2 Samuel 24:3 - Forerunner Commentary

2 Samuel 24:3

David’s Census of Israel and Judah

1 Again ^athe anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, ^b“Go, number Israel and Judah.”

2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, ^afrom Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that ^bI may know the number of the people.”

3 And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God ^aadd 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?”

4 Nevertheless the king’s word¹ prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in ^aAroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward ^bJazer.

6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to ^aDan Jaan and around to ^bSidon;

7 and they came to the stronghold of ^aTyre and to all the cities of the ^bHivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba.

8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. ^aAnd there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

The Judgment on David’s Sin

10 And ^aDavid’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So ^bDavid said to the Lord, ^c“I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have ^ddone very foolishly.”

Verse Comparison: 2 Samuel 24:3

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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?

Amplified® Bible
And Joab said to the king, May the Lord your God add a hundred times as many people as there are, and let the eyes of my lord the king see it; 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?"

Darby English Version
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?

Good News Bible
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?"

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?

New American Standard Bible
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?"

New International Version
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?"

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?”

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
But Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they have become, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this 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?"

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?'

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David’s Census of Israel and Judah

The Judgment on David’s Sin

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning