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David chooses the third option and seventy thousand people die as an angel of death passes through the land. He’s given three choices, each of which would harm many in the kingdom: (1) three years of famine, or (2) three months of devastation by the sword of his enemies, or (3) three days of a pestilence on the land. Furthermore, "God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel" (1 Chronicles 21:6).ĭavid acknowledges his sin in taking a census against God’s will. Although this seems like a prudent thing to do, the biblical text tells us that Satan incited David to do this against the advice of David’s general Joab. He takes a census of the people of Israel.
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