1 Chronicles 21:27
New International Version
Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

New Living Translation
Then the LORD spoke to the angel, who put the sword back into its sheath.

English Standard Version
Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to the angel, who put his sword back into its sheath.

King James Bible
And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

New King James Version
So the LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

New American Standard Bible
The LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

NASB 1995
The LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath.

NASB 1977
And the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD commanded the [avenging] angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

Contemporary English Version
Then the LORD commanded the angel to put the sword away.

English Revised Version
And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the LORD spoke to the Messenger, and he put his sword back in its scabbard.

Good News Translation
The LORD told the angel to put his sword away, and the angel obeyed.

International Standard Version
After this, the LORD spoke to the angel, who then sheathed his sword.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to the angel, who put his sword back into its sheath.

NET Bible
The LORD ordered the messenger to put his sword back into its sheath.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into its sheath.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into its sheath.

World English Bible
Then Yahweh commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH speaks to the messenger, and he turns back his sword to its sheath.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith to the messenger, and he turneth back his sword unto its sheath.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say to the messenger, and he will turn back his sword to its sheath.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord commanded the angel: and he put up his sword again into the sheath.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord instructed the Angel, and he turned his sword back into its sheath.

New American Bible
Then the LORD gave orders to the angel to return his sword to its sheath.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put back his sword again into its sheath.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH said to the Angel when he saw: “Return your sword to its sheath.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword back into the sheath thereof.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord spoke to the angel; and he put up the sword into its sheath.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Builds an Altar
26And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called upon the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 27Then the LORD spoke to the angel, who put his sword back into its sheath. 28At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.…

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.

Genesis 22:11-12
Just then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. / “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”

Exodus 12:13
The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a sign; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will fall on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Numbers 16:48
He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was halted.

2 Kings 19:35
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!

Psalm 103:20
Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.

Daniel 6:22
My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”

Zechariah 3:1-2
Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. / And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?”

Matthew 26:53
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Luke 22:43
Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

Acts 12:7
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.

Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Revelation 7:1-3
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. / And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: / “Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

Revelation 9:14-15
saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” / So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.

Genesis 19:15-17
At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” / But when Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters. And they led them safely out of the city, because of the LORD’s compassion for them. / As soon as the men had brought them out, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere on the plain! Flee to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

the Lord

1 Chronicles 21:15,16
And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite…

2 Samuel 24:16
And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

Psalm 103:20
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

he put

1 Chronicles 21:12,20
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…

Jeremiah 47:6
O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.

Ezekiel 21:30
Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.

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Angel Commanded Cover Messenger Orders Sheath Sword Thereof Turneth
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Angel Commanded Cover Messenger Orders Sheath Sword Thereof Turneth
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














Then the LORD spoke to the angel
This phrase highlights the direct communication between God and His angelic messenger. In the biblical context, angels are often seen as God's messengers or agents carrying out His will. This particular event occurs after David's census of Israel, which displeased God and led to a plague as a form of judgment. The angel here is the one executing the judgment. The intervention of the LORD signifies divine mercy and the cessation of the plague. This moment reflects God's sovereignty and His ability to command His creation, including celestial beings. It also underscores the theme of divine communication and intervention seen throughout Scripture, such as when God speaks to angels in Genesis 22:11-12 during the testing of Abraham.

who put his sword back into its sheath
The imagery of the sword being sheathed signifies the end of divine judgment and the restoration of peace. In ancient times, a drawn sword was a symbol of impending battle or judgment, while a sheathed sword indicated the cessation of hostilities. This act of sheathing the sword is a powerful symbol of God's mercy and forgiveness, as the angel ceases the destruction upon God's command. The sword is often used in the Bible as a metaphor for divine judgment (e.g., Ezekiel 21:3-5). This moment can also be seen as a type of Christ, who through His sacrifice, sheathed the sword of God's wrath against humanity, offering peace and reconciliation with God. The sheathing of the sword here prefigures the ultimate peace brought by Christ's atoning work.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD
The sovereign God who commands the angel to cease the plague. This highlights His ultimate authority and mercy.

2. The Angel
A divine messenger sent by God to execute judgment on Israel due to David's sin of conducting a census. The angel's actions are directly controlled by God's command.

3. David
The King of Israel who sinned by ordering a census, leading to God's judgment. His repentance and intercession are crucial to the account.

4. Israel
The nation experiencing God's judgment due to David's actions. The event underscores the collective impact of a leader's sin on the people.

5. The Plague
A divine punishment sent by God as a consequence of David's sin, which is halted by God's command to the angel.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Mercy
God is in control of all events, including judgment and mercy. His command to the angel to sheath the sword demonstrates His authority and willingness to relent from sending calamity when there is repentance.

The Consequences of Sin
David's census was an act of pride and lack of trust in God, leading to severe consequences for the nation. This teaches the importance of obedience and the far-reaching impact of sin.

The Power of Intercession
David's intercession and repentance are pivotal in stopping the plague. This highlights the power of prayer and repentance in seeking God's mercy.

The Role of Angels
Angels are depicted as obedient servants of God, executing His will. This reminds believers of the spiritual realities and the unseen forces at work under God's command.(27) He put up . . .--It seems hardly fair to call this verse a "figurative or poetical expression for the cessation of the plague." In 1Chronicles 21:16 David sees the angel with drawn sword; and the older text (2Samuel 24:16-17) equally makes the angel a "real concrete being," and not a "personification," as Reuss will have it.

Sheath (n?d?n).--A word only found here. A very similar term is applied to the body as the sheath of the soul in Daniel 7:15; viz., the Aramaic, nidneh, which should, perhaps, be read here.

1Chronicles 21:28 to 1Chronicles 22:1. These concluding remarks are not read in Samuel, but the writer, no doubt, found some basis for them in his special source. They tell us how it was that Oman's threshingfloor became recognised as a permanent sanctuary, and the site ordained for the future Temple. They thus form a transition to the account of David's preparations for the building (1Chronicles 22:2-19). . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

spoke
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to the angel,
לַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ (lam·mal·’āḵ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

who put his sword
חַרְבּ֖וֹ (ḥar·bōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

back
וַיָּ֥שֶׁב (way·yā·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

into
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

its sheath.
נְדָנָֽהּ׃ (nə·ḏā·nāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5084: A sheath


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 21:27 Yahweh commanded the angel (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 21:26
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