I Chronicles 21:17
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And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave the order to count the people? I am the one who has sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house, but do not let this plague remain upon Your people.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 21 Excepting the three last verses, is contained in Sa2 24:1 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there.
Open source ↗As this rehearsal makes no mention of David's sin in the matter of Uriah, so neither of the troubles of his family that followed upon it; not a word of Absalom's rebellion, or Sheba's. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is here related, because, in the atonement made for that sin, an intimation was given of the spot of ground on which the temple should be built. Here is, I. David's sin, in forcing Joab to number the people (Ch1 21:1-6). II. David's sorrow for what he had done, as soon as he perceived the sinfulness of it (Ch1 21:7, Ch1 21:8). III. The sad dilemma (or trilemma rather) he was brought to, when it was put to him to choose how he would be punished for this sin, and what rod he would be beaten with (Ch1 21:9-13). IV. The woeful havoc which was made by the pestilence in the country, and the narrow escape which Jerusalem had from being laid waste by it (Ch1 21:14-17). V. David's repentance, and sacrifice, upon this occasion, and the staying of the plaque thereupon (Ch1 21:18-30). This awful story we met with, and meditated upon, 2 Sa. 24.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”
Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.
Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. Now I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”