1 Chronicles 21:20

21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.

And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. And Ornan: or, When Ornan turned back and saw the angel, then he and his four sons with him hid themselves

KJV

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Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

21:21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

What does 1 Chronicles 21:20 mean?

1 Chronicles 21:20 is a verse in the book of 1 Chronicles, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אׇרְנָן (ʼOrnân), שׁוּב (shûwb), רָאָה (râʼâh). It connects to 13 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

OrnanאׇרְנָןʼOrnân/or-nawn'/H771Ornan, a Jebusite

turned

back,שׁוּבshûwb/shoob/H7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again

and

sawרָאָהrâʼâh/raw-aw'/H7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

the

angel;מֲלְאָךְmălʼâk/mal-awk'/H4397a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)

and

his

fourאַרְבַּעʼarbaʻ/ar-bah'/H702four

sonsבֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

with

him

hidחָבָאchâbâʼ/khaw-baw'/H2244to secrete

themselves.

Now

OrnanאׇרְנָןʼOrnân/or-nawn'/H771Ornan, a Jebusite

was

threshingדּוּשׁdûwsh/doosh/H1758to trample or thresh

wheat.חִטָּהchiṭṭâh/khit-taw'/H2406wheat, whether the grain or the plant

And

Ornan:

or,

When

Ornan

turned

back

and

saw

the

angel,

then

and

his

four

sons

with

him

hid

themselves

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 21:20

HENRY_FULL · 1 Chronicles 21:20–29

The Defeat of the Philistines. ( b. c. 1045.) 8 And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them. 9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand. 11 So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. 13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. 14 Therefore David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. 16 David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations. This narrative of David's triumph over the Philistines is much the same with that, 2 Sam. v. 17 , &c. 1. Let the attack which the Philistines made upon David forbid us to be secure in any settlement or advancement, and engage us to expect molestation in this world. When we are most easy something or other may come to be a terror or vexation to us. Christ's kingdom will thus be insulted by the serpent's seed, especially when it makes any advances. 2. Let David's enquiry of God, once and again, upon occasion of the Philistines' invading him, direct us in all our ways to acknowledge God—in distress to fly to him, when we are wronged to appeal to him, and, when we know not what to do, to ask counsel at his oracles, to put ourselves under his direction, and to beg of him to show us the right way. 3. Let David's success encourage us to resist our spiritual enemies, in observance of divine directions and dependence on divine strength. Resist the devil, and he shall flee as the Philistines did before David. 4. Let the sound of the going in the tops of the mulberry trees direct us to attend God's motions both in his providence and in the influences of his Spirit. When we perceive God to go before us let us gird up our loins, gird on our armour, and follow him. 5. Let David's burning the gods of the Philistines, when they fell into his hands, teach us a holy indignation against idolatry and all the remains of it. 6. Let David's thankful acknowledgment of the hand of God in his successes direct us to bring all our sacrifices of praise to God's altar. Not unto us, O Lord! not unto us, but to thy name give glory. 7. Let the reputation which David obtained, not only in his kingdom, but among his neighbours, be looked upon as a type and figure of the exalted honour of the Son of David ( v. 17 ): The fame of David went out into all lands; he was generally talked of, and admired by all people, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations. All looked upon him as a formidable enemy and a desirable ally. Thus has God highly exalted our Redeemer, and given him a name above every name.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Judges 4:6

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

Judges 4:7

And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

1 Samuel 23:2

Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

1 Samuel 23:9

And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

1 Samuel 30:8

And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

2 Samuel 2:1

And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

2 Samuel 5:19

And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

2 Samuel 5:23

And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

1 Kings 22:6

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

1 Kings 22:15

So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

1 Chronicles 13:3

And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. bring: Heb. bring about

1 Chronicles 21:14

So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

Proverbs 3:6

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Topics

Araunah Ornan Threshing

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with 1 Chronicles 21:20.

Joshua 6:17

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. accursed: or, devoted

Joshua 6:25

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Judges 11:13

And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

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.

Numbers 22:25

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

Numbers 22:27

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

Numbers 22:31

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. fell: or, bowed himself

Frequently asked questions

What does 1 Chronicles 21:20 say?

1 Chronicles 21:20 (King James Version) reads: "And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. And Ornan: or, When Ornan turned back and saw the angel, then he and his four sons with him hid themselves"

Is 1 Chronicles 21:20 in the Old or New Testament?

1 Chronicles 21:20 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of 1 Chronicles.

Reflect

As you read 1 Chronicles 21:20, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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