1 Chronicles 21:6
New International Version
But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him.

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.

English Standard Version
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king’s command was abhorrent 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.

King James Bible
But Levi and Benjamin counted he 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 American Standard Bible
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

NASB 1995
But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

NASB 1977
But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

Legacy Standard Bible
But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abominable to Joab.

Amplified Bible
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king’s order was detestable to Joab.

Christian Standard Bible
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king’s command was detestable to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king’s command was detestable to him.

American Standard Version
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Levites and the Priests and the tribe of the house of Benjamin were not numbered with them, because Yuab despised the word of the King, and Yuab chose not to count them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But he numbered not Levi and Benjamin among them; for the word of the king was painful to Joab.

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

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Levi and Benjamin he did not number: for Joab unwillingly executed the king's orders.

English Revised Version
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joab didn't include Levi and Benjamin in the number because he was disgusted with the king's order.

Good News Translation
Because Joab disapproved of the king's command, he did not take any census of the tribes of Levi and Benjamin.

International Standard Version
Levi and Benjamin were not included in the census, because what the king had commanded was unethical to Joab.

JPS Tanakh 1917
But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

Literal Standard Version
And he has not numbered Levi and Benjamin in their midst, for the word of the king was abominable with Joab.

Majority Standard Bible
But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count, because the king’s command was detestable to him.

New American Bible
Levi and Benjamin, however, he did not include in the census, for the king’s command was repugnant to Joab.

NET Bible
Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king's edict disgusted him.

New Revised Standard Version
But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

New Heart English Bible
But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Levi and Benjamin he counted not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

World English Bible
But he didn’t count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.

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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Military Census
5And Joab reported to David the total number of the troops. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, including 470,000 in Judah. 6But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count, because the king’s command was detestable to him.

Cross References
1 Chronicles 21:7
This command was also evil in the sight of God; so He struck Israel.

1 Chronicles 27:24
Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. For because of this census wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not entered in the Book of the Chronicles of King David.


Treasury of Scripture

But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

Levi

Numbers 1:47-49
But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them…

Joab

2 Samuel 3:27
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

2 Samuel 11:15-21
And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die…

2 Samuel 20:9,10
And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him…

Jump to Previous
Abhorrent Abominable Benjamin Command Count Counted Disgusted Include Joab Jo'ab King's Levi Midst Numbered Numbering Order Repulsive Word
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Abhorrent Abominable Benjamin Command Count Counted Disgusted Include Joab Jo'ab King's Levi Midst Numbered Numbering Order Repulsive Word
1 Chronicles 21
1. David, tempted by Satan, forces Joab to number the people
5. The number of the people being brought, David repents of it
9. David having three plagues proposed by God, chooses the pestilence
14. After the death of 70,000, David by repentance prevents the destruction of Jerusalem
18. David, by Gad's direction, purchases Ornan's threshing floor;
26. where having built an altar, God gives a sign of his favor by fire.
28. David sacrifices there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel














(6) But Levi . . .--This verse is wanting in Samuel, but it probably existed in the original source. There is nothing in the style to suggest a later hand; while the word "counted" (p?qad), which has not been used before in this chapter, occurs twice in the parallel passage (2Samuel 24:2; 2Samuel 24:4). It is noticeable also that the chronicler writes "the king" (not "David") here, as in Samuel.

As regards the fact stated, we may observe that the sacerdotal tribe of Levi would naturally be exempted from a census taken for military or political purposes. (Comp. Numbers 1:47; Numbers 1:49.) And 1Chronicles 27:24 expressly asserts that the census was not completed; a result with which Joab's disapprobation of the scheme may have had much to do. The order in which the tribes were numbered (2Samuel 24:4-8; see 1Chronicles 21:4) makes it likely that Judah and Benjamin were to have been taken last, and that, after numbering Judah, Joab repaired to the capital, where he was ordered by the king to desist from the undertaking. Josephus (Antiq. vii. 13, 1) speaks as if Joab had not had time to include Benjamin in the census. He may have feared to give offence to the tribe of Saul. . . .

Verse 6. - Averse to his task as Joab was, he may have been indebted to the memory of the exemption of Levi from census for the idea of enlarging upon it and omitting Benjamin as well. The important contents of this short verse are not found in Samuel, so that we can borrow no light thence. But Benjamin was "the least of the tribes" (Judges 21:1-23), and Peele has suggested that God would not permit the numbers of either of these tribes to be lessened, as he foresaw that they would be faithful to the throne of David on the division of the kingdom. Others think that the omission of these tribes in the census may have been due to Joab's recall to Jerusalem before the completion of the work, and to the king's repentance in the interim cutting off the necessity of completing it. This little agrees, however, with the resolute tone and assigned reason contained in this verse. Peele's explanation, meantime, explains nothing in respect of the statement that the king's word was abominable to Joab.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But [Joab] did not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

include
פָקַ֖ד (p̄ā·qaḏ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

Levi
וְלֵוִי֙ (wə·lê·wî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3878: Levi -- a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him

and Benjamin
וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן (ū·ḇin·yā·min)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites

in the count,
בְּתוֹכָ֑ם (bə·ṯō·w·ḵām)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the king’s
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

command
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

was detestable
נִתְעַ֥ב (niṯ·‘aḇ)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8581: To loathe, detest

to
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

him.
יוֹאָֽב׃ (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 21:6 But he didn't count Levi and Benjamin (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 21:5
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