4. But the words of the king prevailed over the words of Joab and the leaders of the army. And so Joab and the leaders of the military departed from the face of the king, so that they might number the people of Israel.
5. And when they had passed across the Jordan, they arrived at Aroer, to the right of the city, which is in the Valley of Gad.
6. And they continued on through Jazer, into Gilead, and to the lower land of Hodsi. And they arrived in the woodlands of Dan. And going around beside Sidon,
7. they passed near the walls of Tyre, and near all the land of the Hivite and the Canaanite. And they went into the south of Judah, to Beersheba.
8. And having inspected the entire land, after nine months and twenty days, they were present in Jerusalem.
9. Then Joab gave the number of the description of the people to the king. And there were found of Israel eight hundred thousand able-bodied men, who might draw the sword; and of Judah, five hundred thousand fighting men.
10. Then the heart of David struck him, after the people were numbered. And David said to the Lord: "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But I pray that you, O Lord, may take away the iniquity of your servant. For I have acted very foolishly."
11. And David rose up in the morning, and the word of the Lord went to Gad, the prophet and seer of David, saying:
12. "Go, and say to David: 'Thus says the Lord: I present to you a choice of three things. Choose one of these, whichever you will, so that I may do it to you.' "
13. And when Gad had gone to David, he announced it to him, saying: "Either seven years of famine will come to you in your land; or you will flee for three months from your adversaries, and they will pursue you; or there will be a pestilence in your land for three days. Now then, deliberate, and see what word I may respond to him who sent me."
14. Then David said to Gad: "I am in great anguish. But it is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men."