Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king’s presence to register the troops of Israel.
Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops 100 times more than they are — while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this? ”
“When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered.