Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 24:17
17When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.”
2 Samuel 24:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
- New International Version (NIV)When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”
Context of 2 Samuel 24:17
15So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men died. 16Then the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, but the Lord relented concerning the destruction and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough, withdraw your hand now!” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.” 18Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19David went up in obedience to Gad’s command, just as the Lord had commanded.
Read all of 2 Samuel 242 Samuel 24:17 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶל־יְהוָ֜ה בִּרְאֹת֣וֹ׀ אֶֽת־הַמַּלְאָ֣ךְ׀ הַמַּכֶּ֣ה בָעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֤י הָֽרֹעֶה חָטָ֙אתִי֙ וְאָנֹכִ֣י הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי וְאֵ֥לֶּה הַצֹּ֖אן מֶ֣ה עָשׂ֑וּ תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א יָדְךָ֛ בִּ֖י וּבְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- when he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- that smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Lo, I have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- and I have done wickedlyעָוָה‛âvâh · to pervertH5753
- but these sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- what have they doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- let thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
- I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 24:17
- 1 Chronicles 21:16When David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell facedown.
- 2 Samuel 24:10David’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.”
- Job 7:20If I have sinned, what have I done to you, Watcher of humanity? Why have you made me your target, so that I have become a burden to you?
- Job 42:6Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.
- Psalms 51:2Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.
- Isaiah 6:5Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.
- 1 Kings 22:17So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, “They have no master; let everyone return home in peace.”
- Psalms 44:11You hand us over to be eaten like sheep and scatter us among the nations.
- Psalms 74:1Why have you rejected us forever, God? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
- Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock?
- Zechariah 13:7Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate — this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- Genesis 44:33Now please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave, in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers.
- John 10:11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
- 1 Peter 2:24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 24:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17But 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Compare the passage in Chronicles. The account here is abridged; and 2 Samuel 24:18 has the appearance of being the original statement.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-17Verses 16-17 Perhaps there was more wickedness, especially more pride, and that was the sin now chastised, in Jerusalem than elsewhere, therefore the hand of the destroyer is stretched out upon that city; but the Lord repented him of the evil, changed not his mind, but his way. In the very place where Abraham was stayed from slaying his son, this angel, by a like countermand, was stayed from destroying Jerusalem. It is for the sake of the great Sacrifice…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17I, the shepherd, have sinned: Earlier, David confessed his sin only about his situation ("take away the iniquity of Your servant," 2 Samuel 24:10). Now, he prayed for those he thought were innocent (but see 2 Samuel 24:1) and offered to die for them. these sheep: David was the shepherd (a leader who guided, protected, and cared for the people) of Israel (see study note on 2 Samuel 7:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. David ... said--or, "had said," I have sinned ... but these sheep, what have they done?--The guilt of numbering the people lay exclusively with David. But in the body politic as well as natural, when the head suffers, all the members suffer along with it; and, besides, although David's sin was the immediate cause, the great increase of national offenses at this time had (2Sa 24:1) kindled the anger of the Lord.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 24:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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