1 Chronicles 21:15-17

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but when the angel ·started [was about/preparing] to destroy it, the Lord saw it and ·felt very sorry about the terrible things that had happened [^Lrelented regarding the disaster/calamity]. So he said to the angel who was destroying, “That is enough! ·Put down your arm [^LWithhold your hand]!” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; 2 Sam. 24:16] the Jebusite.

¹⁶ David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord ·in the sky [^Lstanding between earth and heaven], with his drawn sword in this hand ·pointing toward [extended over] Jerusalem. Then David and the ·elders [leaders] bowed facedown on the ground. They were wearing ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; ^Ca sign of grief or repentance]. ¹⁷ David said to God, “·I am [^LAm not I…?] the one who sinned and did wrong. I gave the order for the ·people to be counted [census]. ·These people only followed me like sheep. They did nothing wrong. [^LThese sheep—what have they done?] Lord my God, please ·punish [^Llet your hand fall on] me and my ·family [^Lfather’s house], but ·stop the terrible disease that is killing [lift the plague from] your people.”