New English Translation
2 Samuel 24:3
3Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?”
2 Samuel 24:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
- New International Version (NIV)But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Joab said to the king, "May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?”
Context of 2 Samuel 24:3
1The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.” 2The king told Joab, the general in command of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the army, so I may know the size of the army.” Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?” 4But the king’s edict stood, despite the objections of Joab and the leaders of the army. So Joab and the leaders of the army left the king’s presence in order to muster the Israelite army. 5They crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, on the south side of the city, at the wadi of Gad, near Jazer.
Read all of 2 Samuel 242 Samuel 24:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיוֹסֵ֣ף יְהוָה֩ אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ אֶל־הָעָ֜ם כָּהֵ֤ם׀ וְכָהֵם֙ מֵאָ֣ה פְעָמִ֔ים וְעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ רֹא֑וֹת וַאדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֥מָּה חָפֵ֖ץ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- Now the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- addיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
- unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- how many soeverהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
- they be, an hundredfoldפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
- they be, an hundredfoldמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- and that the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- of my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- may seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- delightחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
- in this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 24:3
- 2 Chronicles 10:12Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.”
- 1 Chronicles 21:3Joab replied, “May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?”
- Psalms 115:14May he increase your numbers, yours and your children’s!
- Proverbs 14:28A king’s glory is the abundance of people, but the lack of subjects is the ruin of a ruler.
- Isaiah 60:5Then you will look and smile, you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. For the riches of distant lands will belong to you and the wealth of nations will come to you.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 24:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Joab said unto the king - This very bad man saw that the measure now recommended by the king was a wrong one, and might be ruinous to the people, and therefore he remonstrates against it in a very sensible speech; but the king was infatuated, and would hear no reason.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3why does my lord … want to do such a thing?: Joab either realized that such a move would be unpopular among the people, or he believed that it was wrong before God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-92Sa 24:1-9. David Numbers the People. 1-4. again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah--"Again" carries us back to the former tokens of His wrath in the three years' famine [2Sa 21:1]. God, though He cannot tempt any man (Jas 1:13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He permitted Satan to tempt David. Satan…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 24:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 24
- 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
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