⁴ Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁷ But the midwives feared God, and didn't do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.

³ Joab said to the king, Now Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

⁴ Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

⁵ They passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer:

⁶ then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan, and round about to Sidon,

⁷ and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba.

⁸ So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

⁴ for the king's word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"

¹⁸ But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.