5. They crossed the River Jordan and began with Aroer and the town in the middle of the river valley. From there they went towards Gad and on as far as Jazer.
6. They went to Gilead and to Kadesh in Syria. Then they went to Dan, Ijon, and on towards Sidon.
7. They came to the fortress of Tyre, then went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah.
8. After they had gone through the whole land, they went back to Jerusalem. It had taken them nine months and twenty days.
9. Joab came and told David, “In Israel there are eight hundred thousand who can serve in the army, and in Judah there are five hundred thousand.”
10. After David had everyone counted, he felt guilty and told the Lord, “What I did was stupid and terribly wrong. Lord, please forgive me.”
11. Before David even got up the next morning, the Lord had told David's prophet Gad
14. David was really frightened and said, “It's a terrible choice to make! But the Lord is kind, and I'd rather be punished by him than by anyone else.”
17. David saw the angel killing everyone and told the Lord, “These people are like sheep with me as their shepherd. I have sinned terribly, but they have done nothing wrong. Please, punish me and my family instead of them!”
20. Araunah looked and saw David and his soldiers coming up towards him. He went over to David, bowed down low,
21. and said, “Your Majesty! Why have you come to see me?”David answered, “I've come to buy your threshing place. I have to build the Lord an altar here, so this disease will stop killing the people.”