1 Chronicles 21 · Verse 3

1 Chronicles 21:3

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?
1 Chronicles 21:3, King James Version

1 Chronicles 21:3 in other translations

BSBBut Joab replied, “May the LORD multiply His troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all servants of my lord? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”
WEBJoab said, “May the LORD 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?”
ASVAnd Joab said, Jehovah make his people a hundred times as many as they are: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of guilt unto Israel?
YLTAnd Joab saith, ‘Jehovah doth add to His people as they are a hundred times; are they not, my lord, O king, all of them to my lord for servants? why doth my lord seek this? why is he for a cause of guilt to Israel?'
DARBYAnd Joab said, Jehovah add to his people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold: are they not all, my lord O king, my lord's servants? why does my lord require this thing? why should he become a trespass to Israel?
BBEAnd Joab said, May the Lord make his people a hundred times more in number than they are; but, my lord king, are they not all my lord's servants? why would my lord have this done? why will he become a cause of sin to Israel?
WebsterAnd Joab answered, the LORD make his people a hundred times more numerous than they are: 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?

What does 1 Chronicles 21:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

1 Chronicles 21:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יוֹאָ֗בyo.'AvJoabH3097
יוֹסֵף֩yo.Sefmay he addH3254
יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahwehH3068
עַל\־'al-toH5921
עַמּ֤וֹ\׀a.Mopeople hisH5971
כָּהֵם֙ka.Hemlike them
מֵאָ֣הme.'Aha hundredH3967
פְעָמִ֔יםfe.'a.MimtimesH6471
הֲלֹא֙ha.Lo'¿ notH3808
אֲדֹנִ֣י'a.do.NiO lord myH113
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
כֻּלָּ֥םku.Lam[do] all of themH3605
לַאדֹנִ֖יla.do.Ni[belong] to lord myH113
לַעֲבָדִ֑יםla.'a.va.Dimto subjectsH5650
לָ֣מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
יְבַקֵּ֥שׁye.va.Keshdoes he seekH1245
זֹאת֙zoTthisH2063
אֲדֹנִ֔י'a.do.Nilord myH113
לָ֛מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
יִהְיֶ֥הyih.Yehwill it becomeH1961
לְאַשְׁמָ֖הle.'ash.Mah<into> guiltH819
לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃le.Yis.ra.'Elfor IsraelH3478

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Chronicles 21:3

  • Deuteronomy 1:11

    (The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

  • Genesis 20:9

    Then 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.

  • Proverbs 14:28

    In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

  • 1 Samuel 2:24

    Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.

  • Isaiah 26:15

    Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

  • Isaiah 48:19

    Thy 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.

  • Exodus 32:21

    And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

  • 1 Chronicles 19:13

    Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that which is good in his sight.

  • 1 Kings 14:16

    And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

  • Psalms 115:14

    The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

  • Numbers 32:9-10

    For 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 the Lord had given them. And the Lord’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Lord.
19:13; Ps 115:14; Pr 14:28; Isa 26:15; 48:19
why will.
Ge 20:9; Ex 32:21; Nu 32:9,10; 1Sa 2:24; 1Ki 14:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Chronicles 21:2

    And 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.

  • 1 Chronicles 21:3

    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?

  • 1 Chronicles 21:4

    Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

Read all of 1 Chronicles 21

1 Chronicles 21:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijo Joab: Añada Jehová á su pueblo cien veces otros tantos. Rey señor mío, ¿no son todos estos siervos de mi señor? ¿para qué procura mi señor esto, que será pernicioso á Israel?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Joab dit: Que l’ Éternel ajoute à son peuple 100 fois autant qu’il y en a! Ô roi, mon seigneur, ne sont-ils pas tous serviteurs de mon seigneur? Pourquoi mon seigneur cherche-t-il cela? Pourquoi la culpabilité en viendrait-elle sur Israël?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Joab sprach: Es möge Jehova zu seinem Volke, so viele ihrer sind, hundertmal hinzufügen! Sind sie nicht alle, mein Herr König, die Knechte meines Herrn? Warum begehrt mein Herr solches? Warum soll es Israel zur Schuld werden?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Responditque Joab: Augeat Dominus populum suum centuplum quam sunt: nonne, domine mi rex, omnes servi tui sunt? quare hoc quærit dominus meus, quod in peccatum reputetur Israëli?