8. So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9. And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
10. And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech you, O LORD, take away the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.
11. And when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
12. Go and say unto David,
13. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto you in your land? or will you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? now consider, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.
14. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great distress: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
15. So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
16. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD turned from the destruction, and said to the angel that destroyed the people,
17. And David spoke unto the LORD when he saw the angel that struck the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I pray you, be against me, and against my father's house.
18. And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, erect an altar unto the LORD in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.