2 Samuel 24:2

2 So David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, "Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number."

2 Samuel 24:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 24:2

For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which [was]
with him
Or who was with him, even Joab, who was now at court, and was a counsellor of David, as well as his general; or which army was with Joab, a standing army he had the command of:

go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba;
from the northern part of the land of Israel to the southern part of it, and this course was accordingly steered, ( 2 Samuel 24:6 2 Samuel 24:7 ) ;

and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people;
so that this appears to be done not through any urgent necessity, but merely out of curiosity, and to gratify the pride of his heart, and please himself with the thought of ruling such a numerous people, and brag of their numbers to other nations, and place his confidence therein; and no wonder it was displeasing to the Lord.

2 Samuel 24:2 In-Context

1 Once again God's anger blazed out against Israel. He tested David by telling him, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."

2 So David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, "Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number."

3 But Joab resisted the king: "May your God multiply people by the hundreds right before the eyes of my master the king, but why on earth would you do a thing like this?"

4 Nevertheless, the king insisted, and so Joab and the army officers left the king to take a census of Israel.

5 They crossed the Jordan and began with Aroer and the town in the canyon of the Gadites near Jazer,