1 Chronicles 21 17

1 Chronicles 21:17 kjv

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.

1 Chronicles 21:17 nkjv

And David said to God, "Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."

1 Chronicles 21:17 niv

David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? LORD my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."

1 Chronicles 21:17 esv

And David said to God, "Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father's house. But do not let the plague be on your people."

1 Chronicles 21:17 nlt

And David said to God, "I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep ? what have they done? O LORD my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people."

1 Chronicles 21 verses

1 Chronicles 21 17 Meaning

David's heart-wrenching plea in 1 Chronicles 21:17 encapsulates profound humility, selfless intercession, and a deep understanding of his leadership responsibility before God. He acknowledges his sole culpability for initiating the ill-advised census, openly confessing his sin and wickedness. Observing the devastating plague upon the people, whom he affectionately refers to as "sheep," David laments their undeserved suffering and desperately implores God to redirect the judgment towards himself and his family, demonstrating a supreme act of sacrificial love for his flock. This verse highlights David's model of repentant leadership, taking full responsibility for his actions and seeking to bear the consequences in place of his innocent people.

1 Chronicles 21 17 Context

First Chronicles 21:17 immediately follows the three-day plague sent by God upon Israel due to King David's unauthorized census. The chapter begins with Satan inciting David to number the people, an act driven by pride and a reliance on military strength rather than divine providence. Despite Joab's caution, David proceeded, incurring divine wrath. A devastating plague began, affecting seventy thousand people. As the Angel of the LORD was poised to destroy Jerusalem, God relented and instructed David through the prophet Gad to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. It is at this critical juncture, witnessing the suffering of his people, that David makes his fervent and self-sacrificial plea to God. This moment highlights David's heart for his people and his willingness to personally bear the consequences of his sin, paralleling the account found in 2 Samuel 24. The Chronicler emphasizes David's proper response and obedience to divine instruction, setting the stage for the building of the Temple.

1 Chronicles 21 17 Word analysis

• And David said to God, (וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים - wa-yyomer Dawid 'el-hā'ělōhîm):

  • David (דָּוִיד - Dawid): The anointed king, divinely chosen, yet fallible. His address indicates a direct, personal plea from one in authority but also under God's ultimate authority.
  • to God (אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים - 'el-hā'ělōhîm): The use of the definite article ha- emphasizes "the God," referring to the one true God, Israel's sovereign Ruler and Judge, to whom David is fully accountable. This isn't just a cry of pain but an acknowledgment of divine authority and a direct appeal to the Source of the judgment.

• 'Is it not I who commanded the census? It is I who have sinned and done wickedly. (הֲלֹא אֲנִי הַדּוּן בָּעָם לִסְפֹּר וַאֲנִי־הוּא אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וְהִרְשַׁעְתִּי - Halō 'ănî hadûn bā'ām lispor wa'ănî-hū 'ăšer ḥāṭā' wehirša'tî):

  • Is it not I (הֲלֹא אֲנִי - Halō 'ănî): A rhetorical question that serves as an emphatic affirmation. David accepts full, undeniable personal responsibility, leaving no room for excuses or shifting blame.
  • commanded the census (הַדּוּן בָּעָם לִסְפֹּר - hadûn bā'ām lispor lit. "who commanded to number the people"): This refers to his unilateral decision and command for the census, the direct action that led to the divine judgment. The Hebrew term dûn often means to manage, govern, judge, or arrange. Here, it refers to his exercise of royal prerogative in this census.
  • It is I who have sinned (וַאֲנִי־הוּא אֲשֶׁר חָטָא - wa'ănî-hū 'ăšer ḥāṭā'): David doubles down on his personal culpability.
    • sinned (חָטָא - ḥāṭā'): To "miss the mark," implying an error, transgression against divine command or principle. It points to a failure to meet God's standard. The sin here likely stems from pride, reliance on human strength, and lack of faith/consultation with God.
  • and done wickedly (וְהִרְשַׁעְתִּי - wehirša'tî): From the root רשׁע (rasha), meaning "to be wicked" or "to do wickedly." This is a stronger term than 'sinned,' indicating a more pronounced offense or perversion of justice. It signifies deliberate wrongdoing and a conscious turning away from righteousness. David is admitting not just a mistake, but a morally corrupt act in God's sight.

• But these sheep, what have they done? (וְהַצֹּאן הָאֵלֶּה מַה־עָשׂוּ - wehasṣon hā'ēlleh mah-'āśû):

  • these sheep (וְהַצֹּאן הָאֵלֶּה - wehasṣon hā'ēlleh): A tender metaphor for the people of Israel, underscoring their vulnerability and innocence concerning David's specific sin. It draws upon the common biblical imagery of God as the Shepherd and Israel as His flock (Psa 100:3; Isa 40:11; Eze 34). David, as their earthly king, implicitly recognizes himself as their shepherd.
  • what have they done? (מַה־עָשׂוּ - mah-'āśû): A desperate, rhetorical question appealing to God's justice and mercy, highlighting the people's lack of direct culpability in this particular act of census. While God's judgment often encompassed corporate responsibility for underlying national sins (like idolatry or general unfaithfulness that might precede the leader's temptation), David isolates his sin as the direct cause of this specific plague and pleads on behalf of those seemingly innocent of his particular transgression.

• O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people, that they should be plagued.' (יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי תְּהִי־נָא יָדְךָ בִּי וּבְבֵית אָבִי וּבְעַמְּךָ לֹא לְמַגֵּפָה - YHWH 'ĕlōhay tĕhî-nā' yadkā bî ûbĕbêt 'āvî ûbĕ'ammkā lō' lĕmaggēfā):

  • O LORD my God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי - YHWH 'ĕlōhay):
    • LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness, grace, and unique relationship with Israel. By invoking YHWH, David appeals to God's steadfast love and mercy.
    • my God (אֱלֹהָי - 'ĕlōhay): A personal, possessive appeal. Despite his great sin, David still claims God as his own, a demonstration of desperate trust and humble acknowledgment of their ongoing relationship.
  • please let Your hand be against me (תְּהִי־נָא יָדְךָ בִּי - tĕhî-nā' yadkā bî):
    • Your hand (יָדְךָ - yadkā): Symbolizes God's active power, judgment, and direct intervention. Here, it denotes punishment and affliction.
    • please let...be against me (tĕhî-nā' [...] bî): A direct and fervent petition for substitutionary judgment. "Please" (נָא - nā') emphasizes the urgency and sincerity of the plea. David willingly offers himself as a scapegoat.
  • and my father's house (וּבְבֵית אָבִי - ûbĕbêt 'āvî): Extending the request for judgment to his own family, demonstrating the severity of his self-sacrifice and the familial understanding of consequence in that culture. This emphasizes David's acceptance of personal and dynastic accountability.
  • but not against Your people (וּבְעַמְּךָ לֹא - ûbĕ'ammkā lō'): A powerful contrast, articulating the central purpose of his plea: to divert God's wrath from the innocent flock to himself.
  • that they should be plagued (לְמַגֵּפָה - lĕmaggēfā): Refers to the divine strike, the pestilence or plague that was already afflicting the people. David pleads for it to cease from the general populace.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Is it not I who commanded the census? It is I who have sinned and done wickedly.": This emphatic self-incrimination demonstrates genuine repentance and an unparalleled assumption of blame by a monarch. It showcases a leader taking full responsibility, a stark contrast to many in power who seek to deflect fault. This confession lays the foundation for atonement and divine reconciliation.
  • "But these sheep, what have they done?": This plea highlights David's shepherd's heart. He identifies deeply with the suffering of his people, even to the point of questioning divine justice on their behalf (a righteous questioning, born of compassion). It shows a profound empathy that separates true leadership from tyranny.
  • "O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people, that they should be plagued.": This is the climax of David's intercession, showcasing selfless love and willingness for personal sacrifice. It is a powerful example of substitutionary atonement offered by a human leader, prefiguring the ultimate substitutionary work of Christ. David puts himself and his lineage in harm's way to protect his nation, a model of truly sacrificial leadership.

1 Chronicles 21 17 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of 1 Chronicles 21:1, stating "Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to number Israel," with 2 Samuel 24:1, which states "Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, 'Go, number Israel and Judah,'" presents a fascinating theological dynamic. Bible scholars generally reconcile these accounts by understanding that God's permissive will allowed Satan to act as an instrument in fulfilling His purposes, particularly His judgment against Israel for reasons not explicitly stated but implying their unfaithfulness. The anger of the LORD against Israel may have led Him to permit this test/judgment via Satan's instigation, ultimately revealing David's pride and setting the stage for the building of the altar on Ornan's threshing floor, the future site of the Temple. This underscores divine sovereignty over even evil forces, directing their actions within His greater plan. David's profound personal responsibility in 1 Chronicles 21:17 thus comes from his own will, albeit operating within a divinely allowed context of temptation and national judgment.

1 Chronicles 21 17 Commentary

1 Chronicles 21:17 captures a moment of raw, profound repentance from King David. Having sinned grievously by commanding a census driven by pride and a lack of faith, he witnessed God's devastating judgment in the form of a plague upon his people. In this verse, David utterly strips away all excuses, takes complete and personal ownership of his transgression, stating unequivocally, "It is I who have sinned and done wickedly." This exemplary confession demonstrates a broken and contrite heart, recognizing the full weight of his actions against God.

His plea transitions from self-condemnation to a deeply empathetic intercession for his suffering "sheep," the people of Israel. He asks, "But these sheep, what have they done?" – highlighting their apparent innocence concerning his specific act of pride. This reveals his profound sense of responsibility as their shepherd. The climax is his selfless offer: "O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people." This remarkable petition reflects a true leader's love for his flock, willing to endure the divine wrath himself rather than see them perish. It prefigures the ultimate good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled this ideal by offering Himself as the substitute for His people (John 10:11; 2 Cor 5:21). David's humility and intercession were foundational to God's instruction for him to build an altar and make atonement, leading to the cessation of the plague.

Examples of application:

• Leadership accountability: Modern leaders are called to model David's honesty and willingness to take blame for errors impacting their people/organizations.
• True repentance: Understanding that genuine repentance involves not just regret for consequences, but a deep-seated acknowledgment of wrongdoing and willingness to bear the burden.
• Intercessory prayer: Learning from David's fervent prayer that seeks to protect others from suffering, embodying selfless love.