1. Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’
2. So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, ‘Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enrol the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.’
3. But Joab replied to the king, ‘May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my Lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?’
4. The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enrol the fighting men of Israel.
5. After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.