD in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19. And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke 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 threshing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22. Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshing-floor, that I may build an altar in it to the LORD: thou shalt grant it to me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.