2 Samuel 24:17

17 Et David, voyant l'ange qui frappait le peuple, parla à l'Éternel et dit: Voici, c'est moi qui ai péché, c'est moi qui ai commis l'iniquité; mais ces brebis qu'ont-elles fait? Que ta main soit sur moi, je te prie, et sur la maison de mon père!

2 Samuel 24:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 24:17

And David spake unto the Lord
In prayer; he and the elders of Israel being clothed in sackcloth, and fallen on their faces, he prayed, not unto the angel, but to Jehovah that sent him; see ( 1 Chronicles 21:16 1 Chronicles 21:17 ) ;

when he saw the angel that smote the people;
in the air over Jerusalem, with a drawn sword in his hand, which made him appear terrible:

and said, lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly;
in numbering the people:

but these sheep, what have they done?
he looked upon himself as the only transgressor, and his people as innocent, and as harmless as sheep; he thought of no sins but his own; these were uppermost in his mind, and lay heavy on his conscience; and it grieved him extremely the his people should suffer on his account: but they were not so innocent as he thought and suggests; and it was not only for his, but their sins, this evil came; he was suffered to do what he did, to bring upon them deserved punishment for their rebellion against him, and other sins; however, this shows the high opinion he had of them, the great affection he had for them, and his sympathy with them in this time of distress:

let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's
house;
let me and mine die, and not they; a type of Christ, the good Shepherd, willing to lay down his life for the sheep, and suffer in their stead, that they might go free.

2 Samuel 24:17 In-Context

15 L'Éternel envoya donc la mortalité en Israël, depuis le matin jusqu'au temps assigné; et il mourut dans le peuple, depuis Dan jusqu'à Béer-Shéba, soixante et dix mille hommes.

16 Mais quand l'ange étendit sa main sur Jérusalem pour la ravager, l'Éternel se repentit de ce mal, et dit à l'ange qui ravageait le peuple: Assez! retire maintenant ta main. Or l'ange de l'Éternel était auprès de l'aire d'Arauna, le Jébusien.

17 Et David, voyant l'ange qui frappait le peuple, parla à l'Éternel et dit: Voici, c'est moi qui ai péché, c'est moi qui ai commis l'iniquité; mais ces brebis qu'ont-elles fait? Que ta main soit sur moi, je te prie, et sur la maison de mon père!

18 Et en ce jour-là, Gad vint vers David, et lui dit: Monte et dresse un autel à l'Éternel dans l'aire d'Arauna, le Jébusien.

19 David monta donc, selon la parole de Gad, comme l'Éternel l'avait commandé.