1 Chronicles 21:3 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?
1 Chronicles 21:3 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?"
1 Chronicles 21:3 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?"
1 Chronicles 21:3 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?"
1 Chronicles 21:3 nlt
But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?"
1 Chronicles 21 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 1:10-11 | "The LORD your God has multiplied you, and indeed, you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude... May the LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are..." | God's promised increase |
| Exod 30:12 | "When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for his soul to the LORD..." | Census requiring a ransom |
| Num 1:2-3 | "Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families... from twenty years old and above, all who are able to go to war in Israel..." | God-commanded census for war/military |
| 2 Sam 24:1 | "Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David to go against them and say, 'Go and count Israel and Judah.'" | Parallel account, God's anger & incitement |
| 2 Sam 24:10 | "And David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done...'" | David's confession of sin |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." | Trust in God over human might |
| Ps 33:16-17 | "No king is saved by the size of his army... A horse is a false hope for deliverance..." | Human strength is insufficient |
| Prov 11:14 | "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." | Value of wise counsel |
| Prov 12:15 | "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel." | Wisdom of heeding advice |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." | Danger of pride |
| Isa 31:1 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots... but do not look to the Holy One of Israel..." | Reliance on human power, not God |
| Jer 9:23-24 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might... but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me...'" | Glorying in God, not self |
| Ezek 14:13-20 | "When a land sins against Me by unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it... Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves..." | Leaders' sin impacts the nation |
| Hab 1:5-11 | Describes the Babylonians whose "strength is their god" and whose power swells due to pride. | Arrogance from reliance on power |
| Matt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters..." | Undivided loyalty to God |
| 1 Cor 10:11-12 | "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written for our instruction... Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." | Old Testament events as warnings |
| Gal 5:1 | "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." | Christian liberty, avoiding legalism |
| Gal 6:7 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | Principle of sowing and reaping |
| Rom 15:4 | "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." | Learning from Old Testament accounts |
| Heb 3:12 | "See to it, brothers, that there is not in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God." | Warning against unbelief and sin |
| Jas 4:6 | "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." | God's stance against pride |
| 1 John 2:16 | "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." | Warning against the "pride of life" |
1 Chronicles 21 verses
1 Chronicles 21 3 Meaning
Joab's response to King David's command for a census reflects profound concern and spiritual insight. He immediately discerns that the king's motivation is rooted in a misdirected trust in numbers rather than divine provision. Joab expresses a hopeful wish for God's infinite blessing of multiplication upon Israel, while simultaneously challenging David's intentions and foresightedly warning of the national culpability and severe divine judgment that would result from such an action. His words serve as a strong remonstrance against a leadership decision perceived as both unnecessary and spiritually perilous.
1 Chronicles 21 3 Context
First Chronicles chapter 21 opens with a significant spiritual battle: Satan stands against Israel and incites David to count the people. This act, while seemingly administrative, carries profound spiritual implications of pride and reliance on human strength over divine power and provision. Joab, often portrayed as a pragmatic and ruthless military commander, offers remarkably insightful and fervent counsel, urging David to reconsider. Despite this strong warning and the counsel of the other commanders (as implied in the parallel account in 2 Samuel 24), David insists on the census. This disobedience directly leads to divine judgment in the form of a devastating plague upon Israel, highlighting the immense responsibility of leaders and the communal impact of their actions in the covenant relationship with God. The historical context is David's later reign, a period of established monarchy, where the focus subtly shifts from initial conquests to internal stability and the preparations for the Temple. The Chronicler emphasizes God's sovereign control and the dire consequences of presumptuous sin, preparing the way for the Temple's foundation as a place of atonement and God's dwelling.
1 Chronicles 21 3 Word analysis
- But Joab replied: The Hebrew word wa'ya'an (וַיַּעַן), "and he replied," introduces Joab's immediate and emphatic opposition. Joab, though a fierce military general, here surprisingly demonstrates spiritual insight beyond his typical role, highlighting a moment of unusual wisdom or moral clarity. His reply indicates a direct challenge to the king's instruction.
- 'May the LORD add to His people': Yosef YHWH 'al 'ammo (יוֹסֵף יְהוָה עַל־עַמּוֹ). "May the LORD add" is a blessing and a direct appeal to God's covenantal promise of multiplying Israel (Gen 22:17, Exod 1:7). It subtly counteracts David's human-centric approach by advocating for divine, rather than human, means of increase and strength. It's a wish for genuine, God-given prosperity.
- 'a hundred times as many as they are!': Mē'ah 'eleph (מֵאָה אֶלֶף), literally "a hundred thousand" or "a hundred of thousands." This is a hyperbole expressing Joab's fervent desire for exponential, divinely-blessed growth for Israel. It underscores that God alone provides abundance and true power, negating the need for human attempts to quantify and rely on numbers.
- 'My lord the king': Adoni ha-Melekh (אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ). This deferential address indicates Joab's respect for David's authority even while challenging his judgment, making his strong remonstrance even more striking.
- 'are they not all my lord’s servants?': A rhetorical question (Halo'-lo' kulam 'adonai 'avadim? הֲלוֹא־כֻלָּם אֲדֹנִי עֲבָדִים?). Joab highlights that David already possesses a vast, loyal, and capable army. Their strength and loyalty do not need to be quantified through a census, implying that such an act is superfluous and questions their current commitment or sufficiency. It suggests that a census indicates a lack of trust in existing resources or, more deeply, in God.
- 'Why does my lord seek this thing?': Lamah yebaqqesh 'adoni 'et ha-davar ha-zeh? (לָמָּה יְבַקֵּשׁ אֲדֹנִי אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה). This challenges David's underlying motivation. "Seek this thing" (davar) implies a delving into something unholy or unnecessary, probing the very reason for the king's insistence. It casts doubt on the purity or wisdom of the desire itself.
- 'Why should it bring guilt upon Israel?': Wela'mah yihyeh le'ashmah le-Yisrael? (וְלָמָּה יִהְיֶה לְאַשְׁמָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). Ashmah (אַשְׁמָה) denotes "guilt," "offense," or the "punishment/penalty for sin." Joab wisely anticipates divine retribution for the national pride and distrust in God implied by David’s command, showing an understanding of corporate responsibility under the covenant. He foresees dire consequences for the whole community due to the king's sin.
- "May the LORD add... a hundred times as many...": This phrase encapsulates Joab's correct theological perspective: true strength and blessing come from God's gracious multiplication, not from human effort to quantify or boast in numbers. It stands in direct contrast to the pride that a census often implies.
- "Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should it bring guilt upon Israel?": These two questions linked by repetition demonstrate Joab's clear discernment of the motive and the consequence. He moves from questioning David's hidden intention to predicting the devastating communal impact, underscoring that sin against God by a leader directly harms the entire nation under a covenantal relationship.
1 Chronicles 21 3 Bonus section
- The contrast between the "natural man" (Joab the warrior) offering sound spiritual counsel and the "man after God's own heart" (David) acting foolishly is a significant theme. It serves as a reminder that spiritual discernment can sometimes arise from unexpected sources, and even the most godly individuals are susceptible to sin and ignoring wise advice.
- The Chronicler's version of the census specifically attributes the incitement to "Satan," unlike the parallel in 2 Samuel 24 which states "the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David." This shift emphasizes the direct opposition of spiritual evil (Satan) to Israel's well-being, while still acknowledging God's ultimate sovereignty even over evil influences in allowing this trial to occur. It frames David's lapse as both a personal failure and a response to external spiritual attack.
- Joab's objection reflects a broader understanding within Israel that excessive reliance on military might, or an obsession with sheer numbers, could lead to a departure from dependence on the Almighty. Such an act could be interpreted as trust in the arm of flesh, forbidden under the covenant.
1 Chronicles 21 3 Commentary
Joab's strong dissuasion to King David's census command reveals his understanding of a deeper spiritual principle. He recognized that the proposed numbering, unlike earlier God-sanctioned censuses in Numbers for specific purposes, sprang from David's pride or a desire to rely on human military strength rather than divine power. Joab’s blessing for God to supernaturally multiply Israel signifies the right perspective—that the nation's strength lay in God’s blessing, not in a tabulated roster. His prophetic warning about "guilt upon Israel" powerfully underscores the grave consequences for the entire nation when its leader acts contrary to God’s will. This account teaches about discerning true motives behind actions and the heavy responsibility of leadership, where personal sin can bring corporate suffering.