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 21:16KJV
Know the Bible

1 Chronicles 21:16 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 21:16 mean?

1 Chronicles 21:16 describes King David seeing an angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, holding a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. In response, David and Israel’s elders, dressed in sackcloth as a sign of mourning or repentance, fall facedown in fear and humility.

This moment comes after David’s census of Israel, which displeased God and brought judgment on the people. The verse highlights a dramatic vision where David and the leaders witness a supernatural being poised to strike Jerusalem, and their reaction shows deep distress and submission before God’s power.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 21:16

  • מַלְאָךְ (mal’akh, “angel”): This word means “messenger” and often refers to a supernatural being sent by God. Here, the angel is a visible sign of God’s judgment, not just a spiritual presence.
  • שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, “heaven”): The angel stands “between the earth and the heaven,” emphasizing the angel’s authority over both realms and the seriousness of the event.
  • שָׁלַף (shalaf, “drawn”): The sword is not just present but actively drawn and stretched out, showing that judgment is imminent and not just a threat.
  • שַׂק (saq, “sackcloth”): David and the elders wear sackcloth, a rough material used in times of grief or repentance, highlighting their sorrow and humility before God.

Why 1 Chronicles 21:16 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the judgment was not abstract but visibly terrifying, with the angel’s sword over Jerusalem showing how close the city was to disaster.
  • The leaders’ choice to wear sackcloth and fall on their faces underscores the seriousness of their repentance and the weight of their responsibility.
  • The scene connects to the larger story, where David’s actions affect the whole nation, and it sets up his plea for mercy in the verses that follow.

Where else these words appear

“drawn” Hebrew H8025 · used in 24 verses

  • Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
  • Judges 20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
  • 1 Samuel 17:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

“sackcloth” Hebrew H8242 · used in 46 verses

  • Genesis 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
  • Esther 4:1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
  • Isaiah 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

“clothed” Hebrew H3680 · used in 149 verses

  • Genesis 7:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
  • Judges 4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
  • Proverbs 24:31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.