1 Chronicles 21:26 kjv
And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
1 Chronicles 21:26 nkjv
And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.
1 Chronicles 21:26 niv
David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
1 Chronicles 21:26 esv
And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.
1 Chronicles 21:26 nlt
David built an altar there to the LORD and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And when David prayed, the LORD answered him by sending fire from heaven to burn up the offering on the altar.
1 Chronicles 21 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 9:24 | And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering... | God consumed Aaron's inaugural sacrifices with fire, indicating acceptance. |
| Judg 6:21 | Then the angel of the LORD put out the tip of the staff...and fire sprang from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. | God's approval of Gideon's offering via miraculous fire. |
| 1 Kgs 18:38 | Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering... | Elijah's dramatic confrontation on Mt. Carmel; divine vindication. |
| 2 Chr 7:1 | When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices... | God's acceptance of Solomon's Temple dedication sacrifices. |
| Gen 15:17 | When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot... | God's covenant with Abraham sealed by fiery presence passing between offerings. |
| Pss 20:3 | May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice. | Prayer for divine acceptance of sacrifices. |
| Isa 6:6-7 | Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand...and touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." | Fire as an agent of purification and atonement. |
| Heb 9:22 | Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. | Reinforces the necessity of blood sacrifice for atonement. |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice... | Believers are called to be living sacrifices, echoes of offering. |
| Phil 4:18 | I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. | Spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God in the NT. |
| Pss 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart... | The true sacrifice God desires. |
| 2 Sam 24:25 | And David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel. | Parallel account of this event in Samuel, emphasizing God's mercy. |
| Deut 12:5 | But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose...to make his name dwell there... | God designates specific places for worship, linking to the Temple site. |
| Jer 29:12 | Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. | God promises to hear His people's prayers. |
| Matt 7:7 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | New Testament principle of asking God in prayer. |
| 1 Pet 3:12 | For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer... | God's attention and responsiveness to the righteous' prayers. |
| Eph 5:2 | And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. | Christ as the ultimate, perfectly acceptable sacrifice. |
| Isa 56:7 | ...their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar... | God's promise to accept offerings at His appointed place. |
| 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, abounding in steadfast love... | The call for sincere repentance precedes God's response. |
| Ps 65:2 | O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. | God as the ultimate hearer of prayer. |
1 Chronicles 21 verses
1 Chronicles 21 26 Meaning
1 Chronicles 21:26 depicts a pivotal moment where David, in response to divine instruction and his sin, built an altar and offered sacrifices to the LORD. The immediate and visible answer from God, signified by fire descending from heaven to consume the offerings, validated David's actions, confirmed the atonement for Israel's sin, and consecrated the site as a holy place chosen by God for worship, effectively halting the plague that afflicted the land. This demonstrates God's responsiveness to sincere repentance and prescribed worship.
1 Chronicles 21 26 Context
This verse is the climax of a dire situation in 1 Chronicles chapter 21. David, prompted by Satan, took an unlawful census, indicating a reliance on human strength rather than God (1 Ch 21:1-4). This disobedience provoked God's wrath, leading to a severe plague that claimed 70,000 lives (1 Ch 21:7-14). When David repented, seeing the Angel of the LORD about to destroy Jerusalem, God commanded Gad the prophet to instruct David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah in 2 Sam 24). This specific site, soon to become the Temple Mount, was consecrated through David's humble obedience and the dramatic divine affirmation by fire. The successful offering signified the removal of the plague and the restoration of God's favor. Historically, this event grounds the sacredness of Jerusalem's future Temple site, tying the mercy of God to a specific geographical location.
1 Chronicles 21 26 Word analysis
- So: Indicates consequence or result, linking David's immediate obedience to the prophet's instruction with the subsequent divine response.
- David: King of Israel, chosen by God, despite his sin. His position as a representative leader is key for national atonement.
- built: (בָּנָה banah) Signifies active construction, an act of obedience. This action physically establishes the place for worship.
- there: Refers to the specific location – Ornan's (Araunah's) threshing floor (1 Ch 21:18, 28), chosen by God for this critical moment, later to become the site of Solomon's Temple.
- an altar: (מִזְבֵּחַ mizbeach) A structure designated for offering sacrifices. Symbolically, it is a place of communion with God, reconciliation, and propitiation. Its construction marked an intentional act of worship.
- to the LORD: (לַיהוה laYHWH) Designates the recipient of the worship, Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Emphasizes monotheistic worship distinct from pagan practices.
- and offered: (וַיַּעַל wayya'al, 'he made ascend') Refers to the act of presentation and sacrifice. The verb root 'alah implies that the offering rises up to God.
- burnt offerings: (עֹלוֹת ʿoloth) Sacrifices completely consumed by fire, symbolizing total devotion, atonement for unintentional sins, and a dedication to God. They were seen as ascending in smoke to God.
- and peace offerings: (וּשְׁלָמִים u'shemalim) Sacrifices associated with fellowship, gratitude, or the fulfillment of vows, where a portion was shared with God, the priests, and the offerer. Signifies reconciliation and renewed covenant relationship.
- And he called on the LORD: Represents prayer, supplication, and direct communication with God, seeking His mercy and favor.
- and He answered him: Indicates an immediate, affirmative divine response to David's prayer and actions. God hears and responds.
- by fire from heaven: (בָּאֵשׁ מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם ba'esh min-hashamayim) A miraculous divine manifestation. In the Old Testament, fire from heaven often signifies God's presence, acceptance, purification, and judgment. Here, it is explicit confirmation of the acceptance of the sacrifices and the atonement, establishing the sacredness of the location.
- on the altar of burnt offering: Specifically points to the very place where the sacrifices were offered, reaffirming the validity of the altar and the atonement taking place there.
1 Chronicles 21 26 Bonus section
The threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) is identified by tradition as Mount Moriah, the same place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22:2, 2 Chr 3:1). This deepens the theological significance of the site, prefiguring God's ultimate provision and sacrifice. The event in 1 Chronicles 21:26 demonstrates God's sovereignty over location and His immediate response to human actions. It underscores the concept of 'the fear of the LORD' – a holy awe and reverence that compels immediate obedience, especially when God's displeasure is evident. David's choice to pay full price for the site and the sacrifices, rejecting Ornan's generous offer (1 Ch 21:24), emphasized that genuine worship must cost something; it cannot be given for free. This refusal highlights the principle of true sacrifice and its necessity for genuine atonement before God.
1 Chronicles 21 26 Commentary
1 Chronicles 21:26 encapsulates profound theological truths. It highlights God's justice in consequence for sin, His boundless mercy in response to sincere repentance, and His direct intervention in human affairs. David's immediate and costly obedience to divine instruction, leading to the building of an altar on a pagan-owned threshing floor, marked a transformative moment. The "fire from heaven" was an unmistakable sign, directly echoing earlier divine endorsements of sacrifice (Lev 9:24) and setting the stage for future worship. This miraculous confirmation signifies that the wrath of God, expressed in the plague, had been appeased. It solidified the threshing floor of Ornan as God's chosen site for the Temple, providing the theological and geographical foundation for the heart of Israel's worship for centuries. This act not only halted the immediate calamity but also re-established a right relationship between God and His people through a divinely approved act of worship, demonstrating the importance of sacrifice, prayer, and divine appointment.
- Example 1: Like a parent instantly forgiving a child's sincere apology and turning a stern face into a loving embrace.
- Example 2: Similar to how a peace treaty is sealed with a tangible agreement, God's acceptance was made manifest with fire.