New International Version
1 Chronicles 21:12
12three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
1 Chronicles 21:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me."
- New King James Version (NKJV)either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the Lord brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the Lord who sent me.”
Context of 1 Chronicles 21:12
10“Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ ” 11So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.” 13David 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.” 14So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead.
Read all of 1 Chronicles 211 Chronicles 21:12 word by word
אִם־שָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֜ים רָעָ֗ב וְאִם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה חֳדָשִׁ֜ים נִסְפֶּ֥ה מִפְּנֵי־צָרֶיךָ֮ וְחֶ֣רֶב אוֹיְבֶ֣ךָ׀ לְמַשֶּׂגֶת֒ וְאִם־שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָ֠מִים חֶ֣רֶב יְהוָ֤ה וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מַשְׁחִ֖ית בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֣ה רְאֵ֔ה מָֽה־אָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Either threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- years’שָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
- monthsחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
- to be destroyedסָפָהsâphâh · to snatchH5595
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- thy foesצַרtsar tsâr · enemyH6862
- while that the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- of thine enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- overtakethנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
- orאִם'im · ifH518
- daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- even the pestilenceדֶּ֫בֶרdeber · pestilenceH1698
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- destroyingשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- throughout all the coastsגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- Now therefore adviseרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: selectH7200
- thyself what wordדָּבָרdâbâr · word: speakingH1697
- I shall bring againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to him that sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 21:12
- 2 Samuel 24:13So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
- Leviticus 26:26When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.
- 2 Samuel 21:1During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
- 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
- 2 Kings 8:1Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.”
- Lamentations 4:9Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.
- Luke 4:25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
- Leviticus 26:17I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
- Deuteronomy 28:15However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:
- Jeremiah 42:16then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.
- 1 Chronicles 21:16David 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.
- Isaiah 66:16For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord.
- Jeremiah 12:12Over all the barren heights in the desert destroyers will swarm, for the sword of the Lord will devour from one end of the land to the other; no one will be safe.
- Jeremiah 47:6“ ‘Alas, sword of the Lord, how long till you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still.’
- Leviticus 26:10You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.
- Deuteronomy 28:22The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish.
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 21:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Three days - the pestilence in the land - In 2 Samuel 24:13; (note), seven years of famine are mentioned.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And the angel of the Lord destroying - These words are not in Samuel, which puts the third alternative briefly. They prepare the way for the angelic appearance 1 Chronicles 21:16, on which the author is about to lay so much stress.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30This account of the census is similar to 2 Samuel 24:1–25 but focuses on different aspects. The Chronicler’s version sets the stage for dedicating the altar and preparing to build the temple (1 Chronicles 22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1211-12. Choose thee, &c.--To the three evils these correspond in beautiful agreement: three years, three months, three days [Bertheau]. (See on 2Sa 24:13).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Chronicles 21:12
In the dictionaries
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
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