2 Samuel 24:3

Wycliffe Bible

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?

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?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
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?

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?"

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 strong veniaunce of the Lord addide to be wrooth ayens Israel [Note: of this that the Lord wolde punysche the puple, he suffride Dauyth to be reisid bi pride to the noumbring of the puple; wherfor the gloss of Gregre on this place seith thus, The dedis of gouernours ben disposid for the maneris of sugetis, that ofte for the yuel of the floc, the liyf yhe of a good schepparde trespassith, for Dauyth was preisid bi God witnesse, and he was blowun with the bolnyng of sudeyn pride, and synnede in noumbringe puple, and the puple resseyuede peyne; for the hertis of gouernours ben disposid, vp the meritis of the puplis. The synne of the puple for which it was punyschid, is not expressid in the text, but in the book of Ebreu questiouns it is seid, that this was herfor, for the puple ayen stood not Dauyth as it ouyte, in the dede of Vrie, but for this dede was priuy til it was al doon; the puple myyte not withstonde Dauyth in the synne to be lettid, and aftir that this synne cam in to the knowing of the puple, the puple ouyte not to punysche it, for the peyne was determynd thanne of God, as it is opin in xii. co. bi the wordis of Nathan, therfor it is seid betere, that the synne of the puple, was the rebelte therof ayenus Dauyth in suynge Siba, sone of Bothry, that was the worste man and ful of dissencioun, and Siba aloone was punyschid for this rebelte. ], and he stiride in hem Dauid, seiynge to Joab, Go thou, and noumbre thou Israel and Juda. ² And the kyng seide to Joab, the prince of his oost, Go thou bi alle lynagis of Israel fro Dan `til to Bersabee, and noumbre thou the puple, that Y wite the noumbre therof. <sup>3</sup> 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? ⁴ Sotheli the word of the kyng ouer cam the wordis of Joab, and of the princes of the oost; and Joab yede out, and the princes of the knyytis, fro the face of the kyng, that thei schulden noumbre the puple of Israel. ⁵ And whanne thei hadden passid Jordan, thei camen in to Aroer, to the riyt side of the citee which is in the valei of Gad; ⁶ and thei passiden bi Jazer in to Galaad, and in to the lowere lond of Odsi, and camen in to the wodi places of Dan; and thei cumpassiden bisidis Sidon, ⁷ and passiden nyy the wallis of Tire, and nyy al the lond of Euei, and of Chananei; and thei camen to the south of Juda, in Bersabee. ⁸ And whanne al the lond was cumpassid, thei camen aftir nyne monethis and twenti daies in to Jerusalem. ⁹ Therfor Joab yaf the noumbre of discriuyng of the puple to the kyng. And of Israel weren foundun nyne hundryd thousynd [Note: in I. book of Paralip. xxi. co. is a thousinde, and an hundrid thousinde; here is set the lesse noumbre, and there the gretter noumbre, and of Juda is set there the lesse noumbre, and here the gretter. ] of stronge men, that drewen out swerd; and of Juda fyue hundrid thousynde of fiyteris.

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 sones of God seiyen the douytris of men that thei weren faire, and token wyues to hem of alle whiche thei hadden chose.

Genesis 6:4
Sotheli giauntis weren on erthe in tho daies, forsothe aftir that the sones of God entriden to the douytris of men, and tho douytris gendriden; these weren myyti of the world and famouse men.

Genesis 14:19
and he blesside Abram, and seide, Blessid be Abram of hiy God, that made heuene and erthe of nouyt,

Genesis 14:22
And Abram answerde to hym, Y reyse myn hondis to the hiy Lord God,

Genesis 21:23
therfore swere thou bi God that thou noye not me, and myn eiris, and my kynrede; but bi the mersi whych Y dide to thee, do thou to me, and to the lond in which thou lyuedist a comelyng.

Genesis 24:3
that Y coniure thee bi the Lord God of heuene and of erthe, that thou take not a wijf to my sone of the douytris of Chanaan, among whiche Y dwelle;

Genesis 24:4
but that thou go to my lond and kynrede, and therof take a wijf to my sone Ysaac.

Genesis 24:14
therfor the damysel to which Y schal seie, Bowe doun thi watir pot that Y drynke, and schal answere, Drynke thou, but also Y schal yyue drynke to thi camels, thilke it is which thou hast maad redi to thi seruaunt Ysaac; and bi this Y schal vndirstonde that thou hast do mersi with my lord Abraham.

Genesis 24:15
And he hadde not yit fillid the wordis with ynne hym silf, and lo! Rebecca, the douytir of Batuel, sone of Melcha, wijf of Nachor, brothir of Abraham, yede out, hauynge a watir pot in hir schuldre;

Genesis 24:17
And the seruaunt mette hir, and seide, Yyue thou to me a litil of the watir of thi pot to drynke.

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.