2 Samuel 24:17

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 among the Israelites from that morning until the time he had chosen. Of the people from Dan to Beersheba, 70,000 died. 16But when the Messenger stretched out his arm to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord changed his mind about the disaster. “Enough!” he said to the Messenger who was destroying the people. “Put down your weapon.” The Messenger of the Lord was at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. When David saw the Messenger who had been killing the people, he said to the Lord, “I’ve sinned. I’ve done wrong. What have these sheep done? Please let your punishment be against me and against my father’s family.” 18That day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go, set up an altar for the Lord at Araunah the Jebusite’s threshing floor.” 19David went as Gad had told him and as the Lord had commanded him.

2 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, he saw the Messenger of the Lord standing between heaven and earth. The Messenger had a sword in his hand and stretched it over Jerusalem. David and the leaders were dressed in sackcloth. They bowed down with their faces touching the ground.
• 2 Samuel 24:10After David counted the people, his conscience troubled him. David said to the Lord, “I have committed a terrible sin by what I have done. Lord, please forgive me because I have acted very foolishly.”
• Job 7:20If I sin, what can I ⌞possibly⌟ do to you since you insist on spying on people? Why do you make me your target? I’ve become a burden even to myself.
• Job 42:6That is why I take back what I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show that I am sorry.”
• Psalms 51:2Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin.
• Isaiah 6:5So I said, “Oh, no! I’m doomed. Every word that passes through my lips is sinful. I live among people with sinful lips. I have seen the king, the Lord of Armies!”
• 1 Kings 22:17So Micaiah said, “I saw Israel’s troops scattered in the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These ⌞sheep⌟ have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ”
• Psalms 44:11You hand us over to be butchered like sheep and scatter us among the nations.
• Psalms 74:1Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep in your care?
• Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn’t shepherds take care of the sheep?
• Zechariah 13:7“Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend,” declares the Lord of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
• Genesis 44:33Sir, please let me stay and be your slave in the boy’s place, and let the boy go back with his brothers.
• John 10:11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
• 1 Peter 2:24Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you.

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

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Araunah
• Intercession
• Jerusalem
• Nation
• Ornan
• Plague
• Presumption
• Repentance
• Self-Condemnation
• Sin
• Threshing

In the dictionaries

• David
• Advise
• Angel
• Foolishly
• Gad
• Jebusites
• Jerusalem
• Offer
• Temptation
• Wickedly

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