1 Chronicles 21:30 kjv
But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 21:30 nkjv
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 21:30 niv
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 21:30 esv
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 21:30 nlt
But David was not able to go there to inquire of God, because he was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 21 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Judgment & Fear of God | ||
| 2 Sam 24:16-17 | "When the angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented... Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking..." | David's perception of the destructive angel. |
| Num 16:46-48 | "Moses said to Aaron, 'Take the censer... a plague has begun among the people.'" | The urgency to avert immediate plague. |
| Exod 12:12-13 | "I will pass through... strike all the firstborn... when I see the blood, I will pass over you." | Divine judgment and means of atonement. |
| Ps 76:7-8 | "You, only You, are to be feared! Who can stand before You when once You are angry?" | God's fearful majesty in judgment. |
| Isa 6:5 | "Woe is me!... my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" | Overwhelming dread in the presence of God. |
| Jer 12:12 | "...a sword of the LORD devours from one end of the land to the other..." | The sword as a primary instrument of divine judgment. |
| Ezek 14:17 | "...If I bring a sword upon that land and say, 'Sword, go through the land,' and I cut off man and beast from it..." | God commands the sword as a judgment. |
| Rev 6:7-8 | "...pale horse, and its rider's name was Death... given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence..." | Sword as a powerful agent of divine judgment. |
| Heb 12:28-29 | "let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." | The New Testament call for awe before God. |
| Angel of the LORD (as divine agent) | ||
| Num 22:31 | "...the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword..." | Parallel vision of the Angel with a drawn sword. |
| Gen 22:11 | "But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!'" | The Angel as a direct messenger of God. |
| Jdg 6:11-12, 22 | "...the angel of the LORD sat under the terebinth... then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD." | The awe-inspiring nature of the Angel's presence. |
| Exod 3:2, 6 | "And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame... 'I am the God of your father...'" | The Angel embodying the very presence of God. |
| Josh 5:13-15 | "The commander of the army of the LORD... Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." | Divine manifestation commanding reverence. |
| Inquiring of God | ||
| 1 Chr 10:14 | "but did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death..." | The fatal consequences of not seeking the LORD. |
| 1 Sam 23:2, 4 | "David inquired of the LORD, 'Shall I go and attack these Philistines?'" | David's usual, consistent practice of seeking divine guidance. |
| 2 Sam 2:1 | "After this David inquired of the LORD, 'Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?'" | Another example of David consulting God. |
| Jer 33:3 | "Call to Me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things..." | God encourages inquiry and promises revelation. |
| Isa 30:1-2 | "Woe to the rebellious children... who carry out a plan, but not Mine..." | Actions without seeking God's counsel lead to error. |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Prioritizing seeking God's will and kingdom. |
1 Chronicles 21 verses
1 Chronicles 21 30 Meaning
This verse describes King David's profound fear of the visible "sword of the angel of the LORD," the instrument of divine judgment during the pestilence. This terror rendered him unable to travel to the Tabernacle at Gibeon to formally inquire of God, which was his usual practice. Instead, his focus was fixed on the immediate, terrifying manifestation of God's judgment, dictating an alternative and immediate response on the spot.
1 Chronicles 21 30 Context
This verse concludes 1 Chronicles chapter 21, which narrates King David's sin of taking a census of Israel, leading to God's judgment of a devastating plague that killed seventy thousand. Upon seeing the Angel of the LORD standing with a drawn sword over Jerusalem, poised for further destruction, David immediately repented. The prophet Gad then instructed David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite as an act of propitiation. Verse 29 specifies that the Tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of burnt offering were typically located at Gibeon. However, the Angel and the immediate divine manifestation of judgment were now present at Ornan's threshing floor, just outside Jerusalem. This vivid and terrifying display of God's ongoing wrath directly confronted David, making him so profoundly afraid that he was unable to proceed to the traditional sanctuary at Gibeon to seek God's counsel. This critical moment shifted David's spiritual focus and marked the future site of the glorious Temple in Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 21 30 Word analysis
- But: Hebrew particle
waw(ו), here acting adversatively, "But," signifying a strong contrast or explanation to what was previously stated (i.e., the location of the Tabernacle in Gibeon in verse 29). It underscores the disruption of normal procedure. - David: דָּוִד (Dawid), "beloved." The King, whose typical habit was to seek the LORD's counsel consistently. His profound fear highlights the exceptional nature of this divine encounter.
- could not go: לֹא־יָכֹל (lo' yakhol), literally "was not able." This indicates an incapacitation not by physical impediment but by a powerful, overwhelming force – here, intense psychological and spiritual terror. It conveys an enforced inability to perform the usual religious duty.
- before it: לְפָנָיו (lefanav), "before him" or "before it." Referring to the tabernacle at Gibeon (mentioned in v. 29). This implies that David's fear was so acute at the immediate location of judgment that he couldn't distance himself to seek God at the established, normative sanctuary.
- to inquire of God: לִדְרוֹשׁ בֵּאלהִים (lidrosh b'Elohim), "to seek God" or "to consult God." This Hebrew phrase describes seeking divine guidance, typically through priestly means (e.g., Urim and Thummim) or through prophets. It was a regular, essential act for Israel's leaders. David's inability underscores the severity and urgency of the immediate situation.
- because he was afraid: כִּי בָּעַת (ki va'at), "for he was terrified/dismayed/frightened." The verb
ba'at(בעת) signifies a deep, startling terror, bordering on paralysis or discomposure, often provoked by supernatural or divine encounters. This wasn't merely cowardice, but a holy dread appropriate to the manifestation of God's judicial wrath. - of the sword: מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב (mippenê ḥerev), "from the presence of the sword," or "because of the sword." The sword is a universal symbol of judgment, warfare, and execution. Here, it is God's instrument for carrying out the pestilence. Its visible, active presence was the direct cause of David's terror.
- of the angel of the LORD: מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה (malakh YHWH), "angel of Yahweh." This specific designation in the Old Testament often refers to a divine messenger who represents or is even identified with God Himself. His visible presence, wielding the sword of judgment, made the encounter undeniably overwhelming and terrifyingly direct.
Word Groups Analysis:
- "But David could not go before it to inquire of God": This phrase dramatically illustrates the unprecedented nature of the crisis. David, usually steadfast in seeking God, finds himself unable to follow proper protocol due to overwhelming spiritual distress. It suggests that immediate, dire circumstances of divine judgment can override customary religious practice, compelling an immediate and localized response dictated by the visible divine action.
- "because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD": This second clause directly provides the overwhelming reason for David's inability. The sight of God's direct, personal agent of judgment—the Angel, with a drawn sword representing ongoing divine wrath—instilled such profound, appropriate fear that it paralyzed normal procedural responses. This highlights the awe-inspiring and terrifying nature of God's justice and holiness when revealed.
1 Chronicles 21 30 Bonus section
- The Chronicler's specific mention of Gibeon (v. 29) just before this verse is crucial. It accentuates the break in established religious practice, underscoring that the immediate, terrifying manifestation of God at Ornan's threshing floor transcended conventional means of seeking God.
- David's fear, though incapacitating for one action, did not paralyze him from all action. His immediate and resolute obedience to Gad's instruction to build an altar (v. 26-28), despite his fear, shows that his terror was a catalyst for immediate propitiation and not mere cowardice.
- This narrative emphasizes God's sovereign hand in selecting Jerusalem as the spiritual center for His Temple, confirming it through a powerful display of both judgment and grace. The place where judgment was stayed becomes the place where future worship and atonement would permanently occur.
1 Chronicles 21 30 Commentary
First Chronicles 21:30 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating King David's spiritual response to direct divine judgment. His inability to go to Gibeon and inquire of God underscores the unique and terrifying nature of God's manifested wrath at Ornan's threshing floor. This was not mere human weakness but a profound, reverential fear (awe and terror) provoked by the overwhelming reality of the "sword of the angel of the LORD." This visible instrument of judgment symbolized God's active, devastating displeasure. David, who frequently sought God's counsel, was so deeply affected by this terrifying presence that his normal method of seeking divine instruction became temporarily impossible. Paradoxically, this overwhelming fear redirected his spiritual actions to the immediate site of judgment, compelling him to build an altar and offer sacrifice there. This moment, born of fear and immediate obedience, consecrated Ornan's threshing floor as the divinely chosen site for Solomon's Temple, demonstrating how even moments of overwhelming human terror can become crucial turning points in God's redemptive plan and the establishment of His dwelling place among His people.