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 attempted to attack Israel by provoking David to count the Israelites. 2David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Bring me ⌞the results⌟ so that I may know how many ⌞people⌟ there are.” Joab responded, “May the Lord multiply his people a hundred times over. But, Your Majesty, aren’t they all your servants? Why are you trying to do this? Why do you wish to make Israel guilty of ⌞this⌟ sin?” 4However, the king overruled Joab. So Joab left, went throughout Israel, and returned to Jerusalem. 5Joab reported the census figures to David: In Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could serve in the army, and in Judah there were 470,000 who could serve in the army.

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, and the Lord will do what he considers right.”
• Psalms 115:14May the Lord continue to bless you and your children.
• Proverbs 14:28A large population is an honor for a king, but without people a ruler is ruined.
• Isaiah 26:15You have expanded the nation, O Lord. You have expanded the nation. You are honored. You have extended all the land’s boundaries.
• Isaiah 48:19Your descendants would be like sand. Your children would be like its grains. Their names would not be cut off or wiped out in my presence.
• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you would bring such a serious sin on me and my kingdom? You shouldn’t have done this to me.”
• Exodus 32:21Moses asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you that you encouraged them to commit such a serious sin?”
• Numbers 32:9They went as far as the Eshcol Valley and saw the land. But then they discouraged the rest of the Israelites from entering the land that the Lord had given them.
• 1 Samuel 2:24Sons, the report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading isn’t good!
• 1 Kings 14:16So the Lord will desert Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins, the sins which he led 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