1 Chronicles 21:17
And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
Cross-references
In 1 Chronicles 21:8, David first confesses 'I have sinned greatly' — the same confession he repeats here when interceding for the people.
In Genesis 44:33, Judah offers himself as substitute for Benjamin — mirroring David's offer to take punishment for the people.
In Exodus 32:32, Moses offers to be blotted out for Israel's sin — a direct parallel to David's self-sacrificial intercession.
In Exodus 32:33, God rejects Moses' offer, saying only the sinner is punished — contrasting with David's offer to bear others' guilt.
In 2 Samuel 24:1, God's anger incites the census — a different perspective from Satan's role in 1 Chronicles, highlighting divine sovereignty behind the testing.
2 Samuel 24:17 records David's identical plea — the parallel account of the same census sin and intercession.
In Romans 9:3, Paul wishes himself cut off for his kinsmen — a parallel to David's willingness to be punished for Israel.
In Genesis 20:4, Abimelech pleads 'will you kill an innocent people?'—a similar argument to David asking what the people have done.
In Isaiah 39:8, Hezekiah selfishly accepts judgment in his own time, contrasting sharply with David's selfless intercession for the people here.
In Joshua 22:18, the warning that one tribe's rebellion brings wrath on the whole congregation parallels the corporate suffering from David's sin.
In Psalm 51:4, David says 'against you only have I sinned' — reinforcing that his confession here is ultimately directed toward God.
In Psalm 51:14, David also confesses sin and pleads for deliverance, here from bloodguiltiness, echoing his humble plea.