2 Samuel 24:1-3

EasyEnglish Bible

David counts his soldiers

24 The Lord again became angry with the Israelites. So he caused David to bring trouble to them. He said to David, ‘Send men to count the people in Israel and Judah.’

² So the king said to Joab, the leader of his army, ‘Go from Dan to Beersheba, through all the tribes of Israel.^[a] Count all the men who can fight. I want to know how many men there are.’

³ But Joab said to the king, ‘I pray that the Lord your God will make your army bigger and bigger. May it grow 100 times while you are alive to see it! But, my lord the king, why do you want to do this?’