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1 Chronicles 21:11
So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee

Acts 8:26
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

that David

1 Chronicles 21:15
And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

2 Samuel 24:18
And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, wherethe LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

ordered Gad
Gad was a prophet during King David's reign, known as "David's seer" (1 Chronicles 21:9). Prophets served as intermediaries between God and the people, delivering divine messages and guidance. Gad's role here emphasizes the importance of prophetic authority in Israel's spiritual and political life.

to tell David
David, the second king of Israel, is a central figure in the Old Testament. Known for his heart for God, he is also a type of Christ, prefiguring the Messiah as a shepherd-king. This command to David highlights his responsibility to lead the nation in repentance and worship.

to go up and build an altar to the LORD
Building an altar signifies an act of worship and atonement. Altars were places of sacrifice and communion with God, as seen inGenesis 8:20 with Noah andGenesis 12:7 with Abraham. This command underscores the need for repentance and reconciliation with God after David's sin of conducting a census.

on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite
Threshing floors were open spaces used for separating grain, often located on elevated ground. Ornan, a Jebusite, was a member of the original inhabitants of Jerusalem before David's conquest. The choice of this location is significant, as it later becomes the site of Solomon's Temple (2 Chronicles 3:1), symbolizing God's presence and the central place of worship for Israel. The transformation of a common threshing floor into a sacred site illustrates God's ability to sanctify and redeem.

• Scripture records, “the angel of the LORD” as a personal, visible messenger who carries divine authority (seeGenesis 22:11–12;1 Chronicles 21:15).

• In the immediate context, this angel has been standing over Jerusalem with a drawn sword of judgment because of David’s sin of numbering the people (1 Chronicles 21:16).

• The Lord’s mercy now turns judgment into instruction, showing His righteous wrath and compassionate restraint at the same time.

• Gad is “David’s seer” (1 Chronicles 21:9), a prophet appointed to speak God’s word to the king, much like Nathan had done earlier (2 Samuel 12:1).

• The angel choosing Gad underscores the pattern that God communicates through His chosen prophetic channels (Amos 3:7).

• By bringing prophetic order into a moment of national crisis, God affirms both His sovereignty and the prophetic office.

• David is still God’s anointed despite his failure (1 Samuel 16:13;2 Samuel 7:16).

• The message reaches the king through the prophet, reminding leaders that they remain accountable to divine revelation, not human reasoning (Proverbs 3:5–6).

• God does not bypass David; He calls him to active obedience, demonstrating that repentance includes concrete action (Psalm 51:17).

• “Go up” points to ascent toward a place God designates, echoing earlier calls like Abraham’s trek to Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:2).

• The movement signals a shift from passive sorrow to purposeful worship.

• It also anticipates the Temple mount geography, as Jerusalem’s high ground becomes the focal point of sacrifice and presence (2 Chronicles 3:1).

• Altars throughout Scripture mark covenant moments—Noah (Genesis 8:20), Abraham (Genesis 12:7), Elijah (1 Kings 18:30)—and here the altar will halt the plague (1 Chronicles 21:26).

• Sacrifice addresses sin; blood on the altar showcases God’s provision and foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 9:22–26).

• The command teaches that genuine repentance culminates in worship, not mere regret (Psalm 51:19).

• A threshing floor is an exposed, elevated site—ideal for wind-driven separation of grain and chaff, and symbolically apt for divine judgment and mercy (Matthew 3:12).

• The location belongs to a Jebusite, showing God’s redemptive claim even over Gentile territory within Jerusalem (Ephesians 2:14–16).

• This exact spot becomes the foundation of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 3:1), transforming a place of impending destruction into the epicenter of worship for generations.

1 Chronicles 21:18 captures God’s transition from judgment to restoration. Through His angel, God instructs the prophet Gad to direct King David to ascend, build an altar, and worship on Ornan’s threshing floor. Each phrase reveals layers of truth: divine initiative, prophetic mediation, royal responsibility, the necessity of sacrifice, and the sovereign choice of a site that will host the Temple. The verse underscores that God confronts sin, yet graciously provides the means for reconciliation, turning a scene of plague into a promise of ongoing, covenantal worship.

(18)Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David.--Rather,Now the angel had told Gad to tell David. In Samuel, the mediation of the angel is not mentioned. There we read, "And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up," &c. No doubt it is only in the later prophetical books of the Canon that angels are introduced as the medium of communication between God and His prophets. (SeeDaniel 8:16, ix, 21;Zechariah 1:9;Zechariah 1:12, &c.; but comp.Judges 6:11;Judges 6:14;Judges 6:16, &c., andGenesis 18:1-2;Genesis 18:13;Genesis 32:24;Genesis 32:30.) . . .