2 Samuel 24:3

And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

Cross-references

2 Samuel 24:21 reveals the plague aftermath — a stark contrast to Joab's wish for increase in verse 3.

1 Chronicles 21:3 gives the parallel account where Joab calls the census a sin — reinforcing his objection here.

1 Chronicles 21:4 shows Joab carrying out the census despite his objection — the parallel account of the same event.

Deuteronomy 1:11 contains Moses' blessing to multiply Israel a thousandfold — the model for Joab's words.

1 Kings 1:48 has David saying 'my own eyes seeing it' — the same phrase Joab used in his blessing.

1 Kings 1:37 applies a similar blessing for Solomon's throne, paralleling Joab's wish for David.