2 Samuel 24:4

4 Yet the king's order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king's presence to register the troops of Israel.

2 Samuel 24:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 24:4

Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and
against the captains of the host
Who it seems were of the same mind with Joab, and were against numbering the people, yet their arguments and remonstrances were of no avail with the king; he was determined it should be done, and laid his commands upon them to do it, which they were obliged to comply with:

and Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the
king, to number the people of Israel;
seeing him resolute and determined, they submitted, took his orders, and set out to execute them.

2 Samuel 24:4 In-Context

2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, "Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the troops so I can know their number."

3 Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God multiply the troops 100 times more than they are-while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?"

4 Yet the king's order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king's presence to register the troops of Israel.

5 They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and then [proceeded] toward Gad and Jazer.

6 They went to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites and continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon.