1 Chronicles 21:2-13
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 21
2So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, 'Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me word so that I may know their number.' 3But Joab said, 'May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?' 4Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5Then Joab gave the number of the census of the people to David. Israel was 1,100,000 men in all who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. 6But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.
7Now God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel.
8David said to God, 'I have sinned greatly, by doing this thing. But now, please overlook Your servant’s guilt, for I have behaved very foolishly.'
9The Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying,
10Go and speak to David, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: 'I extend to you three choices; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.'?’?'
11So Gad came to David and said to him, 'This is what the Lord says: ‘Take for yourself
12three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord: a plague in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall bring back to Him who sent me.'
13David said to Gad, 'I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into human hands.'
King James Version
Chapter 21
2And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. 3And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
4Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
5And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
6But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
7And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
8And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
9And the Lord spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
10Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
11So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee
12Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
13And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
Christian Standard Bible
4Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel and then returned to Jerusalem.
5Joab gave the total troop registration to David. In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand armed men and in Judah itself four hundred seventy thousand armed men.
6But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king’s command was detestable to him.
7This command was also evil in God’s sight, so he afflicted Israel.
9Then the Lord instructed Gad, David’s seer,
10"Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them for yourself, and I will do it to you.’"
11So Gad went to David and said to him, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice:
12three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord —a plague on the land, the angel of the Lord bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I should take back to the one who sent me."
New Living Translation
4But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab traveled throughout all Israel to count the people. Then he returned to Jerusalem
5and reported the number of people to David. There were 1,100,000 warriors in all Israel who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah.
6But Joab did not include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the census because he was so distressed at what the king had made him do.
7God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it.
8Then David said to God, 'I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.'
9Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer. This was the message:
10Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.’'
11So Gad came to David and said, 'These are the choices the Lord has given you.
12You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the Lord brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.'
English Standard Version
Chapter 21
2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, "Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number." 3But Joab said, "May the Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord 's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?" 4But the king 's word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem. 5And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. 6But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king 's command was abhorrent to Joab.
7But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel.
8And David said to God, "I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly."
9And the Lord spoke to Gad, David 's seer, saying,
10"Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’"
11So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, ‘Choose what you will:
12either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me."
13Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man."
New International Version
4The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem.
5Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.
6But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him.
7This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.
9The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer,
10"Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ "
11So Gad went to David and said to him, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice:
12three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me."
New King James Version
4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
5Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
6But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
7And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel.
8So David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
9Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying,
10“Go and tell David, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ”
11So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Choose for yourself,
12either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”
