2 Samuel 24:1–10

David’s Sin—He Takes a Census—1 Chronicles 21:1–30

¹The Lord became angry with Israel again, so he provoked David to turn against Israel. He said, “Go, count Israel and Judah.” 

²King David said to Joab, the commander of the army who was with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and count the people. That way I will know how many there are.” 

³Joab responded to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the people a hundred times over, and may Your Majesty ⸤live⸥ to see it. But why does Your Majesty wish to do this?” 

⁴However, the king overruled Joab and the commanders of the army. So they left the king ⸤in order⸥ to count the people of Israel. ⁵They crossed the Jordan River and camped at Aroer, south of the city in the middle of the valley. Then they went to Gad and to Jazer. ⁶They went to Gilead and to Tahtim Hodshi and then to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. ⁷They went to the fortified city of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah. ⁸When they had covered the whole country, they came to Jerusalem after 9 months and 20 days. ⁹Joab reported the census figures to the king: In Israel there were 800,000 able-bodied men who could serve in the army, and in Judah there were 500,000. 

¹⁰After David counted the people, his conscience troubled him. David said to the Lord, “I have committed a terrible sin by what I have done. Lord, please forgive me because I have acted very foolishly.”