For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
The king told Joab, the commander of his army who was with him, 'Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, and count all the people so I can know how many there are.'
King David is ordering his military commander to conduct a census of all Israel so he can know the total population of his kingdom.
📚 Historical Context
During the reign of King David, Israel was a united kingdom experiencing relative peace and prosperity after years of conquests and consolidation. David ordered his military commander Joab to conduct a census of all the tribes from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, which represented the full extent of the land, likely to assess military strength. This action occurred in a context where such a count was seen as potentially displaying human pride rather than reliance on God, leading to divine judgment as described in the biblical narrative.
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