David Takes a Census of Israel^(A)

24 Later, God’s anger blazed forth against Israel, so he incited David to move against them by telling him, “Go take a census of Israel and Judah.”

² So the king ordered Joab, commander of the special forces, who was with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and take a census of the people so I can be made aware of the total number.”

³ But Joab replied, “May the Lord your God increase the population of the people a hundredfold while your majesty the king is still alive to see it happen! But why does your majesty the king want to do this?”

⁴ But the king’s order overruled Joab and the commanders of the special forces, so Joab and the commanders of the special forces left David’s presence to take a census of the people of Israel. ⁵ They crossed the Jordan River,^[a] encamped at Aroer south of the town that is located in the river valley, proceeding through Gad and then on toward Jazer. ⁶ They went on to Gilead and the territory of Tahtim-hodshi, then on toward Dan. From Dan they went around to Sidon ⁷ and arrived at the fortified city of Tyre and all of the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites.

Eventually they proceeded to Beer-sheba in the Judean Negev.^{[b] 8} After they had traveled throughout the entire land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. ⁹ Joab reported the total number of men to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 men trained for war.^[c] In Judah there were 500,000.

David’s Unauthorized Census^(A)

21 Then Satan attacked Israel by inciting David to enumerate a census of Israel. ² David ordered Joab and the commanders of the army,^[a] “Go take a census of Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan, and bring me a report so I can be aware of the total number.”

³ But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase the population of his people a hundredfold! Your majesty,^[b] all of them are your majesty’s servants, aren’t they? So why should your majesty demand this? Why should he bring guilt to Israel?”

⁴ But the king’s order overruled Joab, so Joab left, traveled throughout all of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem ⁵ to report the total population count to David. Throughout all of Israel there were 1,100,000 men trained for war.^[c] In Judah there were 470,000 men trained for war. ⁶ Levi and Benjamin were not included in the census, because what the king had commanded was unethical to Joab.