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  Because he did this to determine his power and to trust in it, it offended God, for otherwise it was lawful to number the people, (Exo_30:12; Num_1:2).  number of the people.