I Chronicles 21:8 · Bible study
1 Chronicles 21:8 Commentary: David's Confession and 'Put Away the Iniquity'
Hebrew · 4 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine David's confession after the census sin: does he ask for forgiveness or removal of punishment? Original language, commentaries, and cross-references.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David confesses his census as a great sin and asks God to remove both guilt and punishment.
- Key words: 'Sinned' (H2398, missed the mark), 'foolishly' (H5528, acted as a fool), 'iniquity' (H5771, guilt or its consequence).
- Main debate: Does 'put away the iniquity' mean forgive the sin or remove the punishment? Cambridge Bible leans toward the latter.
- Theological theme: Sin brings consequences; genuine confession appeals to God's mercy even after judgment begins.
- Best use: A study on repentance, the nature of confession, and the relationship between forgiveness and discipline.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. Now I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing: but now, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and David saith unto God, `I have sinned exceedingly, in that I have done this thing; and now, cause to pass away, I pray Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have acted very foolishly.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And David said to God, I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing; and now, I beseech thee, put away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And David said to God: I have sinned exceedingly in doing this: I beseech thee take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done foolishly.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y dijo David á Dios: He pecado gravemente en hacer esto|strong="H2088, H1697": ruégote que hagas pasar la iniquidad de tu siervo, porque yo he hecho muy locamente.
E disse Davi a Deus: Pequei gravemente em fazer isto: rogo-te que faças passar a iniquidade de teu servo, porque eu ei feito muito loucamente.
Et David dit à Dieu: J’ ai commis un grand péché en faisant cela! Maintenant, daigne pardonner l’ iniquité de ton serviteur, car j’ ai complètement agi en insensé!
Und David sprach zu Gott: Ich habe schwer gesündigt, daß ich das getan habe. Nun aber nimm weg die Missetat deines Knechtes; denn ich habe sehr töricht getan.
Toen zeide David tot God: Ik heb zeer gezondigd, dat ik deze zaak gedaan heb; maar neem toch nu de misdaad Uws knechts weg, want ik heb zeer zottelijk gehandeld.
E Davide disse a Dio: “Io ho gravemente peccato in questo che ho fatto; ma ora, ti prego, perdona l’iniquità del tuo servo, perché io ho agito con grande stoltezza”.
I rzekł Dawid do Boga: Zgrzeszyłem bardzo, żem to uczynił; ale teraz oddal, proszę, nieprawość sługi twego; bom bardzo głupio uczynił.
И сказал Давид Богу: весьма согрешил я, что сделал это. И ныне прости вину раба Твоего, ибо я поступил очень безрассудно.
大衛 禱告 神 說：「 我行 這 事 大 有罪了！現在 求 你除掉 僕人 的罪孽，因 我所行的甚 是愚昧。」
Then David said to God, Great has been my sin in doing this; but now, be pleased to take away the sin of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Chronicles 21:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that David's confession is genuine and immediate. He uses the language of 'great sin' and 'great folly' (H2398, H5528) to describe the census. Matthew Henry notes that David's heart was touched by the judgment already falling on Israel. The question is what David asks when he says 'put away the iniquity of your servant.' The Cambridge Bible renders it 'Remove the punishment,' pointing to Genesis 4:13 where 'iniquity' clearly means the penalty. Others, reading the same verse in its parallel in 2 Samuel 24:10 and the earlier exchange with Nathan (2 Samuel 12:13), see a plea for forgiveness of the sin itself. The Hebrew word avon (H5771) covers both senses, guilt and its consequence. The commentaries supply evidence for both readings, leaving the interpreter to weigh context.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Punishment removal view: Cambridge Bible renders 'put away the iniquity' as 'remove the punishment,' citing Genesis 4:13 where 'iniquity' clearly means penalty. The lexical range of 'avon (H5771) includes guilt, punishment, and consequence.
- Forgiveness request view: In 2 Samuel 12:13, Nathan tells David 'Yahweh also has put away your sin' — using forgiveness language. This parallel suggests David's plea is primarily for pardon, with the hope that punishment will follow.
What is clear: David acknowledges his sin as both 'great' and 'foolish,' and casts himself entirely on God's mercy — whatever that mercy means in his desperate situation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'put away the iniquity' | David asks God to act, to remove something connected to his sin. | Some traditions emphasize removal of punishment (citing Cambridge Bible and the lexical use of 'avon as penalty), while others emphasize forgiveness of the sin itself (citing the parallel in 2 Samuel 12:13 and the broader pattern of David's repentance). |
| Nature of David's sin | The census was wrong because it stemmed from pride and self-reliance rather than trust in God. | Whether the sin was inherently in the act of counting (some see a violation of Exodus 30:12) or primarily in the motive (trust in numbers over God). The Chronicler highlights God's anger, while 2 Samuel 24 says Satan incited David. |
| Severity of the punishment | The plague that killed 70,000 shows that God took the sin seriously. | Some see the punishment as just divine justice proportional to the king's pride; others question whether collective punishment for a leader's sin fits modern understandings of justice, though the Old Testament routinely presents corporate consequences. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse occurs after David orders a census of Israel and Judah, an act Joab called 'abominable' (v.6). In Israel's ancient Near Eastern context, a census was often taken for military conscription or taxation. David's motive seems to be trust in his own military strength rather than in God. The surrounding narrative (vv.9, 17) shows that God was already striking Israel with plague before David confessed. The verb 'cause to pass away' (H5674, hiphil imperative) appears in David's appeal as the plague rages. David's confession is thus both a personal acknowledgment of guilt and an urgent plea to stop the national disaster. The Chronicler reshapes this story from 2 Samuel 24 to highlight the Temple site, the threshing floor of Ornan, where the angel's sword is stayed. That location becomes the altar of sacrifice and eventually the Temple mount. David's words here are set within a larger arc of sin, judgment, and divine mercy that leads directly to the place of atonement.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Chronicles 21:8. The verse is stable across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The parallel in 2 Samuel 24:10 uses slightly different wording ('Yahweh' instead of 'God', and 'take away' instead of 'put away'), but the chronicler's version is consistent in its received form.
Reception History
This verse has been read in Christian tradition as a model of heartfelt confession. Early church writers highlighted David's humility, a king who does not defend himself but 'sinned greatly' and 'acted foolishly' without qualification. The location of the confession, leading to the threshing floor of Ornan, became linked with the site of the Temple. Jewish interpretation connects the plague's stopping with the altar built there, emphasizing that repentance accompanied by sacrifice turns away wrath. In both traditions, the verse is seen as the turning point in a narrative that moves from judgment to mercy, and it is often cited in discussions of the relationship between personal sin and corporate consequences.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Sin confronted: David numbers the people out of pride and self-reliance, not obedience (vv.1, 7). The punishment begins before he speaks.
- Confession offered: David uses the strongest Hebrew terms, 'sinned greatly' (H2398) and 'acted very foolishly' (H5528). He does not excuse himself.
- Appeal made: 'Put away the iniquity' is both a request for forgiveness and for the plague to stop. David places himself entirely in God's hands (v.13).
Five-point outline
- The king's order: David insists on a military census despite Joab's warning (vv.1, 4).
- The nation's suffering: God's displeasure brings plague on Israel (v.7).
- David's recognition: 'I have sinned greatly … I have done very foolishly' (v.8).
- David's plea: 'Put away the iniquity of your servant', mercy for himself and for the people.
- The choice and outcome: David chooses to fall into the hand of the Lord, and the plague is stayed at the threshing floor (vv.9, 17).
Illustration hooks
- A leader who insists on counting resources, staff, money, numbers, rather than trusting God's provision. The error is not the count but the heart behind it.
- A person who confesses a wrong only after the damage becomes visible. The confession is real, but it comes too late to prevent consequences.
- The difference between 'I made a mistake' and 'I have sinned greatly and acted foolishly.' David uses the language of moral failure, not just miscalculation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Was David's repentance genuine? How can I tell the difference between regret and true repentance in my own life?
- If God forgives David, why does the plague continue? Does forgiveness always remove consequences?
- Why is the census such a serious sin? What does it reveal about trusting God versus trusting human strength?
Leading a Discussion
David's confession in 1 Chronicles 21:8 is raw and urgent. The plague is already falling on Israel. Notice that David does not bargain or make excuses. He names his sin as both 'great' and 'foolish.' His request to 'put away the iniquity' holds a double meaning: he wants both forgiveness and the removal of punishment. This passage invites us to examine how we confess, and what we expect from God afterward.
Discussion questions
- Read the surrounding context (1 Chronicles 21:1, 17). Why does David's census provoke such a strong response from God?
- What do the words 'sinned greatly' and 'acted very foolishly' tell you about David's state of mind? Compare with his earlier confession in 2 Samuel 12:13.
- The Hebrew word 'avon (iniquity) can mean guilt, punishment, or both. How does this ambiguity affect the way you read verse 8?
- David prays for God to 'put away' the iniquity. What does he seem to expect God to do, forgive the sin, stop the plague, or both?
- How does this passage challenge the idea that a sincere apology always fixes everything?
- David chooses to 'fall into the hand of the Lord' (v.13). What does that say about his trust in God's character even under judgment?
- Where do you see God's mercy in this chapter, especially in the final outcome at the threshing floor?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 34:7 | The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. The men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he had done folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing that ought not to be done. |
| I Samuel 13:13 | Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. |
| I Samuel 26:21 | Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” |
| II Samuel 12:13 | David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die. |
| II Samuel 13:13 | As for me, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” |
| II Samuel 24:10 | David’s heart struck him after he had counted the people. David said to Yahweh, “I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.” |
| II Chronicles 10:9 | He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may give an answer to these people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter’?” |
| Psalms 25:11 | For your name’s sake, Yahweh, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
4 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator suggests that the phrase "do away the iniquity" may be better rendered "remove the punishment." The point is that the Hebrew expression, as seen in Genesis 4:13, can refer to removing the consequences of sin rather than the sin itself.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes highlight that David does not try to excuse or minimize his sin. He confesses not only the act but his own foolishness, and then pleads directly for God to remove the guilt itself, not just its consequences.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Satan, not simply God's anger, directly provoked David to number Israel, and this is not a late invention but an early biblical idea. He understands the census as an act of prideful self-reliance, not oppressive taxation, making the sin distinctively personal and rebellious.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that David, though in deep distress over his sin, chose wisely to place himself under God's direct judgment rather than human cruelty. The great mercies of God made that choice possible, even when the punishment was severe.