1 Chronicles 21:1-17 ▼

1 THEN Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel.

2 So David said to Joab the son of Zuriah and to the princes of the people, Go, number the people of Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and come back to me, that I may know the number of the people.

3 And Joab said to King David, May the LORD make his people a hundred times so many more as they are, and let the eyes of my lord the king see it, for they are all his servants; why then should our lord the king require this thing?

4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem.

5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. And the total number of the children of Israel was one million and one hundred thousand footmen who drew the sword; and the tribe of Judah was four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.

6 But the Levites, the priests, and the tribe of Benjamin were not counted among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab, and Joab was unwilling to number them.

7 And the LORD was displeased with this thing, because David had numbered Israel.

8 And David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing; but now, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

9 And David arose early in the morning, and the word of the LORD came to Gad, the prophet, saying,

10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus says the LORD: I offer you three disasters; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.

11 So Gad the prophet came to David and said to him, Thus says the LORD: Choose for yourself

12 Either three years of famine in the land or three months to be defeated before your enemies while they shall pursue you and rule over you or else three days the sword of the LORD in Israel. Now therefore advise what answer you will give to him who sent me to you.

13 And David said .to Gad, I am in a great distress; let me be delivered into the hands of the LORD; for his mercies are very great; but let me not be delivered into the hand of men.

14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

15 And the LORD sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was destroying it, the LORD saw and considered it and averted the disaster, and said to the angel that destroyed, You have destroyed a great many, stay now your hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Aran the Jebusite.

16 And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were with him clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

17 And David said to the LORD, Is it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is who have sinned, and the folly which I have committed is great; but as for these innocent sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father's house; but let the plague cease from the people.