1. Satan was against Israel. He encouraged David to count the people of Israel.
2. So David gave an order to Joab and the commanders of the troops. He said, “Go and count all the Israelites. Count everyone from Beersheba to Dan. Then tell me so I will know how many people there are.”
3. But Joab answered, “May the Lord make the nation 100 times as large. My master the king, all the Israelites are your servants. Why do you want to do this, my master? You will make Israel guilty of sin.”
4. But King David made Joab follow his order. So Joab left and went through all Israel, counting the people. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
5. He told David how many people there were. In Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could use a sword. And there were 470,000 men in Judah who could use a sword.
6. But Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin. He didn’t count them because he didn’t like King David’s order.
7. David had done something God had said was wrong. So God punished Israel.
8. Then David said to God, “I have done something very foolish. It was a terrible sin. Now, I beg you to forgive me, your servant.”
9. Gad was David’s seer. The Lord said to Gad,
10. “Go and tell David: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to give you three choices. Choose one, and I will punish you in that way.’”
11. So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Choose which punishment you want.
12. You may choose three years without enough food for the nation. Or choose three months of running from your enemies as they chase you with their swords. Or choose three days of punishment from the Lord. A terrible disease will spread through the country. The angel of the Lord will go through Israel destroying the people.’ Now, David, decide which answer I will give to the Lord, who sent me.”
13. David said to Gad, “I am in trouble. I don’t want some man to punish me. The Lord is very merciful. So let the Lord punish me.”