3. And Yo’aḇ answered, “יהוה does add to His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my master the sovereign, are they not all my master’s servants? Why does my master seek to do this? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Yisra’ĕl?”
4. But the sovereign’s word prevailed against Yo’aḇ. And Yo’aḇ left and went throughout all Yisra’ĕl and came to Yerushalayim.
5. And Yo’aḇ gave the sum of the number of the people to Dawiḏ. And all Yisra’ĕl had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Yehuḏah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
6. But he did not number Lĕwi and Binyamin among them, for the sovereign’s word was loathsome to Yo’aḇ.
7. And it was evil in the eyes of Elohim, concerning this matter, and He smote Yisra’ĕl.
8. Then Dawiḏ said to Elohim, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this matter. But now, I pray, take away the crookedness of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
9. And יהוה spoke to Gaḏ, Dawiḏ’s seer, saying,
10. “Go, and you shall speak to Dawiḏ, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “I hold three options before you – choose one of them for yourself, and I do it to you.” ’ ”
11. So Gaḏ came to Dawiḏ and said to him, “Thus said יהוה, ‘Choose for yourself
12. either three years of scarcity of food, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of יהוה, even the plague in the land, with the messenger of יהוה destroying throughout all the borders of Yisra’ĕl.’ And now consider what answer I am to return to Him who sent me.”
13. And Dawiḏ said to Gaḏ, “I am in great trouble. Please let me fall into the hand of יהוה, for His compassion is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
14. And יהוה sent a plague upon Yisra’ĕl, and seventy thousand men of Yisra’ĕl fell.