Census

Counting of the number of people in an area for taxes or registration for the army. A census was taken soon after the Israelites left Egypt. Another was taken near the end of the forty years in the wilderness. David also made a census when he was king, and the Bible says that David displeased God by doing it.

These census reports counted only men twenty years and older so that they could find out how strong (in number) the army could be. The New Testament says Caesar Augustus once ordered a census. Because each person had to be counted in the place of his birth, Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem. While they were there, Jesus was born.