1 Chronicles 21 15

1 Chronicles 21:15 kjv

And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:15 nkjv

And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the LORD looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:15 niv

And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:15 esv

And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, "It is enough; now stay your hand." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:15 nlt

And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was preparing to destroy it, the LORD relented and said to the death angel, "Stop! That is enough!" At that moment the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21 verses

1 Chronicles 21 15 Meaning

First Chronicles 21:15 describes the pivotal moment when God's judgment against Jerusalem, initiated by David's census, was halted. As the angel of the LORD was actively bringing destruction upon the city, the LORD intervened, beholding the devastation and relenting from His decision to continue the calamity. He then commanded the angel to cease the destruction immediately. The angel of the LORD's immediate obedience is highlighted by its standing at a specific location: the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, which was destined to become the site of the future Temple in Jerusalem. This verse powerfully illustrates divine judgment, divine compassion, and the strategic positioning of God’s redemptive plan amidst human sin.

1 Chronicles 21 15 Context

This verse is situated within 1 Chronicles chapter 21, which recounts King David's sin of taking a census of Israel, an act driven by pride and a lack of trust in God. This sin was instigated by Satan (unlike the parallel account in 2 Samuel 24 which attributes it to God's anger for unnamed reasons against Israel, suggesting Satan acted as an instrument of divine purpose). As a consequence of this transgression, God offered David a choice of three punishments: famine, defeat in war, or a devastating plague. David chose the plague, trusting in God's great mercies over man's. A plague of immense severity, administered by a destroying angel, quickly spread across Israel, ultimately reaching Jerusalem and causing 70,000 deaths. Amidst this destruction, the scene in verse 15 unfolds, depicting God’s sudden intervention, prompted by the intense suffering and David’s repentant heart, thereby sparing Jerusalem further devastation. This divine act not only stopped the judgment but also providentially identified the exact site for the future Temple.

1 Chronicles 21 15 Word analysis

• And God (וַיִּשְׁלַח הָאֱלֹהִים - Vayyishlach ha'Elohim):
  • ha'Elohim (הָאֱלֹהִים): Refers to God in His role as the sovereign, all-powerful Creator and Judge, emphasizing His general power and authority. This specific designation, rather than YHWH, often highlights God's universal governance and power in initiating judgment.
  • Vayyishlach: "And He sent." Indicates a direct, deliberate action, God as the instigator of the judgment.
• sent an angel (מַלְאָךְ - mal'akh):
  • Mal'akh: A messenger, envoy, or agent. In this context, the angel is God's divine executor of judgment, carrying out God's decreed punishment.
• unto Jerusalem (לִירוּשָׁלַיִם - Lirushalayim):
  • Lirushalayim: "To Jerusalem." This specific target highlights the severity of the judgment impacting the chosen capital and spiritual heart of the nation, indicating judgment beginning at God's own house.
• to destroy it (לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ - Lehashchita):
  • Lehashchita: From the root "shakhat," meaning "to spoil, ruin, corrupt, destroy." This clarifies the specific, destructive purpose of the angel's mission.
• and as he was destroying (וּכְהַשְׁחִית - Ukh'hashchit):
  • Ukh'hashchit: Emphasizes the ongoing nature of the destruction. It was not a halted potential but a judgment actively in progress, highlighting the immediate cessation of wrath.
• the LORD beheld (רָאָה יְהוָה - Ra'ah YHWH):
  • YHWH (יְהוָה): The sacred Tetragrammaton, representing God's personal covenant name. This shift from "Elohim" to "YHWH" signifies God's relationship with His people and His merciful, compassionate nature, which prompted the intervention.
  • Ra'ah: "He saw" or "beheld." Implies deep awareness, compassion, and perhaps distress over the widespread death, moving Him to act.
• and he repented him of the evil (וַיִּנָּחֶם עַל־הָרָעָה - Vayyinnakhem al-hara'ah):
  • Vayyinnakhem: "And He relented" or "was grieved." This is an anthropomorphic expression, meaning God changed His course of action regarding the calamity, not that He made a mistake or changed His nature. It expresses His sorrow over the consequence of sin and His compassionate response to His suffering creation.
  • Ha'ra'ah: "The evil" or "calamity." Refers to the physical disaster, the judgment, not moral evil in God. God relents from causing the calamity.
• and said to the angel that destroyed (וַיֹּאמֶר לַמַּלְאָךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית - Vayyomer lammal'akh hammashchit):
  • Vayyomer: "And He said." A direct command, demonstrating God's supreme authority over His instruments of judgment.
  • Hammal'akh hammashchit: "The destroying angel," specifically naming its function, indicating it was the same angel sent earlier.
• It is enough (רַב - Rav):
  • Rav: "Enough," "sufficient," "much." A declarative command to cease. It signifies the boundary and limit of God's wrath, demonstrating His controlled application of judgment.
• stay now thine hand (וְאָמַר לְכַף מִדֵּי עֲצוֹר - Ve'amar lekaph middei 'atzor):
  • Ve'amar lekaph middei 'atzor: Literally "and say to the palm of the hand to restrain." "Hand" is a metonymy for power or action. The command is a clear and immediate instruction to stop the destructive activity.
• And the angel of the LORD stood (וּמַלְאַךְ יְהוָה עֹמֵד - U’mal'akh YHWH ‘omed):
  • Mal'akh YHWH: "Angel of the LORD." This often denotes a special, divine messenger, sometimes interpreted as a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ. The precise immediate standing indicates instant obedience to God's command.
  • ‘Omed: "Standing." Indicates immediate cessation of movement and action, firmly positioned.
• by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite (עִם־גֹּרֶן אָרְנָן הַיְבוּסִי - ‘Im Goren Ornan hay'vusi):
  • Goren (גֹּרֶן): "Threshingfloor." A level, open area where grain was processed. Symbolically, a place of separation (chaff from grain), hinting at judgment.
  • Ornan the Jebusite: Identifies the owner and nationality of the land. His generosity and later role in the narrative (selling the land for the altar) are significant. This exact location, where judgment stopped, became the divinely appointed site for the altar and subsequently the Temple, where atonement and reconciliation would occur. It signifies where mercy met justice.

1 Chronicles 21 15 Bonus section

The site of Ornan's threshingfloor (also called Araunah in 2 Samuel 24) is traditionally identified with Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered Isaac (Gen 22). This convergence ties the averted destruction by the angel to a previous moment of averted sacrifice on the very same mountain, deeply enriching the theological significance. The Threshingfloor, where the wheat and chaff are separated, also carries symbolic weight regarding judgment and purification. Furthermore, the distinct designation "the angel of the LORD" (mal'akh YHWH) from "an angel" (mal'akh) suggests a figure with specific divine authority or presence. This divine visitation on Ornan's threshingfloor marks it as holy ground, divinely appointed for future worship and sacrifice, illustrating that God sovereignly chooses the very place for atonement and the presence of His Temple precisely at the boundary where His justice had reached its limit and His mercy took over.

1 Chronicles 21 15 Commentary

First Chronicles 21:15 is a profound display of God's sovereign justice and overflowing mercy. David’s presumptuous census had invited divine wrath, but amidst the unfolding judgment, God’s compassionate nature prevailed. The “repenting” of the LORD is an anthropomorphism illustrating His heartfelt response to suffering, and not a change in His eternal character or His perfect knowledge. It conveys His deep grief and willingness to limit calamity. The stopping of the angel, who had already caused great devastation, highlights the absolute power of God to command all things, even His own instruments of judgment. The specified location—the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite—is of immense theological significance. It became the place of David’s sacrifice and atonement, and subsequently the chosen site for the Holy Temple, emphasizing that where sin once provoked divine wrath, divine mercy established a path for reconciliation and worship. It signifies that the place where God’s judgment was averted is exactly where His redemptive presence would dwell. This turning point from destruction to dedication underscores God's persistent plan to reconcile His people to Himself, turning a moment of discipline into a foundation for grace.