I Chronicles 21:12
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
between three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies and overtaken by their swords, or three days of the sword of the LORD—days of plague upon the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should reply to Him who sent me.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 21 Excepting the three last verses, is contained in Sa2 24:1 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there.
Open source ↗As this rehearsal makes no mention of David's sin in the matter of Uriah, so neither of the troubles of his family that followed upon it; not a word of Absalom's rebellion, or Sheba's. But David's sin, in numbering the people, is here related, because, in the atonement made for that sin, an intimation was given of the spot of ground on which the temple should be built. Here is, I. David's sin, in forcing Joab to number the people (Ch1 21:1-6). II. David's sorrow for what he had done, as soon as he perceived the sinfulness of it (Ch1 21:7, Ch1 21:8). III. The sad dilemma (or trilemma rather) he was brought to, when it was put to him to choose how he would be punished for this sin, and what rod he would be beaten with (Ch1 21:9-13). IV. The woeful havoc which was made by the pestilence in the country, and the narrow escape which Jerusalem had from being laid waste by it (Ch1 21:14-17). V. David's repentance, and sacrifice, upon this occasion, and the staying of the plaque thereupon (Ch1 21:18-30). This awful story we met with, and meditated upon, 2 Sa. 24.
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.
You will still be eating the old supply of grain when you need to clear it out to make room for the new.
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon.
The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.
The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, and with blight and mildew; these will pursue you until you perish.
Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the earth to the other. No flesh has peace.