2 Samuel 24:3

Myles Coverdale Bible

Ioab sayde vnto the kynge: The LORDE thy God adde vnto this people an hundreth tymes as moch as it is now, that my lorde the kynge maye se his eyes lust theron. But why hath my lorde the kynge a desyre to this thinge?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times more than they are—while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?”

Hebrew Names Version
Yo'av said to the king, Now the LORD 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?

King James Version
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?

English Standard Version
But Joab said to the king, "May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

New Century Version
But Joab said to the king, "May the Lord your God give you a hundred times more people, and may my master the king live to see this happen. Why do you want to do this?"

New English Translation
Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?"

Amplified Bible
But Joab said to the king, "May the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as there are, and let the eyes of my lord the king see it; but why does my lord the king want to do this thing?"

New American Standard Bible
But Joab said to the king, "May the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king can still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ioab saide vnto the King, The Lorde thy God increase the people an hundreth folde mo then they be, and that the eyes of my lorde the King may see it: but why doeth my lord the King desire this thing?

Legacy Standard Bible
But Joab said to the king, "Now may Yahweh your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

Contemporary English Version
Joab answered, "I hope the Lord your God will give you a hundred times more soldiers than you already have. I hope you will live to see that day! But why do you want to do a thing like this?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Yo'av said to the king, "May Adonai your God add to the people a hundredfold, no matter how many there are; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king take pleasure in doing this?"

Darby Translation
And Joab said to the king, May Jehovah thy God even add to the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

Easy-to-Read Version
But Joab said to the king, "May the Lord your God give you 100 times as many people, no matter how many there are! And may your eyes see this thing happen. But why do you want to do this?"

George Lamsa Translation
And Joab said to the king, May the LORD your God add to the people a hundredfold, howsoever many they be, so that the eyes of my lord the king may see it; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

Good News Translation
But Joab answered the king, "Your Majesty, may the Lord your God make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now, and may you live to see him do it. But why does Your Majesty want to do this?"

Lexham English Bible
Then Joab said to the king, "May Yahweh your God increase the people a hundred times what they are as the eyes of my lord the king are seeing. But my lord the king, why does he desire this thing?"

Literal Translation
And Joab said to the king, Yea, may Jehovah your God add to the people, however many they may be, a hundredfold. And may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

American Standard Version
And Joab said unto the king, Now Jehovah 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?

Bible in Basic English
And Joab said to the king, Whatever the number of the people, may the Lord make it a hundred times as much, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king take pleasure in doing this thing?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ioab saide vnto the king: The Lorde thy God encrease the people an hundreth folde mo then they be, & that the eyes of my lorde the king may see it: And what is the cause that my lorde the king hath a lust to this thyng?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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?'

King James Version (1611)
And Ioab sayde vnto the King, Now the Lord thy God adde vnto the people (how many soeuer they be) an hundred folde, and that the eyes of my lorde the king may see it: but why doeth my lord the king delight in this thing?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joab said to the king, Now may the Lord add to the people a hundred-fold as many as they are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king desire this thing?

English Revised Version
And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

Berean Standard Bible
But Joab replied to the king, "May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Joab seide to the kyng, Thi Lord God encresse to this puple, `hou greet it is now, and eft multiplie he an hundrid fold in the siyt of my lord the kyng; but what wole my lord the kyng to hym silf in sich a thing?

Young's Literal Translation
And Joab saith unto the king, `Yea, Jehovah thy God doth add unto the people, as they are, a hundred times, and the eyes of my lord the king are seeing; and my lord the king, why is he desirous of this thing?'

Update Bible Version
And Joab said to the king, May Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, a hundredfold; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joab said to the king, Now the LORD thy God add to the people, how many soever they may be, a hundred-fold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

World English Bible
Joab said to the king, Now 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?

New King James Version
And Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?"

New Living Translation
But Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God let you live to see a hundred times as many people as there are now! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this?"

New Life Bible
But Joab said to the king, "May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are. And may it be while the eyes of my lord the king still see. But why does my lord the king find this thing pleasing?"

New Revised Standard
But Joab said to the king, "May the Lord your God increase the number of the people a hundredfold, while the eyes of my lord the king can still see it! But why does my lord the king want to do this?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Joab unto the king - Yea, Yahweh thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and suffer the eyes of my lord the king, to see it, - but, my lord the king, wherefore doth he find pleasure in this thing?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Joab said to the king: The Lord thy God increase thy people, and make them as many more as they are now, and again multiply them a hundredfold in the sight of my lord the king: but what meaneth my lord the king by this kind of thing?

Revised Standard Version
But Jo'ab said to the king, "May the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

THE MESSAGE
But Joab resisted the king: "May your God multiply people by the hundreds right before the eyes of my master the king, but why on earth would you do a thing like this?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

Contextual Overview

¹ And the LORDE was wrothfully displeased of ye new agaynst Israel, and moued Dauid amonge them, because he saide: Go, nombre Israel and Iuda. ² And the kynge sayde vnto Ioab ye chefe captayne of his hoost: Go aboute in all the trybes of Israel, from Dan vnto Berseba, and nombre the people, that I maye knowe how many they be. ³ Ioab sayde vnto the kynge: The LORDE thy God adde vnto this people an hundreth tymes as moch as it is now, that my lorde the kynge maye se his eyes lust theron. But why hath my lorde the kynge a desyre to this thinge? ⁴ Neuertheles the kynges worde preuayled agaynst Ioab and the captaynes of the hoost.So Ioab and ye captaynes of the hoost wente forth from the kynge, to nombre the people of Israel, ⁵ and passed ouer Iordane, and pitched at Aroer, at the righte hande of the cite which lyeth in ye ryuer of Gad, and at Iaseer, ⁶ & came to Gilead, and in the lowe countre of Hadsi, and came vnto Dan Iaan, and aboute Sidon, ⁷ and came to the stronge cite of Tyrus, and all the cities of the Heuites and Cananites, and came forth to the south parte of Iuda vnto Berseba, ⁸ and wete rounde aboute that countre, and after nyne monethes and twenty daies they came to Ierusalem. ⁹ And Ioab delyuered vnto ye kynge the summe of the people that was nombred. And in Israel there were eight C. thousande stronge men, that drue out the swerde: and in Iuda fyue hundreth thousande men.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Samuel 10:12, 1 Chronicles 21:3, 1 Chronicles 21:4, Psalms 115:14, Proverbs 14:28, Isaiah 60:5

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 1:11 - make you 2 Samuel 24:21 - Wherefore 1 Kings 1:37 - and make 1 Kings 1:48 - mine eyes 2 Chronicles 24:6 - Why hast thou Jonah 1:10 - Why

Cross-References

Genesis 6:2
the children of God sawe the doughters of men, that they were fayre, and toke vnto the wyues soch as they liked.

Genesis 6:4
There were giauntes also in the worlde at that tyme. For whan the children of God had lyen with the daughters of men, and begotten them children, ye same (children) became mightie in the worlde, and men of renowne.

Genesis 14:19
blessed him and sayde: Blessed be thou Abram vnto the most hye God possessor of heauen and earth.

Genesis 14:22
But Abram sayde vnto the kinge of Sodome: I lift vp my honde vnto the LORDE the most hye God, possessor of heauen and earth,

Genesis 21:23
Therfore sweare now vnto me by God, that thou wilt not hurt me, ner my children, ner my childers children: but that thou shalt shewe vnto me (and to the londe wherin thou art a straunger) the same kyndnesse that I haue done vnto the.

Genesis 24:3
I maye make the sweare by ye LORDE the God of heauen and earth, that thou take no wife vnto my sonne amonge ye doughters of ye Cananites, (amonge whom I dwell)

Genesis 24:4
but that thou go in to my countre? and to myne owne kynred, and brynge my sonne Isaac a wife.

Genesis 24:14
Now yf there come a damsell, to whom I saye: bowe downe thy pytcher, & let me drynke, and yf she saye: drynke, and I wyll geue ye Camels drynke also: That ye same be she, whom thou hast prouyded for thy seruaunt Isaac: & that I maye knowe by ye same that thou hast shewed mercy vpon my master.

Genesis 24:15
And or euer he had left of speakynge, beholde, Rebecca the doughter of Bethuel (which was the sonne of Milca, that was the wyfe of Nahor Abrahams brother) came forth, and bare a pytcher vpon hir shulder,

Genesis 24:17
Then ranne the seruaunt to mete her, and sayde: Let me drynke a litle water out of yi pitcher.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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:

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

1 Chronicles 21:3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 24:3. 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.