3 Joab responded, “May the Lord multiply his people a hundred times over. But, Your Majesty, aren’t they all your servants? Why are you trying to do this? Why do you wish to make Israel guilty of ⌊this⌋ sin?”
4 However, the king overruled Joab. So Joab left, went throughout Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.
5 Joab reported the census figures to David: In Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could serve in the army, and in Judah there were 470,000 who could serve in the army.
6 Joab didn’t include Levi and Benjamin in the number because he was disgusted with the king’s order.
7 God considered the census to be sinful, so he struck Israel ⌊with a plague⌋.
8 David said to God, “I have committed a terrible sin by doing this thing. Forgive me because I have acted very foolishly.”
9 The Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer.