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1 Chronicles 21:6

in 1 Chronicles 21

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

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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

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This verse in 1 Chronicles 21

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

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?

This site's exposition

the king's word prevailed

on 1 Chronicles 21:4-6

Joab's count reaches every tribe, and Chronicles gives its own total, one million one hundred thousand swordsmen in Israel and four hundred seventy thousand in Judah, figures that differ from Samuel's eight hundred thousand and five hundred thousand. Chronicles alone states why Levi and Benjamin are left out: the king's word was abominable to Joab, and the tally breaks off before those two tribes are numbered. Albert Barnes reads the differing totals as evidence of an unfinished census recorded at two different stages rather than a contradiction to be resolved.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Time was when whatever king David did pleased all the people, 2 Sam. iii. But now there was a general disgust at these orders, which confirmed Joab in his dislike of them, so that, though the produce of this muster was really very great, yet he had no heart to perfect it, but left two tribes unnumbered (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O L ORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v17

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Levi and Benjamin counted he not--If this census was ordered with a view to the imposition of taxes, this alone would account for Levi, who were not warriors (1Ch 21:5), not being numbered (see on Nu 1:47-54).
To omit the Levites would be to follow the precedent recorded in Num 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.

The words behind it

11 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְלֵוִי֙and Levi

    veleviH3878 →59 times

  • וּבִנְיָמִ֔ןand Benjamin

    uvinyaminH1144 →166 times

  • לֹ֥אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • פָקַ֖דhe enrolled

    fakadH6485 →303 times

  • בְּתוֹכָ֑םin midst of them

    betokhamH8432 →418 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • נִתְעַ֥בit was abhorred

    nitavH8581 →

  • דְּבַר־[the] word of

    devar-H1697 →1440 times

  • הַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H854 →929 times

  • יוֹאָֽב׃Joab

    yoavH3097 →144 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Luke 6:41Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?4 worksPsalms 30:1I will exalt You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me.4 works1 Chronicles 27:24Joab 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.3 worksNumbers 1:47The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers.3 works2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.1 works2 Samuel 11:15–21In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”1 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Samuel 20:9–10“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.1 works

The walk

7 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 3:27

    When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 20:9–10

      “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

    • 1 Kings 2:5

      Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them…

    • Deuteronomy 27:24

      ‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

    • 1 Kings 2:32

      The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to…

    • 2 Samuel 2:19–23

      and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.

  • Through

    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…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 24:1–15

      Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

    • 1 Chronicles 21:1–17

      Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 1 Chronicles

Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 21 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Chronicles 21 →