New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
1 Chronicles 21
2
So David spoke to Joab and the commanders of the troops. He said, "Go! Count the men of Israel from Beersheba all the way to Dan. Report back to me. Then I'll know how many there are."
3
Joab replied, "May the Lord multiply his troops 100 times. King David, you are my master. Aren't all of the men under your control? Why would you want me to count them? Do you want to make Israel guilty?"
Reference
References Lord
Deuteronomy 1:11
4
In spite of what Joab said, the king's word had more authority than Joab's word did. So Joab left and went all through Israel. Then he came back to Jerusalem.
5
Joab reported to David how many fighting men he had counted. In the whole land of Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could use a sword well. That included 470,000 men in Judah.
Reference
6
But Joab didn't include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the total number. The king's command was sickening to Joab.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Chronicles 27:24
7
It was also evil in the sight of God. So he punished Israel.
8
Then David said to God, "I committed a great sin when I counted Israel's men. I beg you to take away my guilt. I've done a very foolish thing."
Reference
Sin
2 Samuel 12:13
10
"Go and tell David, 'The Lord says, "I could punish you in three different ways. Choose one of them for me to use against you." ' "
11
So Gad went to David. He said to him, "The Lord says, 'Take your choice.
12
You can have three years when there will not be enough food in the land. You can have three months when your enemies will sweep you away. They will catch up with you. They will cut you down with their swords. Or you can have three days when my sword will punish you. That means there would be three days of plague in the land. My angel would strike people down in every part of Israel.' "So take your pick. Tell me how to answer the One who sent me."
13
David said to Gad, "I'm suffering terribly. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord. His mercy is very great. But don't let me fall into the hands of men."
Reference
14
So the Lord sent a plague on Israel. And 70,000 Israelites died.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:30
Numbers 25:9
References Israel
1 Chronicles 27:24
References Lord
2 Kings 19:35
1 Samuel 6:19
2 Samuel 24:15
15
God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing it, the Lord saw it. He was very sad because of the plague. So he spoke to the angel who was destroying the people. He said, "That is enough! Do not kill any more people!" The angel of the Lord was standing at Araunah's threshing floor. Araunah was from the city of Jebus.
Reference
16
David looked up. He saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth. The angel was holding out a sword over Jerusalem. David and the elders fell with their faces to the ground. They were wearing black clothes.
Reference
17
David said to God, "I ordered the fighting men to be counted. I'm the one who has sinned. I'm the one who has done what is wrong. These people are like sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, let your powerful hand punish me and my family. But don't let this plague continue to strike your people."
Reference
References God
Ezekiel 16:63
18
Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up to the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. He wanted David to build an altar there to honor the Lord.
Reference
19
So David went up and did it. He obeyed the message that Gad had spoken in the Lord's name.
20
Araunah was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel. His four children were with him. They hid themselves.
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 6:11
21
David approached the threshing floor. Araunah looked up and saw him. So Araunah left the threshing floor. He bowed down to David with his face toward the ground.
22
David said to him, "Let me have the property your threshing floor is on. I want to build an altar there to honor the Lord. When I do, the plague on the people will be stopped. Sell the threshing floor to me for the full price."
23
Araunah said to David, "Take it! King David, you are my master. Do what you please. I'll even provide the oxen for the burnt offerings. Use boards from the threshing sleds for the wood. Use the wheat for the grain offering. I'll give all of it to you."
Reference
Sacrifice
1 Samuel 6:14
24
But King David replied to Araunah, "No! I want to pay the full price. I won't take what belongs to you and give it to the Lord. I won't sacrifice a burnt offering that hasn't cost me anything."
25
So David paid Araunah 15 pounds of gold for the property.
26
David built an altar there to honor the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings. He called out to the Lord. The Lord answered him by sending fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.
Reference
27
Then the Lord spoke to the angel. And the angel put his sword away.
28
When the angel did that, David was still at the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. David saw that the Lord had answered him. So he offered sacrifices there.
29
At that time, the Lord's holy tent was at the high place in Gibeon. The altar for burnt offerings was there too. Moses had made the holy tent in the desert.
Reference
30
David couldn't go to the tent to pray to God. That's because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Summary of 1 Chronicles 21
This chapter describes David's census, God's judgment, David's repentance, and the establishment of the future Temple site. The chapter begins when Satan rises against Israel and influences David to count the people. David commands Joab and the military leaders to conduct a census throughout the kingdom. Joab questions the decision because he recognizes that it may bring guilt upon Israel, but David insists. The census eventually reports a very large number of fighting men, demonstrating the military strength that David's kingdom has accumulated.
However, God is displeased with David's action. David realizes his mistake and confesses that he has acted foolishly. Through the prophet Gad, God gives David three choices of judgment: famine, military defeat, or three days of plague. David chooses the plague because he would rather fall into God's hands, trusting in God's mercy, than into the hands of human enemies.
A devastating plague strikes Israel, killing 70,000 people. When the destroying angel approaches Jerusalem, God stops the destruction. David sees the angel and realizes the seriousness of what has happened. He takes responsibility, asking God to punish him and his family rather than continue harming the people.
Gad then tells David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. David approaches Ornan and asks to purchase the site. Ornan offers to give the land, animals, and materials freely, but David refuses. He insists on paying the full price because he will not offer God something that costs him nothing. David purchases the site for 600 shekels of gold.
David builds an altar and offers sacrifices. God answers with fire from heaven, and the destroying angel puts away his sword. The plague ends.
The final verses explain that the traditional tabernacle and altar were still at Gibeon, but David continues worship at Ornan's threshing floor because he fears returning to the older sanctuary. This location becomes extremely important. It is the place where judgment stopped, sacrifice was accepted, and reconciliation occurred. Later, Solomon will build the Temple on this site.
The chapter therefore connects David's failure with an important part of Israel's future worship. David's census begins with pride and self-reliance, but the story ends with repentance, sacrifice, mercy, and the establishment of the future Temple location.
However, God is displeased with David's action. David realizes his mistake and confesses that he has acted foolishly. Through the prophet Gad, God gives David three choices of judgment: famine, military defeat, or three days of plague. David chooses the plague because he would rather fall into God's hands, trusting in God's mercy, than into the hands of human enemies.
A devastating plague strikes Israel, killing 70,000 people. When the destroying angel approaches Jerusalem, God stops the destruction. David sees the angel and realizes the seriousness of what has happened. He takes responsibility, asking God to punish him and his family rather than continue harming the people.
Gad then tells David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. David approaches Ornan and asks to purchase the site. Ornan offers to give the land, animals, and materials freely, but David refuses. He insists on paying the full price because he will not offer God something that costs him nothing. David purchases the site for 600 shekels of gold.
David builds an altar and offers sacrifices. God answers with fire from heaven, and the destroying angel puts away his sword. The plague ends.
The final verses explain that the traditional tabernacle and altar were still at Gibeon, but David continues worship at Ornan's threshing floor because he fears returning to the older sanctuary. This location becomes extremely important. It is the place where judgment stopped, sacrifice was accepted, and reconciliation occurred. Later, Solomon will build the Temple on this site.
The chapter therefore connects David's failure with an important part of Israel's future worship. David's census begins with pride and self-reliance, but the story ends with repentance, sacrifice, mercy, and the establishment of the future Temple location.