1 Chronicles 21:3

1 Chronicles 21:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
• New International Version (NIV)But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Joab said, "May the Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”

Context of 1 Chronicles 21:3

1Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel. 2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring a report to me so I can know their number.” Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply the number of his people a hundred times over! My lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?” 4Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel and then returned to Jerusalem. 5Joab gave the total troop registration to David. In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand armed men and in Judah itself four hundred seventy thousand armed men.

1 Chronicles 21:3 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֗ב יוֹסֵף֩ יְהוָ֨ה עַל־עַמּ֤וֹ׀ כָּהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים הֲלֹא֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כֻּלָּ֥ם לַאדֹנִ֖י לַעֲבָדִ֑ים לָ֣מָּה יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ זֹאת֙ אֲדֹנִ֔י לָ֛מָּה יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאַשְׁמָ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• make his peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• timesפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
• so many moreיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
• as theyהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• but, my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• requireבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• this thing? why will he be a cause of trespassאַשְׁמָה'ashmâh · guiltinessH819
• to Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 21:3

• 1 Chronicles 19:13Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”
• Psalms 115:14May the Lord add to your numbers, both yours and your children’s.
• Proverbs 14:28A large population is a king’s splendor, but a shortage of people is a ruler’s devastation.
• Isaiah 26:15You have added to the nation, Lord. You have added to the nation; you are honored. You have expanded all the borders of the land.
• Isaiah 48:19Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand, and the offspring of your body like its grains; their name would not be cut off or eliminated from my presence.
• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, “What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”
• Exodus 32:21Then Moses asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you that you have led them into such a grave sin?”
• Numbers 32:9After they went up as far as Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them.
• 1 Samuel 2:24No, my sons, the news I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good.
• 1 Kings 14:16He will give up Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins that he committed and caused Israel to commit.”

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 21:3

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30This account of the census is similar to 2 Samuel 24:1–25 but focuses on different aspects. The Chronicler’s version sets the stage for dedicating the altar and preparing to build the temple (1 Chronicles 22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?--or bring an occasion of punishment on Israel. In Hebrew, the word "sin" is often used synonymously with the punishment of sin. In the course of Providence, the people frequently suffer for the misconduct of their rulers.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Chronicles 21:3

• Census
• Conscience
• Jehoshaphat
• Joab
• Reproof
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Joab
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Advise
• Cost
• Displease
• Grant
• Require
• Temptation

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings