1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 21:15–18

¹⁵Then God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented from the calamity, and He said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!”

At that time the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan^c the Jebusite.

¹⁶When 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. ¹⁷And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave the order to count the people? I^d am the one who has sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house, but do not let this plague remain upon Your people.”

¹⁸Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Footnotes

c 21:15 Ornan is a variant of Araunah; also in verses 18–28; see 2 Samuel 24:16|2SA 24:16.
d 21:17 Or I, the shepherd,see 2 Samuel 24:17|2SA 24:17DSS and LXX.

Read all of 1 Chronicles 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Chronicles 21:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then God	הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים׀	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַח֩	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
an angel	מַלְאָ֥ךְ׀	mal·’āḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H4397 messenger
to destroy	לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ֒	lə·haš·ḥî·ṯāh	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H7843 go to ruin (?)
Jerusalem	לִֽירוּשָׁלִַם֮	lî·rū·šā·lim	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
but as the angel was doing so	וּכְהַשְׁחִ֗ית	ū·ḵə·haš·ḥîṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7843 go to ruin (?)
the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
saw it	רָאָ֤ה	rā·’āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
and relented	וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם	way·yin·nā·ḥem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5162 be sorry, console
from	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the calamity	הָֽרָעָ֔ה	hā·rā·‘āh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
and He said	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to the angel	לַמַּלְאָ֤ךְ	lam·mal·’āḵ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4397 messenger
who was destroying the people	הַמַּשְׁחִית֙	ham·maš·ḥîṯ	Article; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H7843 go to ruin (?)
Enough	רַ֔ב	raḇ	Adverb	H7227 much, many, great
Withdraw	הֶ֣רֶף	he·rep̄	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H7503 sink, relax
your hand	יָדֶ֑ךָ	yā·ḏe·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3027 hand
now	עַתָּ֖ה	‘at·tāh	Adverb	H6258 now
At that time the angel	וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ	ū·mal·’aḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
of the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
was standing	עֹמֵ֔ד	‘ō·mêḏ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
by	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
the threshing floor	גֹּ֖רֶן	gō·ren	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1637 threshing-floor
of Ornan	אָרְנָ֥ן	’ā·rə·nān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H771 Ornan
the Jebusite	הַיְבוּסִֽי׃ס	hay·ḇū·sî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2983 Jebusite, Jebusites

1 Chronicles 21:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When David	דָוִ֜יד	ḏā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
lifted up	וַיִּשָּׂ֨א	way·yiś·śā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
his eyes	עֵינָ֗יו	‘ê·nāw	Noun - cdc; third person masculine singular	H5869 eye
and saw	וַיַּ֞רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
the angel	מַלְאַ֤ךְ	mal·’aḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
of the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
standing	עֹמֵ֗ד	‘ō·mêḏ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
between	בֵּ֤ין	bên	Preposition	H996 interval, space between
heaven	הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
and	וּבֵ֣ין	ū·ḇên	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H996 interval, space between
earth	הָאָ֙רֶץ֙	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
with a drawn	שְׁלוּפָה֙	šə·lū·p̄āh	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H8025 draw out, off
sword	וְחַרְבּ֤וֹ	wə·ḥar·bōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2719 sword
in his hand	בְּיָד֔וֹ	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
stretched out	נְטוּיָ֖ה	nə·ṭū·yāh	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
over	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Jerusalem	יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם	yə·rū·šā·lim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
David	דָּוִ֧יד	dā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
and the elders	וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים	wə·haz·zə·qê·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H2205 old
clothed	מְכֻסִּ֥ים	mə·ḵus·sîm	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural	H3680 cover
in sackcloth	בַּשַּׂקִּ֖ים	baś·śaq·qîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8242 sack, sackcloth
fell	וַיִּפֹּ֨ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
facedown	פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃	pə·nê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H6440 face, before

1 Chronicles 21:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And David	דָּוִ֣יד	dā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶֽל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
Was it not	הֲלֹא֩	hă·lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
I	אֲנִ֨י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
who gave the order	אָמַ֜רְתִּי	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
to count	לִמְנ֣וֹת	lim·nō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4487 count, number, reckon, assign
the people	בָּעָ֗ם	bā·‘ām	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
I	וַאֲנִי־	wa·’ă·nî-	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the one	ה֤וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
who	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
has sinned	חָטָ֙אתִי֙	ḥā·ṭā·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2398 miss
and acted wickedly	וְהָרֵ֣עַ	wə·hā·rê·a‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7489 be evil, bad
But these	וְאֵ֥לֶּה	wə·’êl·leh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
sheep	הַצֹּ֖אן	haṣ·ṣōn	Article; Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
what	מֶ֣ה	meh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have they done	עָשׂ֑וּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
O LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
my God	אֱלֹהַ֗י	’ĕ·lō·hay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God
please	נָ֤א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
let Your hand	יָֽדְךָ֙	yā·ḏə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3027 hand
fall upon	תְּהִ֨י	tə·hî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
me	בִּ֚י	bî	Preposition; first person common singular
and my father’s	אָבִ֔י	’ā·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1 father
house	וּבְבֵ֣ית	ū·ḇə·ḇêṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
but do not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
let this plague	לְמַגֵּפָֽה׃ס	lə·mag·gê·p̄āh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H4046 blow, slaughter, plague, pestilence
remain upon Your people	וּֽבְעַמְּךָ֖	ū·ḇə·‘am·mə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5971 people

1 Chronicles 21:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the angel	וּמַלְאַ֧ךְ	ū·mal·’aḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
of the LORD	יְהוָ֛ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
ordered	אָמַ֥ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Gad	גָּ֖ד	gāḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1410 Gad
to tell	לֵאמֹ֣ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
David	לְדָוִ֑יד	lə·ḏā·wîḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
to go up	יַעֲלֶ֣ה	ya·‘ă·leh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
and build	לְהָקִ֤ים	lə·hā·qîm	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
an altar	מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙	miz·bê·aḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
to the LORD	לַיהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
on the threshing floor	בְּגֹ֖רֶן	bə·ḡō·ren	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H1637 threshing-floor
of Ornan	אָרְנָ֥ן	’ā·rə·nān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H771 Ornan
the Jebusite	הַיְבֻסִֽי׃	hay·ḇu·sî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2983 Jebusite, Jebusites