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Bible in Basic English

1 Chronicles 21:16

And David, lifting up his eyes, saw the angel of the Lord there between earth and heaven, with an uncovered sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the responsible men, clothed in haircloth, went down on their faces.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Araunah;   Government;   Miracles;   Nation;   Ornan;   Vision;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dead, the;   Joy-Sorrow;   Mourning;   Sackcloth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Gad;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Gad;   Heaven;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Census;   Moriah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Araunah;   Heaven;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Wisdom of Solomon;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Araunah ;   Gad, the Prophet;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elder;   Temple;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Gad;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Sword;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Astronomy;   Destroyer;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Angelology;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
Hebrew Names Version
David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD standing between eretz and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the Zakenim, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord in the sky, holding his sword drawn and pointed at Jerusalem. Then David and the elders bowed facedown on the ground. They were wearing rough cloth to show their grief.
New English Translation
David looked up and saw the Lord 's messenger standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the leaders, covered with sackcloth, threw themselves down with their faces to the ground.
Amplified Bible
Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
New American Standard Bible
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.
World English Bible
David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid lift vp his eyes, and sawe the Angel of the Lorde stande betweene the earth and the heauen with his sworde drawen in his hand, and stretched out towarde Ierusalem. Then Dauid and the Elders of Israel, which were clothed in sacke, fell vpon their faces.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of Yahweh 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.
Berean Standard Bible
When David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
Contemporary English Version
David saw the Lord 's angel in the air, holding a sword over Jerusalem. He and the leaders of Israel, who were all wearing sackcloth, bowed with their faces to the ground,
Complete Jewish Bible
David raised his eyes and saw the angel of Adonai standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces.
Darby Translation
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Jehovah stand between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. And David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
Easy-to-Read Version
David looked up and saw the Lord 's angel in the sky. The angel was holding his sword over the city of Jerusalem. Then David and the elders bowed with their faces touching the ground. They were wearing the special clothes to show their sadness.
George Lamsa Translation
And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were with him clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
Good News Translation
David saw the angel standing in midair, holding his sword in his hand, ready to destroy Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders of the people—all of whom were wearing sackcloth—bowed low, with their faces touching the ground.
Lexham English Bible
And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, with his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
Literal Translation
And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of Jehovah standing between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem; and David and the elders fell on their faces, covered with sackcloth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid lifte vp his eyes, and sawe the angell of ye LORDE stondinge betwene heaue and earth, and a naked swerde in his hande stretched out ouer Ierusalem. Then Dauid and ye Elders beynge clothed with sack cloth, fell vpo their faces.
American Standard Version
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Jehovah standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid lift vp his eyes, and sawe the angell of the Lorde stand betweene the earth and heauen, hauing a drawen sword in his hand, stretched out toward Hierusalem: Then Dauid and the elders of Israel whiche were clothed in sacke, fell vpon their faces.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid lift vp his eyes, and saw the Angel of the Lord stand betweene the earth and the heauen, hauing a drawen sword in his hand stretched out ouer Ierusalem. Then Dauid and the Elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackecloth, fell vpon their faces.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord, standing between the earth and the heaven, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem: and David and the elders clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
English Revised Version
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 ever Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid reiside hise iyen, and siy the aungel of the Lord stondynge bitwixe heuene and erthe, and a drawun swerd in his hond, and turnede ayens Jerusalem. And bothe he and the grettere men in birthe weren clothid with heiris, and felden doun lowe on the erthe.
Update Bible Version
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground.
New Life Bible
Then David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven. The angel had his sword in his hand, held out over Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders fell on their faces. They were dressed in cloth made from hair.
New Revised Standard
David looked up 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 on their faces.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when David lifted up his eyes, and saw the messenger of Yahweh, standing, between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn, in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem, then fell David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, upon their faces.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David lifting up his eyes, saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand, turned against Jerusalem: and both he and the ancients clothed in haircloth, fell down flat on the ground.
Revised Standard Version
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.
Young's Literal Translation
and David lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem, and David falleth, and the elders, covered with sackcloth, on their faces.
THE MESSAGE
David, Satan, and Araunah Now Satan entered the scene and seduced David into taking a census of Israel. David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, "Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number." Joab resisted: "May God multiply his people by hundreds! Don't they all belong to my master the king? But why on earth would you do a thing like this—why risk getting Israel into trouble with God?" But David wouldn't take no for an answer, so Joab went off and did it—canvassed the country and then came back to Jerusalem and reported the results of the census: There were 1,100,000 fighting men; of that total, Judah accounted for 470,000. Joab, disgusted by the command—it, in fact, turned his stomach!—protested by leaving Levi and Benjamin out of the census-taking. And God, offended by the whole thing, punished Israel. Then David prayed, "I have sinned badly in what I have just done, substituting statistics for trust; forgive my sin—I've been really stupid." God answered by speaking to Gad, David's pastor: "Go and give David this message: ‘ God 's word: You have your choice of three punishments; choose one and I'll do the rest.'" Gad delivered the message to David: "Do you want three years of famine, three months of running from your enemies while they chase you down, or three days of the sword of God —an epidemic unleashed on the country by an angel of God ? Think it over and make up your mind. What shall I tell the One who sent me?" David told Gad, "They're all terrible! But I'd rather be punished by God whose mercy is great, than fall into human hands." So God unleashed an epidemic in Israel—seventy thousand Israelites died. God then sent the angel to Jerusalem but when he saw the destruction about to begin, he compassionately changed his mind and ordered the death angel, "Enough's enough! Pull back!" The angel of God had just reached the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel hovering between earth and sky, sword drawn and about to strike Jerusalem. David and the elders bowed in prayer and covered themselves with rough burlap.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David lifted up 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.

Contextual Overview

7 And God was not pleased with this thing; so he sent punishment on Israel. 8 Then David said to God, Great has been my sin in doing this; but now, be pleased to take away the sin of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. 9 Then the word of the Lord came to Gad, David's seer, saying, 10 Go and say to David, The Lord says, Three things are offered to you: say which of them you will have, so that I may do it to you. 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, The Lord says, Take whichever you will: 12 Three years when there will not be enough food; or three months of war, when you will go in flight before your haters, being in great danger of the sword; or three days of the sword of the Lord, disease in the land, and the angel of the Lord taking destruction through all the land of Israel. Now give thought to the answer I am to take back to him who sent me. 13 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. 14 So the Lord sent disease on Israel, causing the death of seventy thousand men. 15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem for its destruction: and when he was about to do so, the Lord saw, and had regret for the evil, and said to the angel of destruction, It is enough; do no more. Now the angel of the Lord was by the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16 And David, lifting up his eyes, saw the angel of the Lord there between earth and heaven, with an uncovered sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the responsible men, clothed in haircloth, went down on their faces.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

saw the angel: Genesis 3:24, Exodus 14:19, Exodus 14:20, Numbers 22:31, Joshua 5:13, Joshua 5:14, 2 Kings 6:17

clothed: 1 Kings 21:27, 2 Kings 19:1, Psalms 35:13, Psalms 35:14, Jonah 3:6-8

fell upon: Numbers 14:5, Numbers 16:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:17 - fell Genesis 19:13 - Lord hath Genesis 37:34 - General Exodus 4:24 - the Lord Numbers 16:45 - And they Numbers 20:6 - they fell Numbers 22:23 - the ass saw Judges 13:20 - fell on 2 Samuel 24:16 - the angel 2 Samuel 24:17 - spake 1 Kings 18:39 - they fell 2 Kings 19:35 - the angel 1 Chronicles 21:12 - the sword 1 Chronicles 21:27 - the Lord 1 Chronicles 21:30 - he was afraid Ecclesiastes 5:8 - higher than they Isaiah 37:36 - the angel Jeremiah 6:12 - I will Ezekiel 9:8 - that I Ezekiel 11:13 - Then Daniel 8:3 - I lifted Matthew 17:6 - General Matthew 26:39 - and fell Mark 14:35 - and fell Luke 5:12 - fell Revelation 11:3 - clothed

Cross-References

Genesis 27:38
And Esau said to his father, Is that the only blessing you have, my father? give a blessing to me, even me! And Esau was overcome with weeping.
Genesis 29:11
And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
Genesis 44:34
For how may I go back to my father without the boy, and see the evil which will come on my father?
Judges 2:4
Now on hearing these words which the angel of the Lord said to all the children of Israel, the people gave themselves up to loud crying and weeping.
Ruth 1:9
May the Lord give you rest in the houses of your husbands. Then she gave them a kiss; and they were weeping bitterly.
1 Samuel 24:16
Now when David had said these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, David, my son? And Saul was overcome with weeping.
1 Samuel 30:4
Then David and the people who were with him gave themselves up to weeping till they were able to go on weeping no longer.
1 Kings 3:26
Then the mother of the living child came forward, for her heart went out to her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the child; do not on any account put it to death. But the other woman said, It will not be mine or yours; let it be cut in two.
Esther 8:6
For how is it possible for me to see the evil which is to overtake my nation? how may I see the destruction of my people?
Isaiah 49:15
Will a woman give up the child at her breast, will she be without pity for the fruit of her body? yes, these may, but I will not let you go out of my memory.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

See Gill "1Ch 21:1".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Here 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 (marginal reference “k”) as a place “holy to the Lord.”

David and the elders ... clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces - Facts additional to the narrative of Samuel; But facts natural in themselves, and in harmony with that narrative. Similarly, the narrative in 1 Chronicles 21:20 is additional to the account in Samuel; but its parts hang together; and there is no sufficient ground for suspecting it.


 
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