²² “‘When a leader^(A) sins unintentionally^(B) and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt

² “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally^(A) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands^(B)—

¹³ “‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally^(A) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt

¹⁰ David was conscience-stricken^(A) after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned^(B) greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.^(C)”

¹¹ Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad^(D) the prophet, David’s seer:^{(E) 12} “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

¹³ So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three^[a] years of famine^(F) in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague^(G) in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

¹⁴ David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy^(H) is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

¹⁵ So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.^{(I) 16} When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented^(J) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord^(K) was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

¹⁷ When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,^[b] have done wrong. These are but sheep.^(L) What have they done?^(M) Let your hand fall on me and my family.”^(N)

The Gibeonites Avenged

21 During the reign of David, there was a famine^(A) for three successive years; so David sought^(B) the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

² The king summoned the Gibeonites^(C) and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) ³ David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”^(D)

¹³ Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.

² and rose up against Moses.^(A) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.^(B)

²⁷ “‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally^(A) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt

²¹ But select capable men^(A) from all the people—men who fear^(B) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain^(C)—and appoint them as officials^(D) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.