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1 Chronicles 21:17

in 1 Chronicles 21

And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave the order to count the people? I 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.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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.

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.

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This verse in 1 Chronicles 21

Commentary

2 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

I am the one who has sinned

David names himself as the offender: “I am the one who has sinned and acted wickedly”. He asks that God's hand fall upon “me and my father’s house” and spare the people he calls “these sheep”. The same plea stands in 2 Samuel 24:17.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

I submit to the rod, only let me be the sufferer, for I am the sinner; mine is the guilty head at which the sword should be pointed." 3. He cast himself upon the mercy of God (though he knew he was angry with him) and did not entertain any hard thoughts of him. However it be, Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great,

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

but these sheep, what have they done for they are like sheep brought to the slaughter, who cannot be saved from slaughter because they are destined for it.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Chronicles 21:17:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
extended over Jerusalem In Joshua (5:13), it says: “.. and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, etc.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Chronicles 21:16:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

31 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • דָּוִ֣ידDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • אֶֽל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים<the> God

    haelohimH430 →2601 times

  • הֲלֹא֩¿ not

    halo'H3808 →5168 times

  • אֲנִ֨יI

    ʾaniH589 →874 times

  • אָמַ֜רְתִּיdid I say

    ʾamartiH559 →5305 times

  • לִמְנ֣וֹתto count

    limnotH4487 →28 times

  • בָּעָ֗ם<in> the people

    baamH5971 →1873 times

  • וַאֲנִי־and I

    vaani-H589 →874 times

  • ה֤וּא[am] he

    hu'H1931 →1879 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־who

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • חָטָ֙אתִי֙I have sinned

    chatatiH2398 →

  • וְהָרֵ֣עַand exceedingly <do evil>

    veharea'H7489 →107 times

  • הֲרֵע֔וֹתִיI have done evil

    hareotiH7489 →107 times

  • וְאֵ֥לֶּהand these

    veelehH428 →746 times

  • הַצֹּ֖אןthe sheep

    hatzonH6629 →274 times

  • מֶ֣הwhat?

    mehH4100 →752 times

  • עָשׂ֑וּhave they done

    ʾasuH6213 →2628 times

  • יְהוָ֣הO Yahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֱלֹהַ֗יGod my

    ʾelohaiH430 →2601 times

  • תְּהִ֨יlet it be

    tehiH1961 →3559 times

  • נָ֤אplease

    na'H4994 →404 times

  • יָֽדְךָ֙hand your

    yadekhaH3027 →1618 times

  • בִּ֚יon me

    bi

  • וּבְבֵ֣יתand on [the] house of

    uveveitH1004 →2046 times

  • אָבִ֔יfather my

    ʾaviH1 →1212 times

  • וּֽבְעַמְּךָ֖and on people your

    uveamekhaH5971 →1873 times

  • לֹ֥אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • לְמַגֵּפָֽה׃ סto a plague

    lemagefahH4046 →

  • הָֽרֹעֶהthe shepherd

    haroehH7462 →177 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Jonah 1:12“Pick me up,” he answered, “and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you.”5 worksEzekiel 16:63so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”3 worksGenesis 20:4Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?3 works2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”2 worksIsaiah 39:7–8And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”2 worksPsalms 51:14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.2 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Samuel 12:10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’2 worksExodus 20:5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,2 worksJohn 10:11–12I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.2 worksRomans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,2 worksPsalms 44:11You have given us up as sheep to be devoured; You have scattered us among the nations.2 worksJoshua 22:18And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.2 works1 John 3:16By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.2 works2 Samuel 24:1Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”2 worksGenesis 44:33Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.2 worksPsalms 51:4Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.2 worksExodus 32:32–33Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.”2 works2 Samuel 7:8Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Ezekiel 16:63

    so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”

    it leads to

    • Romans 3:19

      Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

    • Psalms 39:9

      I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.

    • Ezekiel 36:31–32

      Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations.

    • Titus 3:3–7

      For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

    • Daniel 9:7–8

      To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You…

  • Through

    Psalms 51:14

    Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 12:9

      Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have…

    • Psalms 35:28

      Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 24:17

    When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand…

    it leads to

    • Psalms 74:1

      Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies2

On this verse

On this chapter

About 1 Chronicles

King David Playing the Harp, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622. Public domain.
King David Playing the Harp, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 21 →

This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Chronicles 21 →