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20.3 And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Sippai, of the sons of the giants; and they were subdued. And there was again war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. And there was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six [on each hand], and six [on each foot]; and he also was born unto the giant. And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him. These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people: 'Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them.' And Joab said: 'The make His people a hundred times so many more as they are; but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of guilt unto Israel?' Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword; and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel. And David said unto God: 'I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing; but now, put away, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.' And the spoke unto Gad, David's seer, saying: 'Go and speak unto David, saying: Thus saith the : I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.' So Gad came to David, and said unto him: 'Thus saith the : Take which thou wilt: either three years of famine; or three months to be swept away before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the  destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.' And David said unto Gad: 'I am in a great strait; let me fall now into the hand of the, for very great are His mercies; and let me not fall into the hand of man.'

So the sent a pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was about to destroy, the beheld, and He repented Him of the evil, and said to the destroying angel: 'It is enough; now stay thy hand.' And the angel of the  was standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the standing