King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיִּשָּׂ֨אvayisaand lift upנָשָׂאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and lift up”, the next action in the storyH5375to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relativeaccept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable…דָוִ֜ידdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).עֵינָ֗יוeynayveye , , -sightעַיִןnoun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…וַיַּ֞רְאvayarand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and see”, the next action in the storyH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).מַלְאַ֤ךְmalakhangelמֲלְאָךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “angel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4397a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)ambassador, angel, king, messenger.יְהוָה֙yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).עֹמֵ֗דomedstandעָמַדverb, qal, participle, absolute — “stand”, a verb used as a describing wordH5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, m…בֵּ֤יןbeynbetweenבֵּיןpreposition — “between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.הָאָ֨רֶץ֙haaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.וּבֵ֣יןuveynand betweenבֵּיןconjunction, preposition — “and between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).וְחַרְבּ֤וֹvecharbvoand knifeחֶרֶבconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and knife”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.שְׁלוּפָה֙shelufahdrawשָׁלַףverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “draw”, a verb used as a describing wordH8025to pull out, up or offdraw (off), grow up, pluck off.בְּיָד֔וֹbeyadvoin handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […נְטוּיָ֖הnetuyahspreadנָטָהverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “spread”, a verb used as a describing wordH5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application[phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, o…עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םyerushalimJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםnoun, proper name — “Jerusalem”H3389Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of PalestineJerusalem.וַיִּפֹּ֨לvayipoland fallנָפַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and fall”, the next action in the storyH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…דָּוִ֧ידdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛יםvehazqenimand the oldזָקֵןconjunction, definite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “and the old”, the ordinary formH2205oldaged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.מְכֻסִּ֥יםmekhusimcoverכָּסָהverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “cover”, a verb used as a describing wordH3680properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy)clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm. Compare H3780 (כָּשָׂה).בַּשַּׂקִּ֖יםbasaqimin sackשַׂקpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “in sack”, the ordinary formH8242properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grain, etc.)sack(-cloth, -clothes).עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…פְּנֵיהֶֽםpeneyhema- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Jehovah standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

Young’s Literal Translation

and David lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem, and David falleth, and the elders, covered with sackcloth, on their faces.

World English Bible

David lifted up his eyes, and saw Yahweh’s angel standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

Darby Translation

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Jehovah stand between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. And David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

Douay-Rheims

And David lifting up his eyes, saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand, turned against Jerusalem: and both he and the ancients clothed in haircloth, fell down flat on the ground.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord, standing between the earth and the heaven, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem: and David and the elders clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐπῆρε Δαυὶδ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶδε τὸν ἄγγελον Κυρίου ἑστῶτα ἀναμέσον τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἡ ῥομφαία αὐτοῦ ἐσπασμένη ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ἐκτεταμένη ἐπὶ Ἰερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἔπεσε Δαυὶδ καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι περιβεβλημένοι ἐν σάκκοις ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν.