1 Chronicles 21:12
New International Version
three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

New Living Translation
You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the LORD brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the LORD who sent me.”

English Standard Version
either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”

Berean Standard Bible
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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the LORD—the plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

New American Standard Bible
three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD: a plague in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall bring back to Him who sent me.”

NASB 1995
either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away 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 angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.”

NASB 1977
either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away 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 angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.”

Legacy Standard Bible
either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your adversaries, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of Yahweh, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ So now, see what word I should return to Him who sent me.”

Amplified Bible
either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your enemies, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD and plague in the land, and the angel of the LORD bringing destruction throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.”

Christian Standard Bible
three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD—a plague on the land, the angel of the LORD bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD—a plague on the land, the angel of the LORD bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I should take back to the One 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Either three years famine in your land, or three months you will be handed over before your enemy and he will be chasing you and he shall be authorized over you, or the sword of LORD JEHOVAH for three days in Israel. Also, now, know and see what answer you give to him who has sent me to you.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
either three years of famine, or that thou shouldest flee three months from the face of thine enemies, and the sword of thine enemies shall be employed to destroy thee, or that the sword of the Lord and pestilence should be three days in the land, and the angel of the Lord shall be destroying in all the inheritance of Israel. And now consider what I shall answer to him that sent the message.

Contemporary English Version
Will there be three years when the land won't grow enough food for its people? Or will your enemies constantly defeat you for three months? Or will the LORD send a horrible disease to strike your land for three days? Think about it and decide, because I have to give your answer to God who sent me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Either three years' famine: or three months to flee from thy enemies, and not to be able to escape their sword: or three days to have the sword of the Lord, and pestilence in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying in all the coasts of Israel: now therefore see what I shall answer him who sent me.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
either three years of famine, or three months during which your enemies will chase you away when their swords catch up to you, or three days of the LORD's sword-a plague in the land with the Messenger of the LORD destroying the whole country of Israel.' Decide what answer I should give the one who sent me."

Good News Translation
Three years of famine? Or three months of running away from the armies of your enemies? Or three days during which the LORD attacks you with his sword and sends an epidemic on your land, using his angel to bring death throughout Israel? What answer shall I give the LORD?"

International Standard Version
Either three years of famine, or three months of reversals as you are swept away by your enemies while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days with the sword of the LORD, consisting of pestilence infecting the land, with the angel of the LORD wreaking destruction from border to border throughout all of Israel.' Decide right now what I am to answer to the one who sent me."

JPS Tanakh 1917
either three years of famine; or three months to be swept away before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.'

Literal Standard Version
either famine for three years, or three months to be consumed from the face of your adversaries (even [for] the sword of your enemies to overtake), or three days of the sword of YHWH (even pestilence in the land, and a messenger of YHWH destroying in all the border of Israel); and now, see; what word do I return to Him who is sending me?”

Majority Standard Bible
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.”

New American Bible
will it be three years of famine; or three months of fleeing your enemies, with the sword of your foes ever at your back; or three days of the LORD’s own sword, a plague in the land, with the LORD’s destroying angel in every part of Israel? Now consider: What answer am I to give him who sent me?”

NET Bible
three years of famine, or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords, or three days being struck down by the LORD, during which a plague will invade the land and the LORD's messenger will destroy throughout Israel's territory.' Now, decide what I should tell the one who sent me."

New Revised Standard Version
either three years of famine; or three months of devastation by your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I shall return to the one who sent me.”

New Heart English Bible
either three years of famine; or three months of fleeing from before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while the sword of thy 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 borders 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 Yahweh, even pestilence in the land, and Yahweh’s angel destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who 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?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment for David's Sin
11So Gad went and said to David, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You must choose 12between 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.” 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.”…

Cross References
2 Samuel 24:13
So Gad went and said to David, "Do you choose to endure three years of famine in your land, three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should reply to Him who sent me."

1 Chronicles 21:11
So Gad went and said to David, "This is what the LORD says: 'You must choose


Treasury of Scripture

Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before your foes, while that the sword of your enemies overtakes you; 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 yourself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

three year's famine In

2 Samuel 24:13
So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

Leviticus 26:26-29
And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied…

2 Samuel 21:1
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

to be destroyed

Leviticus 26:17,36,37
And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you…

Deuteronomy 28:15,25,51,52
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: …

Jeremiah 42:16
Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.

the sword

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.

Isaiah 66:16
For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

Jeremiah 12:12
The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

even the pestilence

Leviticus 26:10,25
And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new…

Deuteronomy 28:22,27,35
The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish…

Psalm 91:6
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

the angel

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…

Exodus 12:23
For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

2 Kings 19:35
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

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Advise Angel Borders Coasts Consider Consumed Destroying Either Enemies Famine Foes Israel Months Overtakes Pestilence Sword Three Throughout Thyself Word
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Advise Angel Borders Coasts Consider Consumed Destroying Either Enemies Famine Foes Israel Months Overtakes Pestilence Sword Three Throughout Thyself Word
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














(12) Three years' famine.--This appears correct, as harmonising with the three months and three days of the other visitations. Samuel has the reading "seven," which perhaps originated in some scribe's memory of the famine described in Genesis 41:30, sqq.

To be destroyed.--Samuel has, "thy flying," and so LXX. and Vulg. here. This is doubtless right, as the word in our Hebrew text might easily be a corrupt form of that in Samuel.

While that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee.--Literally, and the sword of thy foes at overtaking. The word "overtaking" (massegeth) only occurs besides in Leviticus 14:21. Samuel has simply, "and he pursuing thee." Perhaps the right text is, and he pursue thee to overtaking. (Comp. the Syriac here: "Three months thou shalt be subdued before thy enemy, and he shall be pursuing thee, and he shall be mastering thee.")

Or else three days the sword of the Lord . . . coasts of Israel.--Samuel has the brief, "Or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land." Our text appears to be an exegetical expansion of the older statement. Others suppose it to be the original, of which Samuel is an epitome, alleging that otherwise "the angel" is introduced in 2Samuel 24:16 quite suddenly and abruptly. But we must remember that in the thought of those times pestilence and "the sword," or "angel of the Lord," would be suggestive of each other. (Comp. 2Kings 19:35; and for the three judgments, Ezekiel 5:17; Ezekiel 14:13-19; Ezekiel 14:21; Leviticus 26:25-26.) . . .

Verse 12. - Three years' famine. The parallel place has, in our Hebrew text, "seven" instead of "three." But the Septuagint indicates this to be but a corruption of a later text; for it reads" three," as here. The parallel place shows no mention of the destroying angel here spoken cf. The three inflictions of famine, sword, pestilence, are found not unfrequently elsewhere in Scripture (see Deuteronomy 28:21-25; Ezekiel 14:21; Revelation 6:4-8). Now ... advise thyself. The simple text is" Now see," in place of "Now know and see" of the parallel passage.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
of either
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

three
שָׁל֨וֹשׁ (šā·lō·wōš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

years
שָׁנִ֜ים (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

of famine,
רָעָ֗ב (rā·‘āḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger

three
שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה (šə·lō·šāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

months
חֳדָשִׁ֜ים (ḥo·ḏā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

of being swept away
נִסְפֶּ֥ה (nis·peh)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5595: To sweep or snatch away, catch up

before
מִפְּנֵי־ (mip·pə·nê-)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

your enemies
צָרֶיךָ֮ (ṣā·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6862: Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponent

and overtaken
לְמַשֶּׂגֶת֒ (lə·maś·śe·ḡeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5381: To reach, overtake

by their swords,
וְחֶ֣רֶב (wə·ḥe·reḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

or
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

three
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (šə·lō·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

days
יָ֠מִים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

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

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

days of plague
וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ (wə·ḏe·ḇer)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1698: A pestilence

upon the land,
בָּאָ֔רֶץ (bā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

with the angel
וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ (ū·mal·’aḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

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

ravaging
מַשְׁחִ֖ית (maš·ḥîṯ)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin

every
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

part
גְּב֣וּל (gə·ḇūl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1366: A cord, a boundary, the territory inclosed

of Israel.�
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

Now then,
וְעַתָּ֣ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

decide
רְאֵ֔ה (rə·’êh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

how
מָֽה־ (māh-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

I should reply
דָּבָֽר׃ (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

to Him who sent me.�
שֹׁלְחִ֖י (šō·lə·ḥî)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 21:12 Either three years of famine (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 21:11
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