2 Samuel 24:1–10

David’s Military Census

24The Lord’s anger burned against Israel again, and He stirred up David against them to say: “Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.” ^d

²So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the troops so I can know their number.” ^e

³Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops 100 times more than they are ^f—while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?”

⁴Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king’s presence to register the troops of Israel.

⁵They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, ^gsouth of the town in the middle of the valley, and then proceeded toward Gad and Jazer. ⁶They went to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites ^hand continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. ⁷They went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Afterward, they went to the Negev of Judah at Beer-sheba.

⁸When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. ⁹Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were 800,000 fighting men from Israel and 500,000 men from Judah. ⁱ

¹⁰David’s conscience troubled him ^jafter he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, Lord, because I’ve been very foolish, ^kplease take away Your servant’s guilt.”