1 Chronicles 21:30

30 and David might not go to the altar, to beseech God there, for he was afeared with full great dread (for he was afraid with a very great fear), seeing the sword of the angel of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 21:30 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 21:30

But David could not go before it to inquire of God
Which yet was the proper place to seek the Lord in: the reason follows,

for he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of the Lord;
which had so terrified him, that he was so weak that he could not go; and he feared that, should he attempt to go, while he was going thither, at such a distance, the angel would make a terrible slaughter in Jerusalem, and therefore he durst not go and leave it; and besides, as the Lord had commanded him to build an altar there, he might fear it would displease him, should he depart from it; and the rather, as hereby he pointed out to him the place where the temple should be built, and sacrifices offered, as appears from what he says in the beginning of the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 21:30 In-Context

28 Then anon David saw, that the Lord had heard him in the cornfloor of Ornan (the) Jebusite, and he offered there slain sacrifices. (And David saw at once, that the Lord had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, and he offered slain sacrifices there.)

29 Forsooth the tabernacle of the Lord, that Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of burnt sacrifices, was in that tempest in the high place of Gibeon; (For the Tabernacle of the Lord, that Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt sacrifices, were at that time at the hill shrine in Gibeon;)

30 and David might not go to the altar, to beseech God there, for he was afeared with full great dread (for he was afraid with a very great fear), seeing the sword of the angel of the Lord.