1 Chronicles 21:1-17 - The Census Of David
1 Then the accuser stood up, against Israel, - and moved David, to number Israel. 2 And David said unto Joab and unto the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel, from Beer-sheba even unto Dan, - and bring the report unto me, that I may know the number of them.
3 Then said Joab, May Yahweh add unto his people, as many as they are, a hundred times, but are they not, my lord O king, all of them my lord's, as servants? wherefore should my lord seek this? wherefore should it become guilt to Israel?
4 But, the word of the king, prevailed against Joab, - and Joab departed, and went to and fro throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5 And Joab delivered the sum of the number of the people, unto David, - and all Israel was found to be a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men, who drew sword, and Judah, four hundred and seventy thousand men, who drew sword. 6 But, Levi and Benjamin, counted he not among them, - for detestable was the word of the king unto Joab. 7 And it was displeasing in the eyes of God, concerning this thing, - therefore smote he Israel.
8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing, - but, now, I beseech thee, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have shown myself very foolish. 9 Then spake Yahweh unto Gad, the seer of David saying: 10 Go - and thou shalt speak unto David, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh, Three things, do I offer thee, - choose thee one from among them, that I may do it unto thee.
11 So Gad came unto David, - and said to him, Thus, saith Yahweh, 12 Choose thee: - Whether, for three years, there be famine, Or, for three months, that thou flee before thine adversaries, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee, Or, for three days, the sword of Yahweh, and pestilence be in the land, with, the messenger of Yahweh, laying waste throughout all the boundary of Israel, - Now, therefore, see, what, answer, I shall return unto him that sent me.
13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait, - Oh let me fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Yahweh, for abounding are his compassions, exceedingly, but, into the hand of man, let me not fall.
14 So Yahweh laid pestilence, upon Israel, - and there fell, of Israel, seventy thousand men. 15 And God sent a messenger to Jerusalem, to lay it waste, but, as he was laying it waste, Yahweh looked, and relented concerning the calamity, and said unto the messenger who was laying waste, Enough! now, stay thy hand. And, the messenger of Yahweh, was standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16 And, when David lifted up his eyes, and saw the messenger of Yahweh, standing, between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn, in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem, then fell David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, upon their faces. 17 And David said unto God, Was it not, I, who gave word to number the people? Yea, I, it was who sinned and did the great wrong, what then had, these sheep, done? O Yahweh, my God, let thy hand, I beseech thee, be against me, and against the house of my father, but not against, thy people, that they should be plagued!