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 fall upon me and my father’s house.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David speaks to Yahweh after witnessing the angel of the LORD strike down the people, immediately following the divine command to halt the destruction of Jerusalem. The words — הַ/מַּכֶּ֣ה (ha./ma.Keh) translates literally as "who was striking down," while בִּ/רְאֹת֣/וֹ\׀ (bi/r.'o.T/o) means "when he saw," anchoring the passage to David’s direct observation and address. The thread — The angelic intervention parallels 1 Chronicles 21:16, where David sees the LORD’s angel standing with a drawn sword, and David’s reference to the people as sheep echoes the pastoral terminology of Psalm 74:1. Why it lands — The text records David explicitly admitting his own sin and requesting that God’s punitive hand fall on him and his father’s house rather than on the punished populace.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּאמֶר֩va/i.yo.Merand/ he said דָּוִ֨דda.VidDavid אֶל־'el-to יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahweh בִּרְאֹת֣וֹ׀bi/r.'o.T/owhen/ saw/ he אֶֽת־'et-<obj.>הַמַּלְאָ֣ךְ׀ha./mal.'Akhthe/ angel הַמַּכֶּ֣הha./ma.Kehwho/ was striking down בָעָ֗םva./'Am<on> the/ people וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙va/i.Yo.merand/ he said הִנֵּ֨הhi.Nehhere!אָנֹכִ֤י'a.no.KhiI חָטָ֙אתִי֙cha.Ta.tiI have sinned וְאָנֹכִ֣יve./'a.no.Khiand/ I הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִיhe.'e.Vei.tiI have done wrong וְאֵ֥לֶּהve./'E.lehand/ these הַצֹּ֖אןha./Tzonthe/ sheep מֶ֣הmehwhat?עָשׂ֑וּ'a.Suhave they done תְּהִ֨יte.Hilet it be נָ֥אna'please יָדְךָ֛ya.de./Khahand/ yourבִּ֖יb/ion/ meוּבְבֵ֥יתu./ve./Veitand/ on/ [the] house of אָבִֽי׃ פ'a.V/ifather/ my הָֽרֹעֶהha./ro.'Ehthe/ shepherd

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 21:16 When David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
Psalms 74:1 A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 Samuel 24:10 After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
Job 42:6 Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
Ezekiel 34:23 I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
Genesis 44:33 Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.
1 Kings 22:17 So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
Job 7:20 If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
Psalms 44:11 You have given us up as sheep to be devoured; You have scattered us among the nations.
Psalms 51:2 Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

People named

David