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Selected Verse: 1 Chronicles 21:16 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Ch 21:16	Strong Concordance	And David [01732] lifted up [05375] his eyes [05869], and saw [07200] the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] stand [05975] between the earth [0776] and the heaven [08064], having a drawn [08025] sword [02719] in his hand [03027] stretched out [05186] over Jerusalem [03389]. Then David [01732] and the elders [02205] of Israel, who were clothed [03680] in sackcloth [08242], fell [05307] upon their faces [06440].
	King James	And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
David and the elders . . . clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces--They appeared in the garb and assumed the attitude of humble penitents, confessing their sins, and deprecating the wrath of God.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

David and the elders . . . clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces--They appeared in the garb and assumed the attitude of humble penitents, confessing their sins, and deprecating the wrath of God.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Here a picture of awful grandeur takes the place of the bare statement of the earlier historian Sa2 24:17. And here, as elsewhere, the author probably extracts from the ancient documents such circumstances as harmonize with his general plan. As the sanctity of the temple was among the points whereon he was most anxious to lay stress, he gives in full all the miraculous circumstances attending this first designation of what became the temple site (marginal reference "k") as a place "holy to the Lord." David and the elders ... clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces - Facts additional to the narrative of Samuel; But facts natural in themselves, and in harmony with that narrative. Similarly, the narrative in Ch1 21:20 is additional to the account in Samuel; but its parts hang together; and there is no sufficient ground for suspecting it.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
angel (See Scofield) - (Heb 1:4).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The account of David's repentant beseeching of the Lord to turn away the primitive judgment, and the word of the Lord proclaimed to him by the prophet, commanding him to build an altar to the Lord in the place where the destroying angel visibly appeared, together with the carrying out of this divine command by the purchase of Araunah's threshing-floor, the erection of an altar, and the offering of burnt-offering, is given more at length in the Chronicle than in Sa2 24:17-25, where only David's negotiation with Araunah is more circumstantially narrated than in the Chronicle. In substance both accounts perfectly correspond, except that in the Chronicle several subordinate circumstances are preserved, which, as being minor points, are passed over in Samuel. In Ch1 21:16, the description of the angel's appearance, that he had a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, and the statement that David and the elders, clad in sackcloth (garments indicating repentance), fell down before the Lord; in Ch1 21:20, the mention of Ornan's (Araunah's) sons, who hid themselves on beholding the angel, and of the fact that Ornan was engaged in threshing wheat when David came to him; and the statement in Ch1 21:26, that fire came down from heaven upon the altar-are examples of such minor points. We have already commented on this section in our remarks on Sa2 24:17-25, and the account in the Chronicle is throughout correct and easily understood. Notwithstanding this, however, Bertheau, following Thenius and Bttcher, conjectures that the text is in several verses corrupt, and wishes to correct them by 2nd Samuel. But these critics are misled by the erroneous presumption with which they entered upon the interpretation of the Chronicle, that the author of it used as his authority, and revised, our Masoretic text of the second book of Samuel. Under the influence of this prejudice, emendations are proposed which are stamped with their own unlikelihood, and rest in part even on misunderstandings of the narrative in the book of Samuel. Of this one or two illustrations will be sufficient. Any one who compares Sa2 24:17 (Sam.) with Ch1 21:16 and Ch1 21:17 of the Chronicle, without any pre-formed opinions, will see that what is there (Sam.) concisely expressed is more clearly narrated in the Chronicle. The beginning of Ch1 21:17, "And David spake unto Jahve," is entirely without connection, as the thought which forms the transition from Ch1 21:16 to Ch1 21:17, viz., that David was moved by the sight of the destroying angel to pray to God that the destruction might be turned away, is only brought in afterwards in the subordinate clause, "on seeing the angel." This abrupt form of expression is got rid of in the Chronicle by the clause: "And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel ... and fell ... upon his face; and David spake to God." That which in Samuel is crushed away into an infinitive clause subordinate to the principle sentence, precedes in the Chronicle, and is circumstantially narrated. Under these circumstances, of course, the author of the Chronicle could not afterwards in Ch1 21:17 make use of the clause, "on seeing the angel who smote the people," without tautology. Berth., on the contrary, maintains that Ch1 21:16 is an interpolation of the chronicler, and proposes then to cull out from the words and letters בעם המכה המלאך את בראתו (Sam.), the words בעם למנותי אמרתי בראתו (Ch1 21:17), great use being made in the process of the ever ready auxiliaries, mistakes, and a text which has become obscure. This is one example out of many. Ch1 21:16 of the Chronicle is not an addition which the Chronicle has interpolated between Sa2 24:16-17 of Samuel, but a more detailed representation of the historical course of things. No mention is made in 2nd Samuel of the drawn sword in the angel's hand, because there the whole story is very concisely narrated. This detail need not have been borrowed from Num 22:23, for the drawn sword is a sensible sign that the angle's mission is punitive; and the angel, who is said to have visibly appeared in 2nd Samuel also, could be recognised as the bearer of the judicial pestilence only by this emblem, such recognition being plainly the object of his appearance. The mention of the elders along with David as falling on their faces in prayer, clad in sackcloth, will not surprise any reader or critic who considers that in the case of so fearful a pestilence the king would not be alone in praying God to turn away the judgment. Besides, from the mention of the עבדים of the king who went with David to Ornan (Sa2 24:20), we learn that the king did not by himself take steps to turn away the plague, but did so along with his servants. In the narrative in 2nd Samuel, which confines itself to the main point, the elders are not mentioned, because only of David was it recorded that his confession of sin brought about the removal of the plague. Just as little can we be surprised that David calls his command to number the people the delictum by which he had brought the judgment of the plague upon himself. - To alter בּדבר, Ch1 21:19, into כּדבר, as Berth. wishes, would show little intelligence. בּדבר, at Gad's word David went up, is proved by Num 31:16 to be good Hebrew, and is perfectly suitable.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The account of David's repentant beseeching of the Lord to turn away the primitive judgment, and the word of the Lord proclaimed to him by the prophet, commanding him to build an altar to the Lord in the place where the destroying angel visibly appeared, together with the carrying out of this divine command by the purchase of Araunah's threshing-floor, the erection of an altar, and the offering of burnt-offering, is given more at length in the Chronicle than in Sa2 24:17-25, where only David's negotiation with Araunah is more circumstantially narrated than in the Chronicle. In substance both accounts perfectly correspond, except that in the Chronicle several subordinate circumstances are preserved, which, as being minor points, are passed over in Samuel. In Ch1 21:16, the description of the angel's appearance, that he had a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, and the statement that David and the elders, clad in sackcloth (garments indicating repentance), fell down before the Lord; in Ch1 21:20, the mention of Ornan's (Araunah's) sons, who hid themselves on beholding the angel, and of the fact that Ornan was engaged in threshing wheat when David came to him; and the statement in Ch1 21:26, that fire came down from heaven upon the altar-are examples of such minor points. We have already commented on this section in our remarks on Sa2 24:17-25, and the account in the Chronicle is throughout correct and easily understood. Notwithstanding this, however, Bertheau, following Thenius and Bttcher, conjectures that the text is in several verses corrupt, and wishes to correct them by 2nd Samuel. But these critics are misled by the erroneous presumption with which they entered upon the interpretation of the Chronicle, that the author of it used as his authority, and revised, our Masoretic text of the second book of Samuel. Under the influence of this prejudice, emendations are proposed which are stamped with their own unlikelihood, and rest in part even on misunderstandings of the narrative in the book of Samuel. Of this one or two illustrations will be sufficient. Any one who compares Sa2 24:17 (Sam.) with Ch1 21:16 and Ch1 21:17 of the Chronicle, without any pre-formed opinions, will see that what is there (Sam.) concisely expressed is more clearly narrated in the Chronicle. The beginning of Ch1 21:17, "And David spake unto Jahve," is entirely without connection, as the thought which forms the transition from Ch1 21:16 to Ch1 21:17, viz., that David was moved by the sight of the destroying angel to pray to God that the destruction might be turned away, is only brought in afterwards in the subordinate clause, "on seeing the angel." This abrupt form of expression is got rid of in the Chronicle by the clause: "And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel ... and fell ... upon his face; and David spake to God." That which in Samuel is crushed away into an infinitive clause subordinate to the principle sentence, precedes in the Chronicle, and is circumstantially narrated. Under these circumstances, of course, the author of the Chronicle could not afterwards in Ch1 21:17 make use of the clause, "on seeing the angel who smote the people," without tautology. Berth., on the contrary, maintains that Ch1 21:16 is an interpolation of the chronicler, and proposes then to cull out from the words and letters בעם המכה המלאך את בראתו (Sam.), the words בעם למנותי אמרתי בראתו (Ch1 21:17), great use being made in the process of the ever ready auxiliaries, mistakes, and a text which has become obscure. This is one example out of many. Ch1 21:16 of the Chronicle is not an addition which the Chronicle has interpolated between Sa2 24:16-17 of Samuel, but a more detailed representation of the historical course of things. No mention is made in 2nd Samuel of the drawn sword in the angel's hand, because there the whole story is very concisely narrated. This detail need not have been borrowed from Num 22:23, for the drawn sword is a sensible sign that the angle's mission is punitive; and the angel, who is said to have visibly appeared in 2nd Samuel also, could be recognised as the bearer of the judicial pestilence only by this emblem, such recognition being plainly the object of his appearance. The mention of the elders along with David as falling on their faces in prayer, clad in sackcloth, will not surprise any reader or critic who considers that in the case of so fearful a pestilence the king would not be alone in praying God to turn away the judgment. Besides, from the mention of the עבדים of the king who went with David to Ornan (Sa2 24:20), we learn that the king did not by himself take steps to turn away the plague, but did so along with his servants. In the narrative in 2nd Samuel, which confines itself to the main point, the elders are not mentioned, because only of David was it recorded that his confession of sin brought about the removal of the plague. Just as little can we be surprised that David calls his command to number the people the delictum by which he had brought the judgment of the plague upon himself. - To alter בּדבר, Ch1 21:19, into כּדבר, as Berth. wishes, would show little intelligence. בּדבר, at Gad's word David went up, is proved by Num 31:16 to be good Hebrew, and is perfectly suitable.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Sackcloth - In mourning garments, humbling themselves before God for their sins, and deprecating his wrath against the people.

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²⁰ And Ornan [0771] turned back [07725], and saw [07200] the angel [04397]; and his four [0702] sons [01121] with him hid [02244] themselves. Now Ornan [0771] was threshing [01758] wheat [02406].

⁴ Being made [1096] so much [5118] better than [2909] the angels [32], as [3745] he hath by inheritance obtained [2816] a more excellent [1313] name [3686] than [3844] they [846].

¹⁶ Behold, these [02007] caused [01961] the children [01121] of Israel [03478], through the counsel [01697] of Balaam [01109], to commit [04560] trespass [04604] against the LORD [03068] in the matter [01697] of Peor [06465], and there was a plague [04046] among the congregation [05712] of the LORD [03068].

¹⁹ And David [01732] went up [05927] at the saying [01697] of Gad [01410], which he spake [01696] in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068].

²⁰ And Araunah [0728] looked [08259], and saw [07200] the king [04428] and his servants [05650] coming on [05674] toward him: and Araunah [0728] went out [03318], and bowed [07812] himself before the king [04428] on his face [0639] upon the ground [0776].

²³ And the ass [0860] saw [07200] the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] standing [05324] in the way [01870], and his sword [02719] drawn [08025] in his hand [03027]: and the ass [0860] turned aside [05186] out of the way [01870], and went [03212] into the field [07704]: and Balaam [01109] smote [05221] the ass [0860], to turn [05186] her into the way [01870].

¹⁶ And when the angel [04397] stretched out [07971] his hand [03027] upon Jerusalem [03389] to destroy [07843] it, the LORD [03068] repented [05162] him of the evil [07451], and said [0559] to the angel [04397] that destroyed [07843] the people [05971], It is enough [07227]: stay [07503] now thine hand [03027]. And the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] was by the threshingplace [01637] of Araunah [0728] the Jebusite [02983].
¹⁷ And David [01732] spake [0559] unto the LORD [03068] when he saw [07200] the angel [04397] that smote [05221] the people [05971], and said [0559], Lo, I have sinned [02398], and I have done wickedly [05753]: but these sheep [06629], what have they done [06213]? let thine hand [03027], I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's [01] house [01004].

¹⁶ And David [01732] lifted up [05375] his eyes [05869], and saw [07200] the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] stand [05975] between the earth [0776] and the heaven [08064], having a drawn [08025] sword [02719] in his hand [03027] stretched out [05186] over Jerusalem [03389]. Then David [01732] and the elders [02205] of Israel, who were clothed [03680] in sackcloth [08242], fell [05307] upon their faces [06440].

¹⁷ And David [01732] said [0559] unto God [0430], Is it not I that commanded [0559] the people [05971] to be numbered [04487]? even I it is that have sinned [02398] and done evil [07489] indeed [07489]; but as for these sheep [06629], what have they done [06213]? let thine hand [03027], I pray thee, O LORD [03068] my God [0430], be on me, and on my father's [01] house [01004]; but not on thy people [05971], that they should be plagued [04046].

¹⁷ And David [01732] spake [0559] unto the LORD [03068] when he saw [07200] the angel [04397] that smote [05221] the people [05971], and said [0559], Lo, I have sinned [02398], and I have done wickedly [05753]: but these sheep [06629], what have they done [06213]? let thine hand [03027], I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's [01] house [01004].
¹⁸ And Gad [01410] came [0935] that day [03117] to David [01732], and said [0559] unto him, Go up [05927], rear [06965] an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068] in the threshingfloor [01637] of Araunah [0728] the Jebusite [02983].
¹⁹ And David [01732], according to the saying [01697] of Gad [01410], went up [05927] as the LORD [03068] commanded [06680].
²⁰ And Araunah [0728] looked [08259], and saw [07200] the king [04428] and his servants [05650] coming on [05674] toward him: and Araunah [0728] went out [03318], and bowed [07812] himself before the king [04428] on his face [0639] upon the ground [0776].
²¹ And Araunah [0728] said [0559], Wherefore is my lord [0113] the king [04428] come [0935] to his servant [05650]? And David [01732] said [0559], To buy [07069] the threshingfloor [01637] of thee, to build [01129] an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068], that the plague [04046] may be stayed [06113] from the people [05971].
²² And Araunah [0728] said [0559] unto David [01732], Let my lord [0113] the king [04428] take [03947] and offer up [05927] what seemeth good [02896] unto him [05869]: behold [07200], here be oxen [01241] for burnt sacrifice [05930], and threshing instruments [04173] and other instruments [03627] of the oxen [01241] for wood [06086].
²³ All these things did Araunah [0728], as a king [04428], give [05414] unto the king [04428]. And Araunah [0728] said [0559] unto the king [04428], The LORD [03068] thy God [0430] accept [07521] thee.
²⁴ And the king [04428] said [0559] unto Araunah [0728], Nay; but I will surely [07069] buy [07069] it of thee at a price [04242]: neither will I offer [05927] burnt offerings [05930] unto the LORD [03068] my God [0430] of that which doth cost me nothing [02600]. So David [01732] bought [07069] the threshingfloor [01637] and the oxen [01241] for fifty [02572] shekels [08255] of silver [03701].
²⁵ And David [01732] built [01129] there an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068], and offered [05927] burnt offerings [05930] and peace offerings [08002]. So the LORD [03068] was intreated [06279] for the land [0776], and the plague [04046] was stayed [06113] from Israel [03478].

²⁶ And David [01732] built [01129] there an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068], and offered [05927] burnt offerings [05930] and peace offerings [08002], and called [07121] upon the LORD [03068]; and he answered [06030] him from heaven [08064] by fire [0784] upon the altar [04196] of burnt offering [05930].

²⁰ And Ornan [0771] turned back [07725], and saw [07200] the angel [04397]; and his four [0702] sons [01121] with him hid [02244] themselves. Now Ornan [0771] was threshing [01758] wheat [02406].