4
Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
5
And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And they found in all Israel eleven times one hundred thousand men that drew sword, and of Judah four hundred seventy thousand men that drew sword.
6
Among these the Levites and the sons of Benjamin were not counted, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
7
And God was also displeased with this word; therefore, he smote Israel.
8
And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing; but now, I beseech thee, take away the iniquity of thy slave, for I have done very foolishly.
9
And the LORD spoke unto Gad, David’s seer, saying,
10
Go and tell David, saying, Thus hath the LORD said, I offer thee three
things: choose one of them that I will do unto thee.
11
So Gad came to David and said unto him, Thus hath the LORD said, Choose thee,
12
either three years’ famine or three months to be destroyed before thy foes while the sword of thine enemies overtakes
thee or else three days
of the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
13
Then David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait; let me fall now into the hand of the LORD, for very great
are his mercies, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.
14
So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel; and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.