Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 21:13
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great [are] his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
13. into the hand of the Lord ] David deprecates war, and prefers famine or pestilence.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 13. David said – I am in a great strait] The Targum reasons thus: “And David said to Gad, If I choose famine, the Israelites may say, The granaries of David are full of corn; neither doth he care should the people of Israel die with hunger. And if I choose war, and fly before an enemy, the Israelites may say, David is a strong and warlike man, and he cares not though the people of Israel should fall by the sword. I am brought into a great strait; I will deliver myself now into the HAND of the WORD of the LORD, beyad meymera dayai, for his mercies are many; but into the hands of the children of men I will not deliver myself.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
13. let me fall now into the hand ofthe Lord . . . let me not fall into the hand of manExperiencehad taught him that human passion and vengeance had no bounds,whereas our wise and gracious Father in heaven knows the kind, andregulates the extent, of chastisement which every one needs.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
See Gill “1Ch 21:1”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) And David said.Almost identical with Samuel. Let me fall looks like an improvement of Samuel, Let us fall. The word very (not in Sam.) is perhaps an accidental repetition from the Hebrew of I am in a great strait.
Let me not fall.Samuel has a precative form of the same verb (epplh; here eppl).
David confesses inability to choose. So much only is clear to him, that it is better to be dependent on the compassion of God than of man; and thus, by implication he decides against the second alternative, leaving the rest to God. Famine, sword, and pestilence were each regarded as Divine visitations, but the last especially so, because of the apparent suddenness of its outbreak and the mysterious nature of its operation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
great = many.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I am in: 2Ki 6:15, 2Ki 7:4, Est 4:11, Est 4:16, Joh 12:27, Phi 1:23
let me fall: David here acted nobly: had he chosen war, his personal safety was in no danger, as there was an ordinance preventing him from going to battle; and in famine, his wealth would have secured his and his family’s support; but all were equally exposed to the pestilence. Heb 10:31
great: or, many, Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7, Psa 5:7, Psa 51:1, Psa 51:2, Psa 69:13, Psa 69:16, Psa 86:5, Psa 86:15, Psa 103:8, Psa 106:7, Psa 130:7, Isa 55:7, Isa 63:7, Isa 63:15, Lam 3:32, Jon 3:9, Jon 4:2, Mic 7:18, Hab 3:2
but let me: 2Ch 28:9, Pro 12:10, Isa 46:7, Isa 47:6
Reciprocal: 2Sa 24:14 – for his Psa 119:156 – are thy Jam 5:11 – the Lord is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ALTERNATIVES OF PUNISHMENT OFFERED AND BALANCED
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are His mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
1Ch 21:13
I. It is better to fall into the hand of God than into the hands of men, because in His whole treatment of human sin God is constantly seeking, not the destruction, but the salvation of the sinner.God has never answered our sin merely by punishment. Instead of confining Himself to penalty, He sets up the cross and shows men the sinfulness of sin through the depth and tenderness of His own mercy.
Gods government is not a mere magistracy. It is a moral dominiona government of the heart.
II. What is wanted for a full acceptation of the principle of this text?(1) A deep sense of sin. David had it: I have sinned greatly in that I have done; and now, I beseech Thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. (2) An unreserved committal of our case to God. David gave himself up entirely to Gods will. We must fall into the hand of God, an expression which signifies resignation, perfect trust in the Divine righteousness and benevolence, and an entire committal of our whole case to the disposal of God.