So David went up at Gad’s word, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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1 Chronicles 21:19
What does 1 Chronicles 21:19 mean?
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1 Chronicles 21:19
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It's easy to gloss over the phrase "at Gad's word," but the text emphasizes that David's action was rooted in God's divine instruction delivered through the prophet. This highlights that even when God's message comes through human messengers, it's still the LORD's authority that propels us forward.
So David went up at Gad’s word, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is angry with Israel because David took a census, and Gad the prophet confronts him with a choice of punishments. After David chooses a plague, the angel of the Lord is about to destroy Jerusalem when God shows compassion. In response to David's plea, God tells Gad to instruct David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, which David does, and the plague is stopped.
When disaster struck, David didn't hesitate. He turned to the prophet Gad for guidance. What does this tell us about seeking wisdom in tough times?
Listening to God's Messengers
The text clearly states David 'went up at Gad’s word.' This wasn't a casual suggestion; it was a direct instruction from a prophet who spoke 'in the name of the LORD.'
David was told to build an altar on a specific threshing floor. It wasn't a place of worship, and the circumstances were dire. Yet, he moved forward.
Faith in Action
This moment captures David's faith not just in believing, but in doing. He didn't question the location or the timing, even though it was a place of judgment (a threshing floor, often associated with finality or separation).
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This event highlights the direct, and sometimes stark, interaction between God's prophets and His chosen leaders, showing how divine counsel guided even royal decisions, especially after a period of sin and judgment.
c. 1000 BC
David's United Monarchy
David reigns as king over a united Israel and Judah, establishing Jerusalem as its capital.
c. 970 BC— this verse
David's Sin: Census Taking
Driven by pride or ambition, King David orders a census of Israel and Judah, a decision seen as defying God.
c. 970 BC
God Sends a Plague
In response to David's sin, God sends a devastating plague upon Israel, killing tens of thousands.
c. 970 BC
Gad the Seer Intervenes
The prophet Gad confronts David about his sin and delivers God's judgment, offering alternative consequences.
c. 970 BC
David Builds an Altar
Following Gad's instruction, David purchases the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and builds an altar to the Lord.
c. 970 BC
Plague is Halted
David offers burnt offerings and peace offerings, and the plague is halted, signifying God's restored favor.
c. 970 BC
Site Chosen for Temple
The location where David built the altar, the threshing floor of Araunah, is recognized as the future site of Solomon's Temple.
This passage recounts the same event, highlighting that the prophet Gad was indeed the one who directed David to build an altar to the Lord.
1 Chronicles 21:18This verse immediately before shows that Gad instructed David to build an altar, emphasizing that David's obedience stemmed from the Lord's command delivered through the prophet.
Jeremiah 7:23This verse echoes the instruction to obey the LORD's voice, reinforcing the principle that true worship and blessing come from heeding God's spoken word through His prophets.
1 Kings 17:24This shows another instance where a prophet's word, delivered in the name of the LORD, led to obedience and affirmed God's authority, mirroring David's action.
It's easy to gloss over the phrase "at Gad's word," but the text emphasizes that David's action was rooted in God's divine instruction delivered through the prophet. This highlights that even when God's message comes through human messengers, it's still the LORD's authority that propels us forward.
God is angry with Israel because David took a census, and Gad the prophet confronts him with a choice of punishments. After David chooses a plague, the angel of the Lord is about to destroy Jerusalem when God shows compassion. In response to David's plea, God tells Gad to instruct David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, which David does, and the plague is stopped.
God is angry with Israel because David took a census, and Gad the prophet confronts him with a choice of punishments. After David chooses a plague, the angel of the Lord is about to destroy Jerusalem when God shows compassion. In response to David's plea, God tells Gad to instruct David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, which David does, and the plague is stopped.
"So David went up at Gad’s word, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD." — It's easy to gloss over the phrase "at Gad's word," but the text emphasizes that David's action was rooted in God's divine instruction delivered through the prophet. This highlights that even when Go…
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Last reviewed October 2026