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

1Then Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. 2So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me word so that I may know their number.” But Joab said, “May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” 4Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5Then Joab gave the number of the census of the people to David. Israel was 1,100,000 men in all who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword.

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

• But Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• May the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• addיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
• to His peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• a hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• timesפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
• as many as they are! My lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• are they not allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• should he be a causeאַשְׁמָה'ashmâh · guiltinessH819
• to Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 21:3

• 1 Chronicles 19:13Be strong, and let’s show ourselves courageous for the benefit of our people and the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
• Psalms 115:14May the Lord increase you, You and your children.
• Proverbs 14:28In a multitude of people is a king’s glory, But in the scarcity of people is a prince’s ruin.
• Isaiah 26:15You have increased the nation, Lord, You have increased the nation, You are glorified; You have extended all the borders of the land.
• Isaiah 48:19Your descendants would have been like the sand, And your offspring like its grains; Their name would never be eliminated or destroyed from My presence.”
• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”
• Exodus 32:21Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such a great sin upon them?”
• Numbers 32:9For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the sons of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.
• 1 Samuel 2:24No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the Lord’s people circulating.
• 1 Kings 14:16He will give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he misled Israel into sin.”

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