2 Samuel 24:17

Contextual Overview

¹⁰David’s conscience troubled him after he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, Lord, because I’ve been very foolish, please take away your servant’s guilt.” ¹⁰ David's heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, the LORD, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly. ¹⁰ And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord , I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord , take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. ¹⁰ But David's heart struck 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 , please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly." ¹⁰ David felt ashamed after he had counted the people. He said to the Lord , "I have sinned greatly by what I have done. Lord , I beg you to forgive me, your servant, because I have been very foolish." ¹⁰ David felt guilty after he had numbered the army. David said to the Lord , "I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, O Lord , please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly." ¹⁰But David's heart (conscience) troubled him after he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the sin of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly." ¹⁰ Now David's heart troubled him after he had counted the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, LORD, please overlook the guilt of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly." ¹⁰ Then Dauids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: and Dauid said vnto the Lorde, I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done: therefore nowe, Lorde, I beseech thee, take away the trespasse of thy seruant: for I haue done very foolishly. 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."

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
Avraham was old, and well stricken in age. The LORD had blessed Avraham in all things.

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

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

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

Genesis 24:1
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in everything.

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

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

Genesis 24:1
Nowe Abraham was olde, and striken in yeeres, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

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

Genesis 24:1
Abraham was now a very old man. The Lord had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did.

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.