e against
David. Against whom Joab with the host of David pursued, and drove him
unto a city which he besieged, and by the means of a woman of the same
city Sheba's head was smitten off and delivered to Joab over the wall,
and so the city was saved, and Joab pleased. After this David called
Joab, and bade him number the people of Israel, and so Joab walked
through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and over Jordan
and all the country, and there were founden in Israel eight hundred
thousand strong men that were able to fight and to draw sword, and of
the tribe of Judah fifty thousand fighting men. And after that the
people was numbered, the heart of David was smitten by our Lord and was
heavy, and said: I have sinned greatly in this deed, but I pray the Lord
to take away the wickedness of thy servant, for I have done follily.
David rose on the morn early, and the word of our Lord came to Gad the
prophet saying: that he should go to David and bid him choose one of
three things that he should say to him. When Gad came to David he said
that he should choose whether he would have seven years hunger in his
land, or three months he should flee his adversaries and enemies, or to
have three days' pestilence. Of these three God biddeth thee choose
which thou wilt; now advise thee and conclude what I shall answer to our
Lord. David said to Gad: I am constrained to a great thing, but it is
better for me to put me in the hands of our Lord, for his mercy is much
more than in men, and so he chose pestilence.

Then our Lord sent pestilence the time constitute, and there died of the
people from Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men. And when the angel
extended his hand upon Jerusalem for to destroy it, our Lord was
merciful upon the affliction, and said to the angel so smiting: It
sufficeth now, withdraw thy hand. David said to our Lord when he saw the
angel smiting the people: I am he that have sinned and done wickedly,
what have these sheep done? I beseech thee that thy hand turn upon me
and upon the house of my father. Then came Gad to David and bade him
make an altar in the same place where he saw the angel; and he bought
the place, and made the altar, and offered sacrifices unto our Lord, and
our Lord was merciful, and the plague ceased in Israel.

David was old and feeble and saw that his death approached, and ordained
that his son Solomon should reign and be king after him. Howbeit that
Adonijah his son took on him