1 Chronicles 21:17 meaning
In this poignant moment of David's reign, the king grapples with the weight of his actions and their consequences. King David, having sinned by taking a census of Israel—an act of pride and a breach of trust in God's provision—now faces divine judgment in the form of a devastating plague. As he witnesses the havoc wrought upon his people, David's heart breaks, and he turns toward God in deep repentance, acknowledging his wrongdoing and pleading for mercy on behalf of his innocent subjects. He humbly questions, “Is it not I that have sinned?” displaying a shepherd's heart for his people, referring to them as sheep, and expressing his willingness to bear the consequences himself.
This narrative underscores a fundamental biblical principle: the call to accountability and grace. David's acknowledgment of his sin and his plea for the lives of his people exemplifies true repentance. In response to his contrition, God commands him to build an altar—a step toward atonement—which simultaneously establishes the future site of the temple. This illustrates God's unwavering mercy and the principle that reconciliation often requires personal sacrifice.
This quick synopsis was AI autogenerated utilizing existing TheBibleSays commentaries as the primary source material. To read a related commentary that has been fully developed, see the list below. If there is an issue with this summary please let us know by emailing:[email protected]
Other Relevant Commentaries:
- Genesis 15:17-21 meaning. God appeared and made the covenant with Abram. God again promises the land to Abram’s descendants and gives the details.
- Matthew 21:18-19 meaning. In the morning after Jesus's triumphal entry, Jesus travels back to Jerusalem from where He spent the night in Bethany. He becomes hungry and sees a fig tree in bloom alongside the road. Hoping to find something to eat, He walks up to it. When He does not find any fruit, Jesus curses the fig tree and it withers, instantly.
- Exodus 17:8-16 meaning. Another important event happened while the Israelites were at Rephadim. The Amalekites attacked them (8 – 16). Moses ordered Joshua to take an army to repel the attack, , while he stood on a hill overlooking the battle with the staff of God. When he raised the staff into the air, the Israelites prevailed, and if he lowered the staff, the Amalekites got the better of the Israelites. When Moses' arms got tired, his assistants propped up his arms until sunset, allowing Joshua to win the battle. The LORD then instructed Moses to write the account of the battle as a memorial to the fact that He would eliminate the Amalekites from the earth. Moses in turn built an altar to the LORD.
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