1 Chronicles 21:30
New International Version
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

King James Bible
But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

New King James Version
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

NASB 1995
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

NASB 1977
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was terrified of the sword of the LORD’s angel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was terrified of the sword of the LORD’s angel.

American Standard Version
But David could not go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of Jehovah.

English Revised Version
But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
However, David couldn't go there to consult God because he was frightened by the sword of the LORD's Messenger.

Good News Translation
but David was not able to go there to worship God, because he was afraid of the sword of the LORD's angel.

International Standard Version
but David was not going before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword carried by the angel of the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

NET Bible
But David could not go before it to seek God's will, for he was afraid of the sword of the LORD's messenger.

New Heart English Bible
But David couldn't go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

World English Bible
But David couldn’t go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid because of the sword of Yahweh’s angel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and David is not able to go before it to seek God, for he has been afraid because of the sword of the messenger of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
and David is not able to go before it to seek God, for he hath been afraid because of the sword of the messenger of Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
And David could not go before it to seek God, for he was afraid from the face of the sword of the messenger of Jehovah,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David could not go to the altar there to pray to God: for he was seized with an exceeding great fear, seeing the sword of the angel of the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And David was unable to go to the altar, so that he might pray to God there. For he had been struck with an exceedingly great fear, seeing the sword of the Angel of the Lord.

New American Bible
But David could not go into his presence to inquire of God, for he was fearful of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
At that time David was exceedingly afraid, and could not go to pray before the LORD for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
At that time David was very afraid, and he was unable to go to pray before LORD JEHOVAH, because he was afraid before the sword of the Angel of LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But David could not go before it to inquire of God; for he was terrified because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David could not go before it to enquire of God; for he hasted not because of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Builds an Altar
29For the tabernacle of the LORD that Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering were presently at the high place in Gibeon, 30but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Cross References
2 Samuel 24:25
And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then the LORD answered the prayers on behalf of the land, and the plague upon Israel was halted.

1 Kings 3:4
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.

1 Kings 8:64
On that same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to contain all these offerings.

2 Chronicles 1:6
Solomon offered sacrifices there before the LORD on the bronze altar at the Tent of Meeting, where he offered a thousand burnt offerings.

2 Chronicles 7:7
Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar he had made could not hold all these offerings.

Genesis 28:17
And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!”

Exodus 3:5
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Exodus 20:19
“Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”

Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

Numbers 16:46-50
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” / So Aaron took the censer as Moses had ordered and ran into the midst of the assembly. And seeing that the plague had begun among the people, he offered the incense and made atonement for the people. / He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was halted. ...

Judges 6:21
Then the angel of the LORD extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. And fire flared from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.

1 Samuel 7:9-10
Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him. / As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was offering up the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

1 Samuel 13:12
I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

1 Kings 18:38
Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

Isaiah 6:5
Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”


Treasury of Scripture

But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

he was afraid

1 Chronicles 21:16
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.

1 Chronicles 13:12
And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?

Deuteronomy 10:12
And 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,

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1 Chronicles 21
1. David, tempted by Satan, forces Joab to number the people
5. The number of the people being brought, David repents of it
9. David having three plagues proposed by God, chooses the pestilence
14. After the death of 70,000, David by repentance prevents the destruction of Jerusalem
18. David, by Gad's direction, purchases Ornan's threshing floor;
26. where having built an altar, God gives a sign of his favor by fire.
28. David sacrifices there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel














But David could not go before it
This phrase indicates a limitation or hindrance in David's actions. The Hebrew root for "could not" (לא יכל, lo yakhol) suggests an inability or lack of power. David, a man after God's own heart, finds himself in a position where he cannot approach the altar. This reflects a moment of spiritual and emotional struggle, highlighting the human condition of fear and reverence before the divine. Historically, this moment follows David's sin of conducting a census, which was against God's will, leading to a plague as divine judgment. The inability to approach signifies a barrier between humanity and God due to sin, a theme prevalent throughout Scripture.

to inquire of God
The act of inquiring of God (לדרוש אלהים, lidrosh Elohim) is a significant aspect of David's relationship with the Lord. It implies seeking divine guidance and wisdom, a practice that David frequently engaged in throughout his life. This phrase underscores the importance of seeking God's will in all matters, a principle that is foundational in conservative Christian theology. The historical context here is crucial; David's inability to inquire reflects the consequences of sin, which disrupts communion with God. It serves as a reminder of the need for repentance and restoration to regain that fellowship.

because he was afraid
Fear (ירא, yare) in this context is not merely an emotional response but a profound reverence and awe for God's holiness and power. David's fear is rooted in the recognition of God's righteous judgment, as he has just witnessed the devastating effects of the angel's sword. This fear is a healthy acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and justice, reminding believers of the seriousness of sin and the need for a contrite heart. It is a call to live in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

of the sword of the angel of the LORD
The "sword of the angel of the LORD" (חרב מלאך יהוה, cherev mal'akh Yahweh) is a powerful symbol of divine judgment and authority. In the biblical narrative, angels often serve as messengers and executors of God's will. The sword represents the execution of divine justice, a theme that resonates throughout the Old Testament. This imagery would have been particularly poignant for the original audience, who understood the gravity of divine retribution. For contemporary believers, it serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the need for repentance and humility before God.

(30) But (and) David could not go before it--i.e., the Tabernacle at Gibeon and the altar of burnt offering (1Chronicles 16:4; 1Chronicles 16:37; 1Chronicles 16:39).

To enquire of God.--To seek Him, that is, to seek His favour by sacrifice and prayer. (But comp. 1Chronicles 13:3; 1Chronicles 15:13.) . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but David
דָּוִ֛יד (dā·wîḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

could
יָכֹ֥ל (yā·ḵōl)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3201: To be able, have power

not
וְלֹא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

go
לָלֶ֥כֶת (lā·le·ḵeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

before it
לְפָנָ֖יו (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

to inquire
לִדְרֹ֣שׁ (liḏ·rōš)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

of God,
אֱלֹהִ֑ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

because
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he was afraid
נִבְעַ֔ת (niḇ·‘aṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1204: To fall upon, startle, terrify

of
מִפְּנֵ֕י (mip·pə·nê)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the sword
חֶ֖רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

of the angel
מַלְאַ֥ךְ (mal·’aḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

of the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 21:30 But David couldn't go before it (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 21:29
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