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Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Contemporary English Version

1 Chronicles 21:6

Joab refused to include anyone from the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he still disagreed with David's orders.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Benjamin;   Census;   Conscience;   Integrity;   Israel;   Rulers;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Army;   Census;   Joab;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Number;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Joash;   Temple;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Joab;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king’s command was detestable to him.
Hebrew Names Version
But he didn't count Levi and Binyamin among them; for the king's word was abominable to Yo'av.
King James Version
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
English Standard Version
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.
New Century Version
But Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he didn't like King David's order.
New English Translation
Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king's edict disgusted him.
Amplified Bible
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king's order was detestable to Joab.
New American Standard Bible
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.
World English Bible
But he didn't count Levi and Benjamin among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But the Leuites and Beniamin counted he not among them: for the Kings worde was abominable to Ioab.
Legacy Standard Bible
But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's command was abominable to Joab.
Berean Standard Bible
But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count, because the king's command was detestable to him.
Complete Jewish Bible
But he didn't count Levi and Binyamin among them, because the king's order was hateful to Yo'av.
Darby Translation
But Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin because he did not like King David's order.
George Lamsa Translation
But the Levites, the priests, and the tribe of Benjamin were not counted among them; for the kings word was abominable to Joab, and Joab was unwilling to number them.
Good News Translation
Because Joab disapproved of the king's command, he did not take any census of the tribes of Levi and Benjamin.
Lexham English Bible
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the word of the king was repulsive to Joab.
Literal Translation
And Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them, for the word of the king was loathsome to Joab.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As for Leui and Ben Iamin, he nombred them not amonge these: for the kynges worde was abhominable vnto Ioab.
American Standard Version
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
Bible in Basic English
But Levi and Benjamin were not numbered among them, for Joab was disgusted with the king's order.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the Leuites and Beniamin counted he not among them: For the kinges word was abhominable to Ioab.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
King James Version (1611)
But Leui and Beniamin counted hee not among them: for the kings word was abominable to Ioab.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But he numbered not Levi and Benjamin among them; for the word of the king was painful to Joab.
English Revised Version
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Joab noumbride not Leuy and Beniamyn, for ayens his wille he dide the comaundement of the kyng.
Update Bible Version
But Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them; for the king's word was disgusting to Joab.
Webster's Bible Translation
But Levi and Benjamin he counted not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
New King James Version
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
New Living Translation
But Joab did not include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the census because he was so distressed at what the king had made him do.
New Life Bible
But Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin among them because he did not like what the king had told him to do.
New Revised Standard
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, Levi and Benjamin, counted he not among them, - for detestable was the word of the king unto Joab.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But Levi and Benjamin he did not number: for Joab unwillingly executed the king’s orders.
Revised Standard Version
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Jo'ab.
Young's Literal Translation
And Levi and Benjamin he hath not numbered in their midst, for the word of the king was abominable with Joab.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.

Contextual Overview

1 Satan decided to cause trouble for Israel by making David think it was a good idea to find out how many people there were in Israel and Judah. 2 David told Joab and the army commanders, "Count everyone in Israel, from the town of Beersheba in the south all the way north to Dan. Then I will know how many people can serve in my army." 3 Joab answered, "Your Majesty, even if the Lord made your kingdom a hundred times larger, you would still rule everyone in it. Why do you need to know how many soldiers there are? Don't you think that would make the whole nation angry?" 4 But David would not change his mind. And so Joab went everywhere in Israel and Judah and counted the people. He returned to Jerusalem 5 and told David that the total number of men who could serve in the army was one million one hundred thousand in Israel and four hundred seventy thousand in Judah. 6 Joab refused to include anyone from the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he still disagreed with David's orders.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Levi: Numbers 1:47-49

Joab: 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 11:15-21, 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 24:9 - eight hundred thousand 1 Kings 3:8 - cannot Luke 6:41 - but

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
Abraham bowed with his face to the ground and thought, "I am almost a hundred years old. How can I become a father? And Sarah is ninety. How can she have a child?" So he started laughing.
Genesis 21:12
But God said, "Abraham, don't worry about your slave woman and the boy. Just do what Sarah tells you. Isaac will inherit your family name,
Genesis 21:15
and after they had run out of water, Hagar put her son under a bush.
Genesis 21:22
About this time Abimelech and his army commander Phicol said to Abraham, "God blesses everything you do!
Genesis 21:27
Abraham gave Abimelech some sheep and cattle, and then the two men made a peace treaty.
Genesis 21:28
Abraham separated seven female lambs from his flock of sheep,
Psalms 113:9
When a wife has no children, he blesses her with some, and she is happy. Shout praises to the Lord !
Psalms 126:2
We celebrated with laughter and joyful songs. In foreign nations it was said, "The Lord has worked miracles for his people."
Isaiah 49:15
The Lord answered, "Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast? Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? Even if a mother could forget, I will never forget you.
Isaiah 49:21
and Jerusalem will ask, "Am I really their mother? How could I have given birth when I was still mourning in a foreign land? Who raised these children? Where have they come from?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

See Gill "1Ch 21:1".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To omit the Levites would be to follow the precedent recorded in Numbers 1:47-49. The omission of Benjamin must he ascribed to a determination on the part of Joab to frustrate the king’s intention, whereby he might hope to avert God’s wrath from the people.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Chronicles 21:6. Levi and Benjamin counted he not — The rabbins give the following reason for this: Joab, seeing that this would bring down destruction upon the people, purposed to save two tribes. Should David ask, Why have you not numbered the Levites? Joab purposed to say, Because the Levites are not reckoned among the children of Israel. Should he ask, Why have you not numbered Benjamin? he would answer, Benjamin has been already sufficiently punished, on account of the treatment of the woman at Gibeah: if, therefore, this tribe were to be again punished, who would remain?


 
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