1 Chronicles 27:23

1 Chronicles 27:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.
• New International Version (NIV)David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less, because the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.
• English Standard Version (ESV)David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as many as the stars of heaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But David did not take the number of those twenty years old and under, because the Lord had said He would multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens.

Context of 1 Chronicles 27:23

21for the half of Manasseh in Gilead Iddo, son of Zechariah for the tribe of Benjamin Jaasiel, son of Abner 22for the tribe of Dan Azarel, son of Jeroham These were the commanders of Israel’s tribes. David didn’t count those under 20 years old, because the Lord had promised that the people of Israel would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24Joab, son of Zeruiah, started to count them but didn’t finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, and the report from it was never included in the official records of King David. 25These were all the commanders in charge of King David’s property: for the royal treasuries Azmaveth, son of Adiel for the goods in the fields, cities, villages, and watchtowers Jonathan, son of Uzziah

1 Chronicles 27:23 word by word

וְלֹא־נָשָׂ֤א דָוִיד֙ מִסְפָּרָ֔ם לְמִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּלְמָ֑טָּה כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לְהַרְבּ֥וֹת אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• tookנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: countH5375
• not the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• of them from twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
• and underמַ֫טָּהmaţţâh · beneathH4295
• because the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• had saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• he would increaseרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• like to the starsכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
• of the heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 27:23

• Numbers 1:18and assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. Each man at least 20 years old provided his genealogy by family and household. Then his name was listed.
• Genesis 15:5He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
• Hebrews 11:12Abraham was as good as dead. Yet, from this man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore.

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 27:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23David‘s numbering of the people was therefore a military arrangement in order to fix the amount of his standing army. To the general Oriental prejudice against numbering possessions, etc., there was added in the case of the Jews a special objection - a feeling that it would be irreverent to attempt to count what God had promised should be countless.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-34Verses 16-34 The officers of the court, or the rulers of the king's substance, had the oversight and charge of the king's tillage, his vineyards, his herds, his flocks, which formed the wealth of eastern kings. Much of the wisdom of princes is seen in the choice of their ministry, and common persons show it in the choice of their advisers. David, though he had all these about him, preferred the word of God before them all. Thy testimonies are my delight…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under--The census which David ordered did not extend to all the Israelites; for to contemplate such an enumeration would have been to attempt an impossibility (Ge 28:14), and besides would have been a daring offense to God. The limitation to a certain age was what had probably quieted David's conscience as to the lawfulness of the measure, while its expediency was strongly pressed upon…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Chronicles 27:23

• Israel
• Joab
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• David
• Israel
• Chronicles, Books of
• Course
• Adonijah
• Genealogy
• Temple

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 27

• 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