1 Again Yahweh’s anger burned against
Israel, and he moved David against them,
saying, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

2 The king said to Joab the captain of the
army, who was with him, “Now go back
and forth through all the tribes of Israel,
from Dan even to Beersheba, and count
the people, that I may know the sum of the
people.”

3 Joab said to the king, “Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however
many they may be, one hundred times;
and may the eyes of my lord the king see
it. But why does my lord the king delight
in this thing?”

4 Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of
the army went outfromthe presence ofthe
king to count the people of Israel.

5 They passed over the Jordan and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the
city that is in the middle of the valley of
Gad, and to Jazer;

6 then they came to Gilead and to the
land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to
Dan Jaan and around to Sidon,

7 and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and
to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south
of Judah, at Beersheba.

8 So when they had gone back and
forth through all the land, they came to
Jerusalem at the end of nine months and
twenty days.

9 Joab gave up the sum of the counting
of the people to the king; and there were
in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant
men who drew the sword, and the men of
Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10 David’s heart struck him after he had
counted the people. David said to Yahweh,
“I have sinned greatly in that which I have
done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg
you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have
done very foolishly.”

11 When David rose up in the morning,
Yahweh’s word came to the prophet Gad,
David’s seer, saying,

12 “Go and speak to David, ‘Yahweh says,
“I offer you three things. Choose one of
them, that I may do it to you.” ’ ”