<t /><p class="bodytext">David again assembled<n id="1" /> all the best<n id="2" /> men in Israel, thirty thousand in number.

<p class="bodytext">Then the king said to his servants, &#8220;Do you not realize that a great leader<n id="1" /> has fallen this day in Israel?

<p class="bodytext">When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel&#8217;s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">But she said to him, &#8220;No, my brother! Don&#8217;t humiliate me! This just isn&#8217;t done in Israel! Don&#8217;t do this foolish thing!

I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city<n id="1" /> in Israel. Why should you swallow up the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s inheritance?&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, &#8220;Go count Israel and Judah.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">So the <sc>Lordsc> sent a plague through Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time. Seventy thousand men died from Dan to Beer Sheba.

How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools<n id="1" /> in Israel! Just<n id="2" /> speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.&#8221;

But David said, &#8220;What do we have in common,<n id="1" /> you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don&#8217;t you realize that today I am king over Israel?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">The Gibeonites said to him, &#8220;We<n id="1" /> have no claim to silver or gold from Saul or from his family,<n id="2" /> nor would we be justified in putting to death anyone in Israel.&#8221; David asked,<n id="3" /> &#8220;What then are you asking me to do for you?&#8221;