1 Chronicles 21:12 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.
1 Chronicles 21:12 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."
1 Chronicles 21:12 niv
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."
1 Chronicles 21:12 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."
1 Chronicles 21:12 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."
1 Chronicles 21 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 30:12 | When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each man shall give a ransom for his life... lest there be a plague among them when you list them. | Census required atonement, or plague. |
| Deut 28:15 | But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God... all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. | Curses for disobedience, including these. |
| Lev 26:25-26 | I will bring a sword upon you that shall execute vengeance... when I break your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven. | Sword and famine as covenant curses. |
| Psa 91:6 | Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday. | Mentions pestilence and destruction. |
| Psa 103:8-10 | The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever... | God's mercy despite deserved judgment. |
| Psa 115:3 | Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. | God's sovereign control over events. |
| Jer 14:12 | Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. | Prophetic triad of divine judgment. |
| Jer 21:7 | I will give Zedekiah king of Judah... and whatever people are left in this city, from the pestilence, from the sword, and from famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. | God bringing sword, famine, pestilence. |
| Ezek 5:12 | A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed by famine... a third part shall fall by the sword... and a third part I will scatter... | Proportional judgments of the three. |
| Ezek 6:11 | For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. | Recurrence of the three judgments. |
| Ezek 14:21 | For thus says the Lord GOD: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! | Listing divine judgments, including the triad. |
| Isa 46:10 | declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ | God's foreknowledge and ultimate plan. |
| Lam 3:33 | For he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men. | God's character in dispensing judgment. |
| Hos 13:9 | I will be your destruction, O Israel, against him who helps you. | God as the source of judgment. |
| Joel 2:13 | Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love... | Call for repentance before judgment. |
| Jon 3:9-10 | Who knows? God may turn and relent... When God saw what they did... God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them... | God's willingness to relent. |
| Heb 12:6 | For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. | God's discipline is a sign of love. |
| Rev 3:19 | Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; so be zealous and repent. | Discipline from love, calling to repent. |
| Rev 6:8 | And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. | Sword, famine, pestilence as instruments of judgment. |
| Acts 12:23 | Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. | An Angel of the Lord carrying out judgment. |
| Exod 12:23 | For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood... the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. | Angel as destroyer during a plague. |
| Num 16:46-50 | Take your censer... for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun. | Plague sent by God due to disobedience. |
1 Chronicles 21 verses
1 Chronicles 21 12 Meaning
First Chronicles 21:12 presents David, through the prophet Gad, with three divinely appointed judgments as consequences for his unauthorized census of Israel. These choices are: three years of famine, three months of being overwhelmed by his enemies with the Lord's sword pursuing him, or three days of pestilence (divine plague) administered by the Angel of the Lord throughout Israel. The verse concludes with Gad urging David to choose quickly, indicating the urgency of the divine decree and David's accountability. This is God's just response to David's sin, offering a limited choice of calamities from which David must select, demonstrating God's sovereignty over the consequences of human actions.
1 Chronicles 21 12 Context
The immediate context of 1 Chronicles 21:12 is David's sin in commanding a census of Israel. Although the specific nature of the sin is debated by scholars, it is typically understood as an act of pride, lack of trust in God's ability to defend His people, or reliance on human military strength rather than divine provision. This sin led God to offer David three severe options for punishment through the prophet Gad. This event directly parallels 2 Samuel 24, providing a complementary perspective from the Chronicler, who emphasizes God's sovereign hand and David's relationship with the Lord, especially regarding the site of the future temple. The broader historical context is David's reign, a period of consolidation and establishment of Israel as a kingdom under a divinely chosen king, but also a period not without human failings and their consequences. God's discipline serves to underscore His holiness and Israel's covenant responsibility, even for the most esteemed leader.
1 Chronicles 21 12 Word analysis
- either three years of famine: The number 'three' signifies completion or finality in biblical contexts, often implying divine establishment or decision. "Famine" (Hebrew: ra'av) indicates a widespread scarcity of food, a severe form of natural calamity often used by God as a consequence of disobedience, affecting the entire population and striking at their fundamental sustenance.
- or three months of devastation by your foes: The 'three months' indicate a shorter, intense period. "Devastation" (Hebrew: hissaphe, "to be swept away/cut off") implies utter defeat and destruction by enemies. This is coupled with the direct mention of "the sword of the LORD overtaking you," emphasizing that even human warfare against Israel is ultimately orchestrated or permitted by God as a judgment, rather than mere chance. This points to divine sovereignty over national conflict.
- with the sword of the LORD overtaking you: This phrase confirms that even external aggressors serve as instruments of divine judgment. "Sword" (Hebrew: cherev) symbolizes war and violence. "Overtaking" (Hebrew: tassigeka, from nasag) implies unavoidable pursuit and capture.
- or else three days of the sword of the LORD and pestilence in the land: This third option offers the shortest duration but implies intense suffering. The repetition of "sword of the LORD" alongside "pestilence" underscores the divine origin of the calamity. "Pestilence" (Hebrew: dever) refers to a sudden, widespread, and deadly disease or plague, often interpreted as directly inflicted by God. Its short, intense duration reflects its severity.
- with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel: "Angel of the LORD" (Hebrew: mal'akh Yahweh) is a specific messenger or manifestation of God Himself, often carrying out divine judgment or intervention. "Destroying" (Hebrew: mashkhit, from shachat) denotes a comprehensive act of annihilation or ruin. This highlights the direct, immediate, and inescapable nature of this specific judgment, unlike famine or war which involve more visible human/natural processes. The action occurs "throughout all the territory of Israel," emphasizing its wide reach.
- Now decide what word I shall bring back to Him who sent me: This is Gad's direct command to David, requiring a decision from the king under dire circumstances. It underscores God's willingness to allow human agency in the choice of consequence, even while maintaining His divine prerogative to administer it.
1 Chronicles 21 12 Bonus section
The concept of the "Angel of the LORD" in this context aligns with other Old Testament narratives where this figure acts as a direct agent of divine destruction or judgment, as seen during the Passover in Egypt or the annihilation of Sennacherib's army. This reinforces that the pestilence would not be a natural outbreak but a supernaturally ordained act. The differing accounts in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 regarding the number of famine years (seven vs. three) are a point of scholarly discussion; the Chronicler likely focuses on the immediacy and severity, emphasizing a direct threefold choice, rather than strict historical concordance in every minute detail. Regardless of the slight numerical difference in the famine option across accounts, the core message of divine consequence and God's absolute sovereignty remains consistent and potent. The very presentation of choices, rather than a single fixed judgment, speaks to God's patient yet firm character in dealing with His people.
1 Chronicles 21 12 Commentary
1 Chronicles 21:12 underscores fundamental theological truths: God's holiness demands accountability for sin, even from His chosen leaders. David's census, whether born of pride or distrust, breached his covenant with God, inviting disciplinary action. The three choices – famine, war, or plague – are standard biblical forms of divine judgment, each representing a distinct mode of suffering and control, ranging from natural disaster to human conflict to direct supernatural intervention. The options illustrate a proportional decrease in duration matched by an increase in severity and immediacy of divine presence (from three years of famine, to three months of war, to three days of a God-sent plague by His Angel). David's ultimate choice (in the next verse, not this one) to "fall into the hand of the LORD" by choosing pestilence reflects a deep trust in God's mercy as being greater than human compassion, despite the swift and devastating nature of that option. The presence of the "Angel of the LORD" emphasizes the direct, irresistible power of divine judgment, making it perhaps the most terrifying but also, paradoxically, the most merciful in terms of brevity and direct control by a compassionate God. This passage teaches that God disciplines those He loves, and His discipline is not arbitrary but purposed to bring about repentance and realignment with His will.