2. David therefore said to Joab and to the other generals of the army, “Go, number the Israelites from Beer-sheba to Dan, and report back to me that I may know their number.”
3. But Joab replied: “May the Lord increase his people a hundredfold! My lord king, are not all of them my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord seek to do this thing? Why should he bring guilt upon Israel?”
4. However, the king’s command prevailed over Joab, who departed and traversed all of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem.
5. Joab reported the census figures to David: of men capable of wielding a sword, there were in all Israel one million one hundred thousand, and in Judah four hundred and seventy thousand.
6. Levi and Benjamin, however, he did not include in the census, for the king’s command was repugnant to Joab.
7. This command was evil in the sight of God, and he struck Israel.
8. Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in doing this thing. Take away your servant’s guilt, for I have acted very foolishly.”
9. Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, in these words:
10. Go, tell David: Thus says the Lord: I am laying out three options; choose one of them, and I will inflict it on you.