They crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, on the south side of the city, at the wadi of Gad, near Jazer.

When David got up the next morning, the Lord had already spoken to Gad the prophet, David's seer:

Gad went to David and told him, "Shall seven years of famine come upon your land? Or shall you flee for three months from your enemy with him in hot pursuit? Or shall there be three days of plague in your land? Now decide what I should tell the one who sent me."

David said to Gad, "I am very upset! I prefer that we be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by men!"

So Gad went to David that day and told him, "Go up and build an altar for the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

So David went up as Gad instructed him to do, according to the Lord's instructions.