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And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men who drew the sword.
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But Levi and Benjamin he counted not among them, for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
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And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel.
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And David said unto God, "I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. But now, I beseech Thee, do away with the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly."
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And the LORD spoke unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
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"Go and tell David, saying, `Thus saith the LORD: I offer thee three things. Choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.'"
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So Gad came to David, and said unto him, "Thus saith the LORD: `Choose thee
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either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence in the land and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.' Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring back to Him that sent me."
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And David said unto Gad, "I am in dire straits. Let me fall now into the hand of the LORD, for very great are His mercies; but let me not fall into the hand of man."
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So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel, and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
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And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and He repented of the evil, and said to the angel who destroyed, "It is enough. Stay now thine hand." And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.