2 Samuel 24:4

But the words of the king prevailed over the words of Joab and the leaders of the army. And so Joab and the leaders of the military departed from the face of the king, so that they might number the people of Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version

In The King James Version

Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

In Context

3And Joab said to the king: “May the Lord your God increase your people, who are already great in number, and may he again increase them, one hundredfold, in the sight of my lord the king. But what does my lord the king intend for himself by this kind of thing?”

5And when they had passed across the Jordan, they arrived at Aroer, to the right of the city, which is in the Valley of Gad.

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Cross References

Exodus 30:12“When you have taken the sum of the sons of Israel, according to their number, each shall give a price for their souls to the Lord, and there will be no scourge among them, when they will be reviewed.

Ecclesiastes 8:4And his word is filled with authority. Neither is anyone able to say to him: “Why are you acting this way?”

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 24:2-10

The People Numbered. ( b. c. 1017.) 1 And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord… Read the whole commentary →

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