1 Chronicles 21:3-13

3 Joab said, "¹May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"

4 Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

5 Joab gave the number of the census of all the people to David. And ²all Israel were 1,100,000 * * * men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 * * * men who drew the sword.

6 ³But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.

7 God was displeased * with this thing, so He struck Israel.

8 David said to God, "I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. ⁴But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly."

9 The LORD spoke to ⁵Gad, David's ⁶seer, saying,

10 "Go and speak to David, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "I offer you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.""'

11 So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Take for yourself

12 ⁷either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before * your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me."

13 David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, ⁸for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."