^{1 Ref} Now Satan, designing evil against Israel, put into David's mind the impulse to take the number of Israel.

^{2 Ref} And David said to Joab and the captains of the people, Now let all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, be numbered; and give me word so that I may be certain of their number.

^{3 Ref} And Joab said, May the Lord make his people a hundred times more in number than they are; but, my lord king, are they not all my lord's servants? why would my lord have this done? why will he become a cause of sin to Israel?