2 Samuel 24:2-4

Contemporary English Version

² So David told Joab and the army officers,^[a] “Go to every tribe in Israel, from the town of Dan in the north all the way south to Beersheba, and count everyone who can serve in the army. I want to know how many there are.”

³ Joab answered, “I hope the Lord your God will give you 100 times more soldiers than you already have. I hope you will live to see that day! But why do you want to do a thing like this?”

⁴ But when David refused to change his mind, Joab and the army officers went out and started counting the people.