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 told Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then bring me a report so I may know their number.” But Joab said, “May Adonai multiply His people 100 times over! But my master the king, are they not all my master’s servants? Why does my master require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” 4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and finally came back to Jerusalem. 5Joab gave the number of the census of the people to David: in all Israel there were 1,100,000 sword-wielding men; Judah had 470,000 sword-wielding men.

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

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 19:13Chazak! Take courage for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! Adonai will do what is good in His eyes.”
• Psalms 115:14May Adonai increase you more and more —you and your children.
• Proverbs 14:28A large population is a king’s glory, but lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.
• Isaiah 26:15You have increased the nation, Adonai, You have increased the nation. You are glorified as You have expanded all the borders of the land.
• Isaiah 48:19Your seed would have been like sand, and your offspring like its grains. Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before Me.”
• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called to Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us, and how have I sinned against you, that you brought great sin upon me and my kingdom? You’ve done to me things that should not be done!”
• Exodus 32:21Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, to make you bring such a great sin upon them?”
• Numbers 32:9They went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, but they discouraged the hearts of Bnei-Yisrael not to enter the land which Adonai had given them.
• 1 Samuel 2:24No, my sons! For this is not a good report that I hear Adonai’s people spreading around.
• 1 Kings 14:16So He will give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam which he committed, and caused Israel to commit.”

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