⁴ Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.

²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ^(A)“We ought to obey God rather than men.

¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we ^(A)worship the gold image which you have set up.”

³ And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God ^(A)add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” ⁴ Nevertheless the king’s word ^[a]prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

⁵ And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in ^(B)Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward ^(C)Jazer. ⁶ Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to ^(D)Dan Jaan and around to ^(E)Sidon; ⁷ and they came to the stronghold of ^(F)Tyre and to all the cities of the ^(G)Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. ⁸ So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

¹⁷ But the midwives ^(A)feared God, and did not do ^(B)as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.