⁶ But he didn't count Levi and Benjamin among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

⁴⁷ But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

⁴⁸ For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

⁴⁹ "Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel;

²⁷ When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

¹⁵ He wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire you from him, that he may be struck, and die.

¹⁶ It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

¹⁷ The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

¹⁹ and he charged the messenger, saying, "When you have made an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

²⁰ it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he tells you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn't you know that they would shoot from the wall?

²¹ who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn't a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?' then shall you say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"

⁹ Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

¹⁰ But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he struck him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn't strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

²⁴ Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but didn't finish; and there came wrath for this on Israel; neither was the number put into the account in the chronicles of king David.