2 Samuel 24:17

Contextual Overview

¹⁰David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD , "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD , I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." ¹⁰ David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord , "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord , I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." ¹⁰Then David's heart struck him after he had counted the people. So David said to Yahweh, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Yahweh, please take away the iniquity of Your slave, for I have acted very foolishly." ¹⁰ Now David's heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly." ¹⁰ And Dauids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: And Dauid saide vnto the Lord, I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done: And nowe I beseche thee Lord take away the trespasse of thy seruaunt, for I haue done very foolishly. ¹⁰ David felt ashamed after he had counted the people and said to the Lord , "I have sinned greatly in what I did! Lord , I beg you, forgive me for my sin. I have been very foolish." ¹⁰ And after he had numbered the people, the heart of David struck him. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. And now, O Jehovah, I pray, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly. ¹⁰ But David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, I pray thee, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly." ¹⁰ David's heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to Yahweh, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly. ¹⁰ And Dauids heart smote him, after that hee had numbred the people: and Dauid sayde vnto the Lord, I haue sinned greatly in that I haue done: and nowe I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquitie of thy seruant, for I haue done very foolishly.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

spake: 1 Chronicles 21:16, 1 Chronicles 21:17

I have sinned: 2 Samuel 24:10, Job 7:20, Job 42:6, Psalms 51:2-5, Isaiah 6:5

these sheep: 1 Kings 22:17, Psalms 44:11, Psalms 74:1, Ezekiel 34:2-6, Ezekiel 34:23, Ezekiel 34:24, Zechariah 13:7

let thine: Genesis 44:33, John 10:11, John 10:12, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 2:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:23 - Wilt Genesis 20:7 - pray Genesis 38:26 - She hath Numbers 16:22 - one man sin Numbers 16:48 - General Job 19:4 - mine Proverbs 29:8 - wise Jonah 1:12 - Take Micah 7:9 - bear Acts 12:23 - the angel Acts 26:31 - This man Philippians 2:26 - ye had

Cross-References

Genesis 24:1
Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

Genesis 24:1
Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way.

Genesis 24:1
Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in every way.

Genesis 24:1
Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way.

Genesis 24:1
And Abraham was old & stricken in dayes, and the Lorde had blessed Abraham in all thinges.

Genesis 24:1
Abraham lived to be a very old man. The Lord blessed him and everything he did.

Genesis 24:1
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Genesis 24:1
Forsothe Abraham was eld, and of many daies, and the Lord hadde blessid hym in alle thingis.

Genesis 24:1
And Abraham was olde and well stricken in age: And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Genesis 24:1
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David spake unto the Lord,.... In prayer; he and the elders of Israel being clothed in sackcloth, and fallen on their faces, he prayed, not unto the angel, but to Jehovah that sent him; see

1 Chronicles 21:16;

when he saw the angel that smote the people; in the air over Jerusalem, with a drawn sword in his hand, which made him appear terrible:

and said, lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; in numbering the people:

but these sheep, what have they done? he looked upon himself as the only transgressor, and his people as innocent, and as harmless as sheep; he thought of no sins but his own; these were uppermost in his mind, and lay heavy on his conscience; and it grieved him extremely the his people should suffer on his account: but they were not so innocent as he thought and suggests; and it was not only for his, but their sins, this evil came; he was suffered to do what he did, to bring upon them deserved punishment for their rebellion against him, and other sins; however, this shows the high opinion he had of them, the great affection he had for them, and his sympathy with them in this time of distress:

let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house; let me and mine die, and not they; a type of Christ, the good Shepherd, willing to lay down his life for the sheep, and suffer in their stead, that they might go free.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the passage in Chronicles. The account here is abridged; and 2 Samuel 24:18 has the appearance of being the original statement.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 24:17. But these sheep, what have they done? — It seems that in the order of Providence there is no way of punishing kings in their regal capacity, but by afflictions on their land, in which the people must necessarily suffer. If the king, therefore, by his own personal offenses, in which the people can have no part, bring down God's judgments upon his people, (though they suffer innocently,) grievous will be the account that he must give to God. The people generally suffer for the miscarriages of their governors: this has been observed in every age.

Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi.

__________________ "When doting monarchs urge

Unsound resolves, their subjects feel the scourge."

HOR. Ep. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 14. Against my father's house.]

That is, against his own family; even to cut it off from the face of the earth.