^{10 Ref} And after the people had been numbered, David's heart was troubled. And David said to the Lord, Great has been my sin in doing this; but now, O Lord, be pleased to take away the sin of your servant, for I have done very foolishly

^{11 Ref} And David got up in the morning; now the word of the Lord had come to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

^{12 Ref} Go and say to David, The Lord says, Three things are offered to you: say which of them you will have, and I will do it to you.

^{13 Ref} So Gad came to David, and gave him word of this and said to him, Are there to be three years when there is not enough food in your land? or will you go in flight from your haters for three months, while they go after you? or will you have three days of violent disease in your land? take thought and say what answer I am to give to him who sent me.

^{14 Ref} And David said to Gad, This is a hard decision for me to make: let us come into the hands of the Lord, for great are his mercies: let me not come into the hands of men.