1 Chronicles 21:1-3

Holman Christian Standard Bible

David’s Military Census

21 Satan^[a](A) stood up against Israel and incited David^(B) to count the people of Israel. ² So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring a report to me so I can know their number.”^(C)

³ Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply the number of His people a hundred times over!^(D) My lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”