11Then Satanstood up againstIsrael and movedDavid to numberIsrael.
2
So Davidsaid to Joab and to the princes of the people, "2Go, numberIsrael from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number."
3
Joabsaid, "3May the LORDadd to His people a hundredtimes as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord'sservants? Why does my lordseekthisthing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"
4
Nevertheless, the king'swordprevailedagainstJoab. Therefore, Joabdeparted and went throughout allIsrael, and came to Jerusalem.
5
Joabgave the number of the census of all the people to David. And 4allIsrael were 1,100,000***men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000***men who drew the sword.
6
5But he did not numberLevi and Benjaminamong them, for the king'scommand was abhorrent to Joab.
7
God was displeased* with thisthing, so He struckIsrael.
8
Davidsaid to God, "I have sinnedgreatly, in that I have donethisthing. 6But now, pleasetakeaway the iniquity of Your servant, for I have doneveryfoolishly."
10
"Go and speak to David, saying, 'Thussays the LORD, "I offer you threethings; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.""'
11
So Gadcame to David and said to him, "Thussays the LORD, 'Take for yourself
12
9eitherthreeyears of famine, or threemonths to be sweptawaybefore* your foes, while the sword of your enemiesovertakes you, or else threedays of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORDdestroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, considerwhatanswer I shall return to Him who sent me."
13
Davidsaid to Gad, "I am in greatdistress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, 10for His mercies are verygreat. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."
14
11So the LORDsent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000*men of Israelfell.
15
And Godsent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORDsaw and 12was sorryover the calamity, and said to the destroyingangel, "It is enough; nowrelax your hand." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16
Then Davidlifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORDstandingbetweenearth and heaven, with his drawnsword in his handstretched out overJerusalem. Then David and the elders, 13covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces.
17
Davidsaid to God, "Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and doneverywickedly, 14but thesesheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father'shousehold, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."
Excepting the three last verses, is contained in 2Sa 24:1-25 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there. 18894-950102-2025-1Ch21.2