1 Chronicles 21:17

David said to God, “I am [RHQ] the one who ordered the men who could be in the army to be counted. I am the one who has sinned and done what is very wrong, but these people are as innocent as [MET] sheep. They have certainly not [RHQ] done anything that is wrong. So Yahweh my God, punish [IDM] me and my family, but do not allow this plague to continue to cause your people to become sick and die.”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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 LORD my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

In Context

16David looked up and saw the angel whom Yahweh had sent, standing between the sky and the ground. The angel had a sword in his hand that was pointed toward Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of the city, who were wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, prostrated themselves on the ground.

18Then the angel who was sent by Yahweh told Gad to go up to the place where Araunah threshed grain and tell David to build an altar to worship Yahweh there.

Read all of 1 Chronicles 21

Cross References

Exodus 20:5You must not bow down to any idol and worship it, because I am Yahweh God, and I ◄am very jealous/want you to worship me only►. I will punish those who sin and hate me. I will punish not only them, but I will punish ◄their descendants, down to the third and fourth generation/their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren►.

Joshua 22:18Are you now turning away from obeying Yahweh and refusing to do what he wants? If you do not stop rebelling against Yahweh today, he will be angry with all of us Israelis tomorrow.’

2 Samuel 12:10You have despised me, and have taken Uriah’s wife to be your wife. So for many generations some of your descendants will die violently. [MTY, PRS]

2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the angel who was causing the people to become sick and die, he said to Yahweh, “Truly, I am the one who has committed the sin. I have done a very wicked thing, but these people are as innocent as sheep [MET]. They have certainly not [RHQ] done anything that is wrong. So you should punish [IDM] me and my family, not these people!”

1 Chronicles 21:8Then David prayed, saying, “Yahweh, what I did was very foolish. I have sinned greatly by what I have done. So now I plead with you, please forgive me.”

Psalms 51:4You, you only, are the one that I have really sinned against, and you have seen the evil things that I have done. When you say that I am guilty, you are right/correct, and when you judge me, you justly say that I deserve to be punished.

Matthew Henry on 1 Chronicles 21:8-18

David's Numbering the People. ( b. c. 1017.) 7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. 8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 9 And the Lord spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying, 10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord , I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Chronicles 21:17