DAVID’S MILITARY CENSUS

21 Satan* j rose up against Israel and incited Davidk to count the people of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring a report to me so I can know their number.”l

3 Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply the number of his people a hundred times over!m My lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

4 Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel and then returned to Jerusalem.