1 Chronicles 21

1 Then Satan [the arch-enemy of good, an opponent] rose up [to stand in opposition] against Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants] and incited [to seduce or entice, stimulate] David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] to take a census [to count, number, or assign value] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob]. word study 2 So David [the king of Israel] said to Joab [Jehovah is father, a prominent Israelite and army general] and the commanders [rulers, leaders] of the troops, “Go [walk, journey] and count [number, recount] the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] from Beersheba [the well of the sevenfold oath, a city in southern Israel] to Dan [a city in northern Israel] and bring me a report [word, account], so that I may know [ascertain, understand] their number [quantity, total].” word study 3 But Joab replied, “May the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] multiply His troops a hundred [numerous, abundant] times over. My lord [master, ruler] the king, are they not all [every single one] servants [slaves, attendants] of my lord? Why does my lord [master, ruler] want to do this? Why should he bring [cause, inflict] guilt [sin, iniquity] on Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]?” word study 4 Nevertheless, the king’s [ruling, sovereign] word [command, decree] prevailed [was stronger, took hold] against Joab [Jehovah is father, David’s nephew]. So Joab [the general, army leader] departed [went out, left] and traveled [walked, journeyed] throughout [all of, every part of] Israel [the chosen people, Jacob’s descendants], and then he returned [came back, arrived] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, God’s dwelling place]. word study 5 And Joab reported [gave the sum of the number] to David the total number [quantity, count] of the troops [men who drew the sword, warriors]. In all [every part of] Israel there were 1,100,000 men [individuals, soldiers] who drew [pulled out, wielded] the sword [cutting instrument, weapon], including [added to, in addition to] 470,000 in Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob]. word study 6 But Joab [did not want to, was unwilling] did not include Levi [the priestly tribe] and Benjamin [son of the right hand] in the count [census, numbering], because the king’s [the monarch’s, ruler’s] command [word, order] was detestable [abhorrent, abominable] to him [in his eyes, to Joab]. word study 7 This command [was highly displeasing, evil in the sight of God] was also evil [a bad thing to do, displeasing] in the sight of God [the one supreme God, Elohim]; so He [in His sovereign judgment] struck [smote, punished] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 8 Then David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] said to God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], “I have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] greatly [exceedingly, to a great degree] because I have done [made, committed] this thing [deed, action]. Now [at this time, in this moment] I beg [beseech, plead with] You to take away [remove, forgive] the iniquity [moral evil, sin] of Your servant [slave, one who serves], for I have acted [done, committed] very [extremely, greatly] foolishly [in a silly or unwise manner].” word study 9 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] instructed [to speak, communicate] Gad [the seventh son of Jacob, a prophet], David’s [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] seer [a prophet, one who receives visions from God, having spiritual insight], word study 10 “Go [to approach, draw near] and tell [speak, communicate] David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] that this is what [thus, in this manner] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: ‘I [the first person singular, emphasizing God’s personal involvement] am offering [presenting, giving] you [David, as the recipient] three [a specific number] options [choices, possibilities]. Choose [select, pick] one [a single, unique option] of them, and I will carry [fulfill, bring to pass] it out against [upon, upon the context of] you.’” word study 11 So Gad [the prophet, seventh son of Jacob] went and said to David, “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: ‘You must choose [take which thou wilt, make your choice] word study 12 between three years [a period of time, a season] of famine [lack of food, spiritual hunger], three months [a lunar cycle, a time of change] of being swept away [consumed, destroyed] before your enemies [adversaries, those who oppose] and overtaken by their swords [cutting instruments, weapons of war], or three days [a short time, a brief period] of the sword [cutting instrument, judgment] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]—days of plague [disease, pestilence] upon the land [the earth, the territory], with the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] ravaging [destroying, laying waste] every part of Israel [the chosen people, the nation].’ Now then, decide how I should reply [respond, answer] to Him who sent me [the one who commissioned me, the messenger].” word study 13 David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed [in a great strait, troubled]. Please, let me fall into the hand [power, direction] of the LORD [Yehovah, the merciful God], for His mercies [compassion, tender love] are very great [exceedingly, many]; but do not let me fall into the hands [control, strength] of men [human beings, Adam].” word study 14 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sent [to give, put, or set] a plague [pestilence, disease] upon Israel [the descendants of Jacob], and seventy [the number of completion or perfection] thousand men [individuals, males] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob] fell [to fall, be defeated, or die] dead [lifeless, without breath]. word study 15 Then God [the Supreme Creator, Elohim] sent an angel [messenger, divine representative] to destroy [to ruin, bring calamity upon] Jerusalem, but as the angel was doing so, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] saw it and relented [was sorry, had pity] from the calamity [evil, adversity], and He said to the angel who was destroying [causing destruction, ruining] the people, “Enough [It is enough, cease]! Withdraw your hand [stop, restrain your power] now!” At that time the angel of the LORD [divine messenger] was standing by the threshing floor [open area for grain separation] of Ornan [light was perpetuated, a Jebusite] the Jebusite [a descendant of Jebus, a son of Canaan]. word study 16 When David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] lifted up his eyes and saw the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] standing [in a strong sense, firmly established] between [in the midst of, among] heaven [the visible universe, the abode of God] and earth [the land, the material world], with a drawn [pulled out, unsheathed] sword [a cutting instrument] in his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] stretched out [extended, spread out] over Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine], David and the elders [old, elderly, respected leaders], clothed in sackcloth [a coarse cloth or sack], fell [prostrated themselves, bowed down] facedown [on their faces, in a posture of reverence]. word study 17 And David said to God [the supreme Creator, Elohim], “Was it not I [the king, the leader] who gave the order [commanded, instructed] to count [to number, to take account of] the people? I am the one who has sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] and acted wickedly [done evil, committed wrongdoing]. But these sheep [innocent ones, the flock], what have they done [what is their guilt]? O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] my God, please [I pray, I beseech] let Your hand [Your power, Your direction] fall upon me and my father’s house [my family, my lineage], but do not let this plague [judgment, pestilence] remain upon Your people [Your nation, Your flock].” word study 18 Then the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] ordered Gad to tell David to go up [ascend, rise] and build an altar [place of sacrifice] to the LORD [the Lord God, Yehovah] on the threshing floor [open area for grain separation] of Ornan [light was perpetuated] the Jebusite [a person from Jebus, early Jerusalem]. word study 19 So David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] went up [ascended, rose] at the word [thing, matter, or affair] that Gad [the seventh son of Jacob, founder of the tribe of Gad] had spoken [communicated, uttered] in the name [identity, honor, character] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] [in the authority and power]. word study 20 Now Ornan [the Jebusite, a resident of the land] was threshing [treading, trampling] wheat [grain, a staple crop] when he turned [to return, to face] and saw [perceived, gazed upon] the angel [messenger, divine representative]; and his four [a specific number, a small group] sons who were with [accompanied, together with] him hid [concealed, secreted] themselves [from fear, for protection]. word study 21 David came [approached, drew near] to Ornan, and when Ornan looked out [saw, gazed] and saw David, he left [went out, departed from] the threshing floor [the place of grain separation, a flat area for winnowing] and bowed [prostrated himself, stooped low] facedown [with his face to the ground, in a posture of reverence] before David [as a sign of respect, in homage]. word study 22 Then David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] said to Ornan [a Jebusite, meaning light was perpetuated], “Grant me [give to me, allow me to have] the site [place, location] of this threshing floor [an open area for grain separation], that I may build [construct, establish] an altar [a place of sacrifice] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] [the supreme Creator]. Sell it to me for the full price [a large amount, sufficient money], so that the plague [a divine judgment, pestilence] upon the people [a nation, a group of individuals] may be halted [restrained, stopped, held back].” word study 23 Ornan said to David, “My lord [master, ruler] the king may take whatever seems good [pleasant, beneficial]. Look, I will give the oxen [cattle, used for sacrifice] for the burnt offerings [sacrifices completely consumed by fire], the threshing sledges [instruments for separating grain] for the wood [fuel for the altar], and the wheat [grain] for the grain offering [a gift, a sacrifice of thanksgiving]—I will give it all [everything, without reserve].” word study 24 “No,” replied King David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel], “I insist on paying the full [complete, without lack] price, for I will not take for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] what belongs to you, nor will I offer burnt offerings [sacrifices entirely consumed by fire, a step or stairs to the altar] that cost me nothing [without payment, in vain, for nothing].” word study 25 So David [gave] paid Ornan [the Jebusite, a resident of the area] six hundred [a numerical value, 600] shekels [a unit of weight or money, coins] of gold [a valuable metal, highly valued] for the site [place, location, plot of land]. word study 26 And there [at that specific location, in that place] he built [constructed, established] an altar [a place of sacrifice, a table for offerings] to the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] and offered [presented, sacrificed] burnt offerings [sacrifices completely consumed by fire] and peace offerings [voluntary sacrifices to express gratitude and fellowship]. He called [prayed, invoked] upon the LORD [the covenant God], who answered [responded, replied] him with fire [burning, flame] from heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm] on the altar [the table for burnt offerings] of burnt offering [the sacrifice that ascends to God]. word study 27 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spoke [to say, command] to the angel [messenger, representative of God], who put his sword [cutting instrument, tool for battle] back into its sheath [protective case, covering] [to return, turn back]. word study 28 At that [specific, appointed] time, when David [the king of Israel] saw that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had answered [responded, given an answer] him at the threshing floor [the place of grain separation, a location for worship] of Ornan [a Jebusite, meaning light was perpetuated] the Jebusite [a descendant of Jebus, an early inhabitant of Jerusalem], he offered [presented, slaughtered] sacrifices [religious offerings, acts of worship] there [in that location, at that moment]. word study 29 For the tabernacle [sacred tent, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] that Moses [the Israelite leader] had made [constructed, prepared] in the wilderness [desert, open field] and the altar [place of sacrifice] of burnt offering [step or stairs for sacrifice] were presently [at that time, in that season] at the high place [elevation, cultic platform] in Gibeon [a Levitical city, el-Jib], word study 30 but David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] could not go [was unable to walk, to move forward] before it [the altar, the presence of God] to inquire [to seek, to ask] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God], because he was afraid [terrified, startled] of the sword [a cutting instrument] of the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah]. word study