The king's answer was, "I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for His mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man." The land was smitten with pestilence, which destroyed seventy thousand in Israel. The scourge had not yet entered the capital, when "David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces." The king pleaded with God in behalf of Israel: "Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued."

Kongen svarede: "Jeg er i såre stor vånde - lad mig så falde i Herrens hånd, thi hans barmhjertighed er såre stor; i menneskehånd vil jeg ikke falde." Landet blev slået med pest, og 70.000 israelitter døde. Plagen havde endnu ikke nået hovedstaden. "Da David løftede sit blik og så Herrens engel stå mellem himmel og jord med draget sværd i hånd, rettet mod Jerusalem, faldt han og de ældste, der var klædt i sæk, på deres ansigt." Kongen gik i forbøn for Israel hos Gud: "Var det ikke mig, der sagde, at folket skulle tælles? Det er mig, der har syndet, og såre ilde her jeg handlet; men fårene dér, hvad har de gjort? Herre min Gud, lad din hånd dog ramme mig og mit fædrenehus, men lad plagen ikke ramme dit folk!"