10 David felt sorry that he had counted the fighting men. So he said to the Lord, "I committed a great sin when I counted Judah and Israel's men. Lord, I beg you to take away my guilt. I've done a very foolish thing."
11 Before David got up the next morning, a message from the Lord came to the prophet Gad. He was David's seer. The message said,
12 "Go and tell David, 'The Lord says, "I could punish you in three different ways. Choose one of them for me to use against you." ' "
13 So Gad went to David. He said to him, "Take your choice. Do you want three years when there won't be enough food in your land? Or do you want three months when you will run away from your enemies while they chase you? Or do you want three days when there will be a plague in your land? Think it over. Then take your pick. Tell me how to answer the One who sent me."
14 David said to Gad, "I'm suffering terribly. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord. His mercy is great. But don't let me fall into the hands of men."
15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel. It lasted from that morning until he decided to end it. From Dan all the way to Beersheba 70,000 people died.
16 The angel reached his hand out to destroy Jerusalem. But the Lord was very sad because of the plague. So he spoke to the angel who was making the people suffer. He said, "That is enough! Do not kill any more people." The angel of the Lord was at Araunah's threshing floor. Araunah was from the city of Jebus.