The one who touches them must use an iron instrument or the wooden shaft of a spear. They are completely burned up right where they lie!”

The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men picked them up.

The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.”

The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God.

Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth; he hurled down fiery coals.

They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord.

Araunah told David, “My lord the king may take whatever he wishes and offer it. Look! Here are oxen for burnt offerings, and threshing sledges and harnesses for wood.

Then David built an altar for the Lord there and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. And the Lord accepted prayers for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel.

Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”

But the king said to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you! I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty pieces of silver.