1 Chronicles 21:13

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands."

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛יד אֶל־גָּ֖ד צַר־לִ֣י מְאֹ֑ד אֶפְּלָה־נָּ֣א בְיַד־יְהוָ֗ה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֤ים רַחֲמָיו֙ מְאֹ֔ד וּבְיַד־אָדָ֖ם אַל־אֶפֹּֽל׃

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer dāwîd to gād, ṣar-to me mĕʾōd. ʾeppĕlâ-nāʾ into yad-YHWH, for kî-many raḥămāyw mĕʾōd, but into yad-ʾādām not-ʾeppōl.

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *ṣar*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - it is distressing
• *mĕʾōd*: adverb - greatly/exceedingly
• *ʾeppĕlâ*: qal imperfect cohortative, 1st person singular - let me fall
• *nāʾ*: particle of entreaty - please
• *yad*: feminine singular construct - hand of
• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *rabbîm*: masculine plural adjective - many/abundant
• *raḥămāyw*: masculine plural noun + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his mercies
• *ʾādām*: masculine singular noun - man/mankind
• *ʾeppōl*: qal imperfect, 1st person singular - I will fall

Word Meanings

• *ṣar*: distressing/difficult/hard/troubling
• *raḥămāyw*: mercies/compassions/tender mercies
• *ʾeppĕlâ/ʾeppōl*: fall into/come under/be delivered into

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And David said to Gad, I am in great distress: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are very great: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And David{H1732} said{H559} unto Gad,{H1410} I am in a great{H3966} strait:{H6887} let me fall,{H5307} I pray, into the hand{H3027} of Jehovah;{H3068} for very{H3966} great{H7227} are his mercies:{H7356} and let me not fall{H5307} into the hand{H3027} of man.{H120}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And David{H1732} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Gad{H1410}, I am in a great{H3966} strait{H6887}{(H8804)}: let me fall{H5307}{(H8799)} now into the hand{H3027} of the LORD{H3068}; for very{H3966} great{H7227} are his mercies{H7356}: but let me not fall{H5307}{(H8799)} into the hand{H3027} of man{H120}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Dauid sayde vnto Gad: I am in greate trouble: yet wyl I rather fall in to ye hande of the LORDE, for his mercy is exceadynge greate, & I wil not fall in to the handes of men.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And Dauid said vnto Gad, I am in a wonderfull strait. Let me nowe fall into the hande of the Lorde: for his mercies are exceeding great, and let me not fall into the hande of man.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Dauid sayde vnto Gad, I am in an exceeding strayte: Let me fall nowe into the hande of the Lorde (for passing great are his mercies) but let me not fal into the hand of men.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall, I pray, into the hand of Yahweh; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And David saith unto Gad, `I am greatly distressed, let me fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Jehovah, for very many `are' His mercies, and into the hand of man let me not fall.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall, I pray, into the hand of Jehovah; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall, I pray, into the hand of Jehovah; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And David said to Gad, This is a hard decision for me to make: let me come into the hands of the Lord, for great are his mercies: let me not come into the hands of men.

• World English Bible (2000)

  David said to Gad, "I am in distress. Let me fall, I pray, into the hand of Yahweh; for his mercies are very great. Let me not fall into the hand of man."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  David said to Gad,“I am very upset! I prefer to be attacked by the LORD, for his mercy is very great; I do not want to be attacked by men!”

Referenced Verses

• Ps 130:7 : 7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is steadfast love, and with Him is abundant redemption.
• Ps 86:15 : 15 But You, O Lord, are a God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
• Ps 103:8 : 8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
• Ps 106:7 : 7 Our ancestors in Egypt did not consider Your miracles; they did not remember the abundance of Your lovingkindness but rebelled at the sea, the Red Sea.
• Ps 130:4 : 4 But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.
• Prov 12:10 : 10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
• Isa 46:7 : 7 They lift it on their shoulders and carry it; they set it in its place, and there it stays. It does not move from its spot. If someone cries to it, it cannot answer or save them from their troubles.
• Isa 47:6 : 6 I was angry with My people, I profaned My heritage and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy; you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.
• Isa 55:7 : 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, so that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
• Isa 63:7 : 7 I will recount the LORD's kindnesses, the praises of the LORD, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the great goodness to the house of Israel, which he has granted them according to his compassion and the abundance of his steadfast love.
• Isa 63:15 : 15 Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and glorious dwelling. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
• Lam 3:32 : 32 For though He causes grief, He will show compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love.
• Jonah 3:9 : 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and withdraw His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
• Jonah 4:2 : 2 And he prayed to the LORD, saying, 'O LORD, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own land? That is why I tried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from sending calamity.
• Mic 7:18 : 18 Who is a God like You, forgiving iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love.
• Hab 3:2 : 2 LORD, I have heard of Your fame and stand in awe of Your deeds. LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years; in the midst of the years, make it known; in wrath, remember mercy.
• John 12:27 : 27 Now My soul is troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But this is why I came to this hour.
• Phil 1:23 : 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better;
• Heb 10:31 : 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
• Exod 34:6-7 : 6 The LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 7 Maintaining steadfast love to thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, but not leaving the guilty unpunished. He punishes the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."
• 2 Kgs 6:15 : 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went out, he saw an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. He said, "Oh no, my master! What shall we do?"
• 2 Kgs 7:4 : 4 If we say, 'We’ll go into the city,' the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die."
• 2 Chr 28:9 : 9 But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them, "Because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hands. But you have slain them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.
• Esth 4:11 : 11 ‘All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that for anyone—man or woman—who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned, there is one law: they are to be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing them to live. But I have not been summoned to come to the king for thirty days.’
• Esth 4:16 : 16 Go, gather all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.
• Ps 5:7 : 7 You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD detests the violent and deceitful.
• Ps 51:1-2 : 1 For the choir director: A psalm of David. 2 When Nathan the prophet came to him after David had gone to Bathsheba.
• Ps 69:13 : 13 Those who sit at the gate talk about me, and drunkards make up songs about me.
• Ps 69:16 : 16 Do not let the floodwaters overwhelm me; do not let the deep swallow me up, or let the pit close its mouth over me.
• Ps 86:5 : 5 For You, Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon You.