2 Samuel 24:3-5

New International Version

³ But Joab^(A) replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over,^(B) 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 enroll the fighting men of Israel.

⁵ After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,^(C) south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.^(D)