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

1And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer–sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, Yhwh 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? 4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew 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

• And Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · 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 behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let Yhwh do that which is good in his sight.
• Psalms 115:14Yhwh shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
• Proverbs 14:28In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
• Isaiah 26:15Thou hast increased the nation, O Yhwh, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.
• Isaiah 48:19Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
• Exodus 32:21And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
• Numbers 32:9For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which Yhwh had given them.
• 1 Samuel 2:24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make Yhwh's people to transgress.
• 1 Kings 14:16And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to 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