1. The Lord was angry with Israel again, and he made David think it would be a good idea to count the people in Israel and Judah.
2. So David told Joab and the army officers, “Go to every tribe in Israel, from the town of Dan in the north all the way south to Beersheba, and count everyone who can serve in the army. I want to know how many there are.”
3. Joab answered, “I hope the Lord your God will give you a hundred times more soldiers than you already have. I hope you will live to see that day! But why do you want to do a thing like this?”
4. But when David refused to change his mind, Joab and the army officers went out and started counting the people.
5. They crossed the River Jordan and began with Aroer and the town in the middle of the river valley. From there they went towards Gad and on as far as Jazer.
6. They went to Gilead and to Kadesh in Syria. Then they went to Dan, Ijon, and on towards Sidon.
7. They came to the fortress of Tyre, then went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah.