2
The king said to Yo'av the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now back and forth through all the tribes of Yisra'el, from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva, and number you the people, that I may know the sum of the people.
3
Yo'av said to the king, Now the LORD your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?
4
Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Yo'av, and against the captains of the host. Yo'av and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Yisra'el.
5
They passed over the Yarden, and encamped in `Aro`er, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Ya`zer:
6
then they came to Gil`ad, and to the land of Tachtim-Hodshi; and they came to Dan-Ya`an, and round about to Tzidon,
7
and came to the stronghold of Tzor, and to all the cities of the Hivvi, and of the Kana`anim; and they went out to the south of Yehudah, at Be'er-Sheva.
8
So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Yerushalayim at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9
Yo'av gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: and there were in Yisra'el eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Yehudah were five hundred thousand men.
10
David's heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, the LORD, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.
11
When David rose up in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
12
Go and speak to David, Thus says the LORD, I offer you three things: choose you one of them, that I may do it to you.