4. But when David refused to change his mind, Joab and the army officers went out and started counting the people.
5. They crossed the River Jordan and began with Aroer and the town in the middle of the river valley. From there they went towards Gad and on as far as Jazer.
6. They went to Gilead and to Kadesh in Syria. Then they went to Dan, Ijon, and on towards Sidon.
7. They came to the fortress of Tyre, then went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah.
8. After they had gone through the whole land, they went back to Jerusalem. It had taken them nine months and twenty days.
9. Joab came and told David, “In Israel there are eight hundred thousand who can serve in the army, and in Judah there are five hundred thousand.”
10. After David had everyone counted, he felt guilty and told the Lord, “What I did was stupid and terribly wrong. Lord, please forgive me.”
11. Before David even got up the next morning, the Lord had told David's prophet Gad
12-13. to take a message to David. Gad went to David and told him:You must choose one of three ways for the Lord to punish you: will there be seven years when the land won't grow enough food for your people? Or will your enemies chase you and make you run from them for three months? Or will there be three days of horrible disease in your land? Think about it and decide, because I have to give your answer to God, who sent me.