1 Chronicles 21:16

1 Chronicles 21:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
• New International Version (NIV)David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

Context of 1 Chronicles 21:16

14So the Lord sent a plague on Israel; seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw and was sorry about the catastrophe, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough; now relax your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17And David said to God, “Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? Lord, my God, just let Your hand be against me and my father’s household, and not against Your people as a plague.” 18Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David was to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:16 word by word

וַיִּשָּׂ֨א דָוִ֜יד אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֗ד בֵּ֤ין הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְחַרְבּ֤וֹ שְׁלוּפָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ נְטוּיָ֖ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיִּפֹּ֨ל דָּוִ֧יד וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים מְכֻסִּ֥ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Then Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• raisedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• standingעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• betweenבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
• earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• with his drawnשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
• swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• stretchedנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• overעַל‛al · uponH5921
• Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• and the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• coveredכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• with sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
• fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• on their facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 21:16

• Genesis 3:24So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
• Exodus 14:19Then the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.
• Numbers 22:31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground.
• Joshua 5:13Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
• 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• 1 Kings 21:27Yet it came about, when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently.
• 2 Kings 19:1Now when King Hezekiah heard the report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and entered the house of the Lord.
• Psalms 35:13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, But my prayer kept returning to me.
• Jonah 3:6When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, removed his robe from himself, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the dust.
• Numbers 14:5Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.
• Numbers 16:22But they fell on their faces and said, “God, the God of the spirits of humanity, when one person sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 21:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Here a picture of awful grandeur takes the place of the bare statement of the earlier historian 2 Samuel 24:17. And here, as elsewhere, the author probably extracts from the ancient documents such circumstances as harmonize with his general plan. As the sanctity of the temple was among the points whereon he was most anxious to lay stress, he gives in full all the miraculous circumstances attending this first designation of what became the temple site…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17These verses describe the angel and David's response in more detail than the similar text in 2 Samuel 24:17. Seeing the angel on his mission moved David to plead for the people.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. David and the elders ... clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces--They appeared in the garb and assumed the attitude of humble penitents, confessing their sins, and deprecating the wrath of God. 1Ch 21:18-30. He Builds an Altar.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Chronicles 21:16

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Araunah
• Government
• Miracles
• Nation
• Ornan
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• David
• Israel
• Jerusalem
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Angel of the Lord
• Advise
• Angel
• Cost
• Displease

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings