³ But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over.^(A) My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

¹¹ May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase^(A) you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!^(B)

¹³ Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

¹⁶ And he will give Israel up because of the sins^(A) Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”

²⁴ No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good.

⁹ After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol^(A) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger was aroused^(B) that day and he swore this oath:^(C)