New King James Version
2 Samuel 24:3
3And 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?”
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 Living Translation (NLT)But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God let you live to see a hundred times as many people as there are now! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this?”
Context of 2 Samuel 24:3
1Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.” 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?” 4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel. 5And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward 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 10:12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.”
- 1 Chronicles 21:3And 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?”
- 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 60:5Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries