2 Samuel 24:2-4

Legacy Standard Bible

² So the king said to Joab the commander of the military force who was with him, “Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, ^(A)from Dan to Beersheba, and ^[a]take a census of the people, that I may know the total count of the people.” ³ But Joab said to the king, “^(B)Now may Yahweh your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” ⁴ Nevertheless, the king’s word stood strong against Joab and against the commanders of the military force. So Joab and the commanders of the military force went out from the presence of the king to ^[b]take a census of the people of Israel.