But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB But David couldn’t go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of Yahweh’s angel.
- BSB but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
- NKJV But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
- NASB But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the Lord.
- NLT But David was not able to go there to inquire of God, because he was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David could not go to the Gibeon altar to inquire of God because he was afraid of the angel's sword. His fear explains why he sought God at the new altar instead.
Overview
David's dread of the destroying angel kept him from the distant tabernacle, providentially confirming Jerusalem as the new place of worship where God had answered him. The verse shows how God can use even human fear to direct His purposes. It highlights the need for an accessible, God-appointed place of atonement, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, through whom believers approach God without fear.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Rev 15:4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
- Heb 12:28–29Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
- Rev 1:17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
- Job 13:21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
- Job 21:6Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
- 2 Sam 6:9And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
- Jer 5:22Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
- 1 Chr 13:12And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
- Ps 119:120My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
- Jer 10:7Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
- Job 23:15Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
- Deut 10:12And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
- Ps 90:11Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
- 1 Chr 21:16And 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
How 1 Chronicles 21:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.