2 Samuel 24:2-4

Holman Christian Standard Bible

² So 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.”^(A)

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

⁴ Yet 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.