1 Chronicles 21:15God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was about to destroy, Yahweh saw, and he relented of the disaster, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now stay your hand." The angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. A supernatural being hovers over the city with sword drawn, ready to destroy 70,000 people for David's sin. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: recording divine mystery with trembling awe
The original word
nakham (נָחַם) — to sigh deeply, change course, showing emotional response to circumstances
Why it matters
This plague killed 70,000 Israelites in just three days
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 21:15
God SEES the destruction and responds emotionally — this isn't cold judgment
Common misconceptionPeople think God's 'relenting' means He changed His mind arbitrarily. Actually, this shows God's heart was always toward mercy — the plague served its purpose of bringing David to repentance.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Chronicles 21:15
Bible Genome reading
1 Chronicles 21:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Chronicles 21:15 comes from the book of 1 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine mercy, relenting, angelic beings. Notable phrases: he relented; destroying angel. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does 1 Chronicles 21:15 mean to you, today?
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