1
Satan wanted to bring trouble on the people of Israel, so he made David decide to take a census.
2
David gave orders to Joab and the other officers, "Go through Israel, from one end of the country to the other, and count the people. I want to know how many there are."
3
Joab answered, "May the Lord make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now! Your Majesty, they are all your servants. Why do you want to do this and make the whole nation guilty?"
4
But the king made Joab obey the order. Joab went out, traveled through the whole country of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem.
5
He reported to King David the total number of men capable of military service: 1,100,000 in Israel and 470,000 in Judah.
Excepting the three last verses, is contained in 2Sa 24:1-25 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there. 18894-950102-2025-1Ch21.2