Joab said to the king, “Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”
Parallel Translations
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Joab said to the king, “Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”
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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?
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And Joab said unto the king: 'Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they may be, a hundredfold, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it; but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?'
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to 2 Samuel 24:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Deuteronomy 1:11 Yahweh, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as he has promised you!
- Psalms 115:14 May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children.
- 2 Samuel 10:12 Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what seems good to him.”
- 1 Chronicles 21:3-4 Joab said, “May Yahweh make his people a hundred times as many as they are. But, my lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, then came to Jerusalem.
- Proverbs 14:28 In the multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.
- Isaiah 60:5 Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Sa 24:3 And Joab said unto the king, Now…
2Sa 24:3 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?
Ver. 3. And Joab said.] His conscience told him that David did this out of curiosity and vainglory, whereof he foresaw the evil effects, {1Ch 21:3} and therefore doth what he can to dissuade him. And lest David should suspect that he did it out of any disaffection to him, he wisheth an increase of the people’s numbers; and that David might see it to his great joy and comfort.
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But why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?] q.d., Why art thou so set upon it, without any colour of cause, and merely for thy mind’s sake? A man that would consult with himself, could not but confess, that both himself and all men and means whereon he reposeth, are as much as nothing. But he doth with them as some folks do by dogs and monkeys; they know they be paltry carrion beasts, yet they set great store by them, and take great delight in them, for their mind’s sake only.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain What reason or necessity is there for this action?…
What reason or necessity is there for this action? It is to no purpose, and will be burdensome to thy people, and may offend God, and produce ill effects.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Joab said unto the king,.... Not so rudely…
And Joab said unto the king,.... Not so rudely and insolently as he did on account of his mourning for Absalom, but in a more modest, decent, and polite manner:
now the Lord thy God add unto the people (how many soever they be) an hundredfold; he wished his subjects were an hundred times more numerous than they were:
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and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it; that he might live to see with his own eyes so great an increase:
but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? he being now old, and therefore it might seem strange to indulge such curiosity, pride, and vanity, and besides quite needless and useless: the numbering of them would not make them more or less; and they were all the king's servants, who were ready to obey him whenever he needed them, whether numbered or not; and it might be prejudicial to them, and bring down the wrath of God upon them, as well as be a troublesome and expensive business; all which, though not expressed here, is hinted at in Ch1 21:3.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 3. Joab said unto the king] This very…
Verse 3. Joab 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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Sa 24:3-4. And Joab said, Now the Lord thy…
2Sa 24:3-4. And Joab said, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, &c. — Thus we see that this action of David was thought a very wrong step, even by Joab himself, who remonstrated against it, as apprehensive of the bad consequences that might attend it: and therefore Joab counted not Levi and Benjamin, (1Ch 21:6,) because the king’s word was abominable to him. Probably we do not understand all the circumstances of this affair; but Joab’s sense of it, who was no scrupulous man, shows that David’s conduct in it was extremely imprudent, and might subject his people to very great inconveniences. Against Joab, and against the captains of the host — Who joined, it seems, with Joab to divert the king from his purpose; in which, however, he was fixed and immoveable.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Thing. He speaks in stronger terms, and adds, (1…
Thing. He speaks in stronger terms, and adds, (1 Paralipomenon xxi. 3,) which may be imputed as a sin to Israel. Joab was not extremely religious: yet he perceived the evil consequences, and, along with the other captains, expressed his sentiments with more respect than on former occasions. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 3. The Lord thy God add unto the people…
3. The Lord thy God add unto the people — As much as to say, I delight in the numbers of Israel as much as thou, and pray God to add to them even in thy days a hundred fold.
Why… delight in this thing — Joab knew the king’s motives and opposed his designs, for he clearly saw that they were of evil omen to the nation.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 3. the Lord thy God add, &c.] Cp. Deu_1:11.
3. the Lord thy God add, &c.] Cp. Deu_1:11.
and that the eyes, &c.] That is, may it happen in the king’s life-time.
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why doth my lord, &c.] “Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” is the further explanation of Joab’s thoughts given in 1Ch_21:3. It is probable that a shrewd practical man like Joab, whose life shews no signs of being influenced by religious motives, opposed the king’s purpose more from the fear of exciting disaffection among the people by a scheme to increase the burdens of military service, than from a sense that the king’s spirit was displeasing to God, though the latter motive may not have been altogether absent.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (3) Why doth my lord?—Even in the eyes of…
(3) Why doth my lord?—Even in the eyes of the unscrupulous Joab David’s act was abominable. Joab never gives evidence of being influenced by religious motives, but his natural shrewdness sufficed to show him that David’s act was at variance with the fundamental principle of the national existence. Chronicles adds to Joab’s words, “Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” The strong objection of Joab shows that there was something obviously wrong in the action of David.
And against the captains.—Joab’s objections were sustained by his subordinate officers, and David carried through his sinful act by sheer force of self-will.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Why doth my lord the king delight in this…
Why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? Joab was an unscrupulous and irreligious man; but he was clear headed, and far more statesmanlike than David. (2Sa_19:5-7) He saw whither the king was drifting, and that the increase of the royal power, resulting from successful war, would be fatal to the liberties of Israel. Probably, too, though he had consented to carry out Uriah"s murder, yet he despised David for it. When he had murdered Abner to avenge Asahel, David had deprived him of his command, and he had to endure a long period of disgrace; and now David uses him to murder one altogether innocent. Joab, we may feel sure, noted the degradation of David"s character, and drew the conclusion that he was not the man to be trusted at the head of a military despotism. Warned thus by what he saw, his mind reverted to the principles of the theocracy, and their truth and value became more clear to his understanding; and honourably he remonstrates with David for violating them. Vers. 3, 4 (THE ROYAL COUNCIL CHAMBER.) (1Ch_21:3, 1Ch_21:4)
Unheeded remonstrance.
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This was not the first time that Joab remonstrated with David; (2Sa_3:24 2Sa_19:5) but his manner was now very different from what it had been before; arising, perhaps, from his recollection of the consequences of his former rudeness, (2Sa_19:13) and his fear of the displeasure of the king, whose authority was fully restored. His remonstrance appears to have been made in a council of the captains of the army, (2Sa_23:8) to whom the king declared his purpose, and by whom Joab"s objection to it was supported (ver. 4). As often happens in other instances, it was:
1. Greatly needed, on account of a sinful and dangerous course about to be pursued.
(1) Men of the most exalted position and excellent character sometimes go astray from the right path.
(2) The error of their way is often perceived by others, when they are blind to it themselves.
(3) One of the principal means of preventing their continuance therein is to reason, expostulate, and remonstrate with them concerning its real nature and probable consequences. (Psa_141:5)
2. Properly offered.
(1) By those to whom the matter is one of just concern. Joab was captain of the host; and, although a man of depraved character, he possessed a sound practical judgment, and had rendered great services to the nation and the king.
(2) From sincere conviction. "No man is so wicked but that sometimes he will dislike some evil, and it will be abominable (1Ch_21:6) to him" (Guild).
(3) On reasonable grounds. It can neither increase the number of the people (which is with God) nor the power and honour of the king (already supreme, (1Ch_21:3) and it will be "a cause of trespass." "Why doth my lord," etc.? "There are many who can give good counsel to others, for the avoiding of some sins, who in grosset trespasses have not grace to take good counsel themselves". (Mat_7:3)
(4) In a right spirit; devout, loyal, humble, and courteous. There is nothing to indicate that Joab was actuated by sinister motives; and the event justified the wisdom of his counsel.
3. Impatiently received, and imperfectly considered; it may be because of:
(1) Distrust of the person from whom it comes. "Let none look who gives the counsel, but what it is; and, if good, not to reject it for him who gives the same.
(2) A determination to have one"s own way; and the wish to show independence of and superiority to other persons.
(3) Dislike to the nature of the advice itself, and indisposition to abandon a course on which the heart is set.
4. Resolutely rejected and wholly overborne. "The word of the king prevailed," etc. His persistency in his purpose, after the remonstrance,
(1) increases his responsibility,
(2) aggravates his guilt
(3) consummates his transgression. "And Joab and the captains went out from the presence of the king," reluctantly to fulfil their commission; and it was only when it was well nigh accomplished (1Ch_27:24) that he became aware of his sin and folly. "Men seldom accomplish to good purpose those services in which they reluctantly engage; and God does not generally allow those whom he loves the satisfaction which they sinfully covet" (Scott). D.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 multiply ... hundred times
multiply ... hundred times
This means "produce 100 more people for every one person there is now." (See: Numbers)
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the king's word was final against Joab
Joab and the other commanders of King David's army were not able to convince David to not take a census.
the king's word
This phrase represents the king's command to them. AT: "what the king had commanded" (See: Synecdoche)
translationWords
Joab
king
Yahweh
God
lord
word
people group
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 24:3 why . . . do you want to…
24:3 why . . . do you want to do this? Joab either realized that such a move would be unpopular among the people, or he believed that it was wrong before God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.