1 Chronicles 21:30But David couldn't go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of Yahweh.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. A devastating plague kills 70,000 Israelites. David sees an angel with a drawn sword standing over the threshing floor that will become the Temple Mount...
The emotion here: recording david's paralyzing terror with solemn understanding
The original word
yare' (יָרֵא) — trembling fear that paralyzes, not mere respect but terror
Why it matters
This threshing floor belonged to Ornan the Jebusite and cost David 600 shekels of gold
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 21:30
David WANTED to seek God but was literally too terrified to approach the tabernacle
Common misconceptionPeople think David was just being reverent, but he was literally paralyzed with terror after his sin caused 70,000 deaths. This wasn't worship fear — it was trauma.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Chronicles 21:30
Bible Genome reading
1 Chronicles 21:30 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Chronicles 21:30 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 anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include fear, divine judgment. Notable phrases: afraid; sword of the angel.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Chronicles 21:30 mean to you, today?
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