1 Chronicles 21:12 “between three years of famine, three months of being swept away before…”

1 Chronicles 21:12

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

World English Bible

either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the LORD’s angel destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.’”

American Standard Version

either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of Jehovah, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Jehovah destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

Geneva Bible 1599

Either three yeeres famine, or three moneths to be destroyed before thine aduersaries, and the sworde of thine enemies to take thee, or els the sworde of the Lord and pestilence in the lande three dayes, that the Angel of the Lord may destroy throughout all the coastes of Israel: nowe therefore aduise thee, what word I shall bring againe to him that sent me.

Darby Translation

Choose thee, either three years of famine, or three months to be destroyed before thine adversaries while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee, or three days the sword of Jehovah and the pestilence in the land, and the angel of Jehovah destroying through all the borders of Israel. And now consider what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

Young's Literal Translation

either for three years — famine, or three months to be consumed from the face of thine adversaries, even the sword of thine enemies to overtake, or three days the sword of Jehovah, even pestilence in the land, and a messenger of Jehovah destroying in all the border of Israel; and now, see; what word do I return to Him who is sending me?'

Bible in Basic English

Three years when there will not be enough food; or three months of war, when you will go in flight before your haters, being in great danger of the sword; or three days of the sword of the Lord, disease in the land, and the angel of the Lord taking destruction through all the land of Israel. Now give thought to the answer I am to take back to him who sent me.

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Cross references

“three year's famine”

2 Samuel 21:1 1 Kings 17:1 2 Kings 8:1 Lamentations 4:9 Luke 4:25 Leviticus 26:26–29

2 Samuel 21:1 · BSB

During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites…

1 Kings 17:1 · BSB

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”

2 Kings 8:1 · BSB

Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.”

Lamentations 4:9 · BSB

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.

Luke 4:25 · BSB

But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.

Leviticus 26:26–29 · BSB

When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.

“to be destroyed”

Leviticus 26:17 Deuteronomy 28:15 Deuteronomy 28:25 Jeremiah 42:16 Leviticus 26:36 Leviticus 26:37

Leviticus 26:17 · BSB

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.

Deuteronomy 28:15 · BSB

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:

Deuteronomy 28:25 · BSB

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.

Jeremiah 42:16 · BSB

then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there.

Leviticus 26:36 · BSB

As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and…

Leviticus 26:37 · BSB

They will stumble over one another as before the sword, though no one is behind them. So you will not be able to stand against your enemies.

“the sword”

Isaiah 66:16 Jeremiah 12:12 Jeremiah 47:6 1 Chronicles 21:16

Isaiah 66:16 · BSB

For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.

Jeremiah 12:12 · BSB

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.

Jeremiah 47:6 · BSB

‘Alas, O sword of the LORD, how long until you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still!’

1 Chronicles 21:16 · BSB

When 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.

“even the pestilence”

Leviticus 26:10 Deuteronomy 28:22 Deuteronomy 28:27 Deuteronomy 28:35 Psalm 91:6 Ezekiel 14:19–21

Leviticus 26:10 · BSB

You will still be eating the old supply of grain when you need to clear it out to make room for the new.

Deuteronomy 28:22 · BSB

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.

Deuteronomy 28:27 · BSB

The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.

Deuteronomy 28:35 · BSB

The LORD will afflict you with painful, incurable boils on your knees and thighs, from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.

Psalm 91:6 · BSB

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon.

Ezekiel 14:19–21 · BSB

Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,

“the angel”

Exodus 12:23 2 Kings 19:35 Acts 12:23 Revelation 7:1–3 1 Chronicles 21:15 Matthew 13:49

Exodus 12:23 · BSB

When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway; so He will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike y…

2 Kings 19:35 · BSB

And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

Acts 12:23 · BSB

Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Revelation 7:1–3 · BSB

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.

1 Chronicles 21:15 · BSB

Then 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 tha…

Matthew 13:49 · BSB

So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

“Now therefore”

2 Samuel 24:14

2 Samuel 24:14 · BSB

David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed. Please, let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

11So Gad went and said to David, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You must choose

13David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed. Please, let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”

Read 1 Chronicles 21