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?] q.d., Why art thou so set upon it, without any colour of cause, and merely for thy mind's sake? A man that would consult with himself, could not but confess, that both himself and all men and means whereon he reposeth, are as much as nothing. But he doth with them as some folks do by dogs and monkeys; they know they be paltry carrion beasts, yet they set great store by them, and take great delight in them, for their mind's sake only.