4
Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Yo'av. Therefore Yo'av departed, and went throughout all Yisra'el, and came to Yerushalayim.
5
Yo'av gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to David. All those of Yisra'el were one million one hundred thousand men who drew sword: and in Yehudah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew sword.
6
But he didn't count Levi and Binyamin among them; for the king's word was abominable to Yo'av.
7
God was displeased with this thing; therefore he struck Yisra'el.
8
David said to God, I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing: but now, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.
9
The LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying,
10
Go and speak to David, saying, Thus says the LORD, I offer you three things: choose you one of them, that I may do it to you.
11
So Gad came to David, and said to him, Thus says the LORD, Take which you will:
12
either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Yisra'el. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.
13
David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall, I pray, into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
14
So the LORD sent a pestilence on Yisra'el; and there fell of Yisra'el seventy thousand men.