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Tuesday, August 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Easy-to-Read Version

1 Chronicles 21:17

David said to God, "I am the one who sinned. I gave the order for the people to be counted! I was wrong. The Israelites did not do anything wrong. Lord my God, punish me and my family, but stop the terrible sicknesses that are killing your people."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Araunah;   Miracles;   Nation;   Ornan;   Repentance;   Sheep;   Sin;   Unselfishness;   Vision;   Thompson Chain Reference - Innocence-Guilt;   Intercession;   Intercessory Prayer;   Prayer;   Remorse;   Wicked, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Gad;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Census;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Araunah;   Sheep;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Araunah ;   Gad, the Prophet;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Temple;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Gad;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Intercession;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David said to God, “Wasn’t I the one who gave the order to count the people? I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Lord my God, please let your hand be against me and against my father’s family, but don’t let the plague be against your people.”
Hebrew Names Version
David said to God, Isn't it I who commanded the people to be numbered? It is even I who have sinned and done very wickedly; 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 not against your people, that they should be plagued.
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.
English Standard Version
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."
New Century Version
David said to God, "I am the one who sinned and did wrong. I gave the order for the people to be counted. These people only followed me like sheep. They did nothing wrong. Lord my God, please punish me and my family, but stop the terrible disease that is killing your people."
New English Translation
David said to God, "Was I not the one who decided to number the army? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed! As for these sheep—what have they done? O Lord my God, attack me and my family, but remove the plague from your people!"
Amplified Bible
David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded the people to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done evil; but as for these sheep [the people of Israel], what have they done? 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."
New American Standard Bible
And David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? LORD, my God, just let Your hand be against me and my father's household, and not against Your people as a plague."
World English Bible
David said to God, Isn't it I who commanded the people to be numbered? It is even I who have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Yahweh my God, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid said vnto God, Is it not I that commanded to nomber the people? It is euen I that haue sinned and haue committed euil, but these sheepe what haue they done? O Lorde my God, I beseech thee, let thine hande be on me and on my fathers house, and not on thy people for their destruction.
Legacy Standard Bible
And David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded to number the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done a great evil; but these sheep, what have they done? O Yahweh my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's household, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."
Berean Standard Bible
And David said to God, "Was it not I who gave the order to count the people? I, the shepherd, 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."
Contemporary English Version
and David prayed, "It's my fault! I sinned by ordering the people to be counted. They have done nothing wrong—they are innocent sheep. Lord God, please punish me and my family. Don't let the disease wipe out your people."
Complete Jewish Bible
David said to God, "Wasn't it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father's family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!"
Darby Translation
And David said to God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? It is I that have sinned and done evil; but these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, Jehovah my God, be on me and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be smitten.
George Lamsa Translation
And David said to the LORD, Is it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is who have sinned, and the folly which I have committed is great; but as for these innocent sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my fathers house; but let the plague cease from the people.
Good News Translation
David prayed, "O God, I am the one who did wrong. I am the one who ordered the census. What have these poor people done? Lord , my God, punish me and my family, and spare your people."
Lexham English Bible
Then David said to God, "Was it not I who gave a command to count the people? Now I am he who has sinned, and I have certainly done wickedness, but these sheep, what have they done? O Yahweh, my God, please let your hand be against me and against the house of my father, but against your people, let there be no plague."
Literal Translation
And David said to God, Was it not I, I who said to number the people? Yea, it was I who sinned, and truly have done evil; and these, the flock, what have they done? O Jehovah, my God, I prayYou, let Your hand be on me and on my father'shouse, and not on Your people, to be plagued.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid sayde vnto God: Am not I he that caused the people to be nombred? I am he that hath synned and done euell: as for these shepe, what haue they done? LORDE my God, let thine hande be agaynst me and agaynst my fathers house, and not agaynst thy people to plage them.
American Standard 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 very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, O Jehovah my God, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against thy people, that they should be plagued.
Bible in Basic English
And David said to God, Was it not I who gave the order for the people to be numbered? It is I who have done the sin and the great wrong; but these are only sheep; what have they done? let your hand, O Lord God, be lifted up against me and against my family, but not against your people to send disease on them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid sayde vnto God: Is it not I that commaunded the people to be numbred? It is I that haue sinned and done euyll in deede: and what haue these sheepe done? Let thyne hande O Lorde my God be on me, and on my fathers house: but not on thy people, that they shoulde be punished.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let Thy hand, I pray Thee, O LORD my God, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against Thy people, that they should be plagued.'
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid said vnto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred? euen I it is that haue sinned, and done euill indeed, but as for these sheepe, what haue they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my fathers house, but not on thy people, that they should bee plagued.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said to God, Was it not I that gave orders to number the people? and I am the guilty one; I have greatly sinned: but these sheep, what have they done? O Lord God, let thy hand be upon me, and upon my father’s house, and not on thy people for destruction, O Lord!
English Revised 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 very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be against me, and against my father’s house; but not against thy people, that they should be plagued.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid seide to the Lord, Whether Y am not that comaundide that the puple schulde be noumbrid? Y it am that synnede, Y it am that dide yuel; what disseruid this floc? My Lord God, Y biseche, thin hond be turned `in to me, and `in to the hows of my fadir; but thi puple be not smytun.
Update Bible Version
And David said to God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? it is I that have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I pray you, O Yahweh my God, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued.
Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to 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 thy 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 afflicted.
New King James Version
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."
New Living Translation
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."
New Life Bible
David said to God, "Was it not I who said that the people must be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done a very bad thing. But what have these sheep done? O Lord my God, I beg You, let Your hand be against me and my father's house. But do not let the trouble be upon Your people."
New Revised Standard
And David said to God, "Was it not I who gave the command to count the people? It is I who have sinned and done very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father's house; but do not let your people be plagued!"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David said unto God, Was it not, I, who gave word to number the people? Yea, I, it was who sinned and did the great wrong, what then had, these sheep, done? O Yahweh, my God, let thy hand, I beseech thee, be against me, and against the house of my father, but not against, thy people, that they should be plagued!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to God: Am not I he that commanded the people to be numbered? It is I that have sinned: it is I that have done the evil: but as for this flock, what hath it deserved? O Lord my God, let thy hand be turned, I beseech thee, upon me, and upon my father’s house: and let not thy people be destroyed.
Revised Standard Version
And David said to God, "Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father's house; but let not the plague be upon thy people."
Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto God, `Did not I -- I say to number the people? Yea, I it [is] who have sinned, and done great evil: and these, the flock, what did they? O Jehovah, my God, let, I pray Thee, Thy hand be on me, and on the house of my father, and not on Thy people -- to be plagued.'
THE MESSAGE
David prayed, "Please! I'm the one who sinned; I'm the one at fault. But these sheep, what did they do wrong? Punish me, not them, me and my family; don't take it out on them."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's household, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."

Contextual Overview

7 David had done a bad thing in God's sight, so God punished Israel. 8 Then David said to God, "I have done something very foolish. I have committed a terrible sin by counting the Israelites. Now, I beg you to take the sin away from me, your servant." 9Gad was David's seer. The Lord said to Gad, "Go and tell David: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to give you three choices. You must choose one of them. Then I will punish you the way you choose.'" 11Then Gad went to David. He said to David, "The Lord says, ‘David, choose which punishment you want: three years without enough food, or three months of running away from your enemies while they use their swords to chase you, or three days of punishment from the Lord . Terrible sicknesses will spread through the country, and the Lord 's angel will go through Israel destroying the people.' David, God sent me. Now, you must decide which answer I will give to him." 13 David said to Gad, "I am in trouble! I don't want some man to decide my punishment. The Lord is very merciful, so let him decide how to punish me." 14 So the Lord sent terrible sicknesses to Israel, and 70,000 people died. 15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But when the angel started to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord saw it and felt sorry for all the suffering. So he said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Stop! That is enough!" This happened when the angel of the Lord was standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 16 David looked up and saw the Lord 's angel in the sky. The angel was holding his sword over the city of Jerusalem. Then David and the elders bowed with their faces touching the ground. They were wearing the special clothes to show their sadness. 17 David said to God, "I am the one who sinned. I gave the order for the people to be counted! I was wrong. The Israelites did not do anything wrong. Lord my God, punish me and my family, but stop the terrible sicknesses that are killing your people."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Is it not I: 1 Chronicles 21:8, 2 Samuel 24:17, Psalms 51:4, Ezekiel 16:63

these sheep: 1 Kings 22:17, Psalms 44:11

what have: 2 Samuel 24:1

let thine: Genesis 44:33, Exodus 32:32, Exodus 32:33, John 10:11, John 10:12, Romans 9:3, 1 John 3:16

on my father's: Exodus 20:5, 2 Samuel 12:10, Psalms 51:14, Isaiah 39:7, Isaiah 39:8

that they should: Joshua 22:18

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:24 - a flaming Genesis 20:4 - wilt Joshua 5:13 - his sword Job 2:5 - put forth Ezekiel 11:13 - Then Jonah 1:12 - for

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After all these things happened, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. God said, "Abram, don't be afraid. I will defend you and give you a great reward."
Genesis 16:9
The angel of the Lord said to her, "Sarai is your owner. Go home to her and obey her."
Genesis 16:11
Then the angel of the Lord said, "Hagar, you are now pregnant, and you will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, because the Lord has heard that you were treated badly.
Genesis 21:1
The Lord came back to visit Sarah as he said he would, and he kept his promise to her.
Genesis 21:2
At exactly the time God said it would happen, Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age.
Genesis 21:4
Abraham did what God commanded and circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old.
Genesis 21:6
Sarah said, "God has made me happy, and everyone who hears about this will be happy with me.
Genesis 21:13
But I will also bless the son of your slave woman. He is your son, so I will make a great nation from his family also."
Genesis 21:14
Early the next morning Abraham took some food and water and gave them to Hagar. She carried them and left with her boy. She left that place and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.
Genesis 46:3
Then God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Don't be afraid to go to Egypt. In Egypt I will make you a great nation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

See Gill "1Ch 21:1".


 
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