New King James Version
1 Chronicles 21:3
3And 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?”
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 Living Translation (NLT)But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?”
Context of 1 Chronicles 21:3
1Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.” 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?” 4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. 5Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
Read all of 1 Chronicles 211 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 of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
- Psalms 115:14May the Lord give you increase more and more, You and your children.
- Proverbs 14:28In a multitude of people is a king’s honor, But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.
- Isaiah 26:15You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land.
- Isaiah 48:19Your descendants also would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.”
- Genesis 20:9And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.”
- Exodus 32:21And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”
- Numbers 32:9For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.
- 1 Samuel 2:24No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress.
- 1 Kings 14:16And He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries