Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 24:3
And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
3. the Lord thy God add, &c.] Cp. Deu 1:11.
and that the eyes, &c.] That is, may it happen in the king’s life-time.
why doth my lord, &c.] “Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” is the further explanation of Joab’s thoughts given in 1Ch 21:3. It is probable that a shrewd practical man like Joab, whose life shews no signs of being influenced by religious motives, opposed the king’s purpose more from the fear of exciting disaffection among the people by a scheme to increase the burdens of military service, than from a sense that the king’s spirit was displeasing to God, though the latter motive may not have been altogether absent.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
What reason or necessity is there for this action? It is to no purpose, and will be burdensome to thy people, and may offend God, and produce ill effects.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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
1Ch 21:3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Why doth my lord?Even in the eyes of the unscrupulous Joab Davids act was abominable. Joab never gives evidence of being influenced by religious motives, but his natural shrewdness sufficed to show him that Davids act was at variance with the fundamental principle of the national existence. Chronicles adds to Joabs words, Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? The strong objection of Joab shows that there was something obviously wrong in the action of David.
And against the captains.Joabs objections were sustained by his subordinate officers, and David carried through his sinful act by sheer force of self-will.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. The Lord thy God add unto the people As much as to say, I delight in the numbers of Israel as much as thou, and pray God to add to them even in thy days a hundred fold.
Why delight in this thing Joab knew the king’s motives and opposed his designs, for he clearly saw that they were of evil omen to the nation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 24:3. Joab said unto the king It is evident, that this action of David was thought a very wrong step, even by Joab himself, who remonstrated against it, as apprehensive of the bad consequences which might attend it: and therefore Joab counted not Levi and Benjamin, 1Ch 21:6 because the king’s word was abominable to him. Probably, we do not understand all the circumstances of this affair; but Joab’s sense of it, who was no scrupulous man, shews that David’s conduct in it was extremely imprudent, and might subject his people to very bad consequences.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(3) 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? (4) Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. (5) And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: (6) Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, (7) And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to 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) And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
It is worthy remark how ineffectual all advice is when grace leads us not. This childish gratification of David, to speak the best of it, seems to have had so little temptation to lead to the commission of this sin, that we only wonder, at times, how it is that believers, who had been victorious upon great temptations, have fallen by the less. But it is grace makes all the difference. If JESUS keep us, we are safe. If the holding up his arm be but for a moment withdrawn, all our strength gives way to the most pitiful temptation. One should have thought the number both of Israel and of Judah would have been greater. It was now about four hundred and thirty years from the time that Joshua brought the people into Canaan; and yet the increase had not been much above double in all that time.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 24:3 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?
Ver. 3. And Joab said. ] His conscience told him that David did this out of curiosity and vainglory, whereof he foresaw the evil effects, 1Ch 21:3 and therefore doth what he can to dissuade him. And lest David should suspect that he did it out of any disaffection to him, he wisheth an increase of the people’s numbers; and that David might see it to his great joy and comfort.
But why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Sa 10:12, 1Ch 21:3, 1Ch 21:4, Psa 115:14, Pro 14:28, Isa 60:5
Reciprocal: Deu 1:11 – make you 2Sa 24:21 – Wherefore 1Ki 1:37 – and make 1Ki 1:48 – mine eyes 2Ch 24:6 – Why hast thou Jon 1:10 – Why
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 24:3-4. And Joab said, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, &c. Thus we see that this action of David was thought a very wrong step, even by Joab himself, who remonstrated against it, as apprehensive of the bad consequences that might attend it: and therefore Joab counted not Levi and Benjamin, (1Ch 21:6,) because the kings word was abominable to him. Probably we do not understand all the circumstances of this affair; but Joabs sense of it, who was no scrupulous man, shows that Davids conduct in it was extremely imprudent, and might subject his people to very great inconveniences. Against Joab, and against the captains of the host Who joined, it seems, with Joab to divert the king from his purpose; in which, however, he was fixed and immoveable.