that he must of necessity make his choice, and had ordered him
to answer quickly, that he might declare what he had chosen to God, the
king reasoned with himself, that in case he should ask for famine, he
would appear to do it for others, and without danger to himself, since
he had a great deal of corn hoarded up, but to the harm of others;
that in case he should choose to be overcome [by his enemies] for three
months, he would appear to have chosen war, because he had valiant
men about him, and strong holds, and that therefore he feared nothing
therefrom: so he chose that affliction which is common to kings and to
their subjects, and in which the fear was equal on all sides; and said
this beforehand, that it was much better to fall into the hands of God,
than into those of his enemies.

3. When the prophet had heard this, he declared it to God; who thereupon
sent a pestilence and a mortality upon the Hebrews; nor did they die
after one and the same manner, nor so that it was easy to know what the
distemper was. Now the miserable disease was one indeed, but it carried
them off by ten thousand causes and occasions, which those that were
afflicted could not understand; for one died upon the neck of another,
and the terrible malady seized them before they were aware, and brought
them to their end suddenly, some giving up the ghost immediately with
very great pains and bitter grief, and some were worn away by their
distempers, and had nothing remaining to be buried, but as soon as
ever they fell were entirely macerated; some were choked, and greatly
lamented their case, as being also stricken with a sudden darkness; some
there were who, as they were burying a relation, fell down dead, without
finishing the rites of the funeral. Now there perished of this disease,
which began with the morning, and lasted till the hour of dinner,
seventy thousand. Nay, the angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem,
as sending this terrible judgment upon it. But David had put on
sackcloth, and lay upon the ground, entreating God, and begging that
the distemper might now cease, and that he would be satisfied with those
that had already perished. And when the king looked up into the air,
and saw the angel carried along thereby into Jerusalem, with his sword
drawn, he said to God, that he might justly be punished, who was their
shepherd, but that the sheep ought to be preserved, as not having sinned
at all; and he implored God that he would send