The Meaning of 1 Chronicles 21:12 Explained

1 Chronicles 21:12

KJV: Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

YLT: either for three years -- famine, or three months to be consumed from the face of thine adversaries, even the sword of thine enemies to overtake, or three days the sword of Jehovah, even pestilence in the land, and a messenger of Jehovah destroying in all the border of Israel; and now, see; what word do I return to Him who is sending me?'

Darby: Choose thee, either three years of famine, or three months to be destroyed before thine adversaries while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee, or three days the sword of Jehovah and the pestilence in the land, and the angel of Jehovah destroying through all the borders of Israel. And now consider what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

ASV: either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of Jehovah, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Jehovah destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Either three  years'  famine;  or three  months  to be destroyed  before  thy foes,  while that the sword  of thine enemies  overtaketh  [thee]; or  else three  days  the sword  of the LORD,  even the pestilence,  in the land,  and the angel  of the LORD  destroying  throughout all the coasts  of Israel.  Now therefore advise  thyself what word  I shall bring again  to him that sent  me. 

What does 1 Chronicles 21:12 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 1 Chronicles 21

1  David, tempted by Satan, forces Joab to number the people
5  The number of the people being brought, David repents of it
9  David having three plagues proposed by God, chooses the pestilence
14  After the death of 70,000, David by repentance prevents the destruction of Jerusalem
18  David, by Gad's direction, purchases Ornan's threshing floor;
26  where having built an altar, God gives a sign of his favor by fire
28  David sacrifices there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel

What do the individual words in 1 Chronicles 21:12 mean?

Either three years of famine or three months to be defeated by your foes and with the sword of your enemies overtaking [you] or else three for days the sword of Yahweh and the plague in the land and with the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the territory of Israel Now consider what I should take back for to Him who sent me answer -
אִם־ שָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁנִ֜ים רָעָ֗ב וְאִם־ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה חֳדָשִׁ֜ים נִסְפֶּ֥ה מִפְּנֵי־ צָרֶיךָ֮ וְחֶ֣רֶב אוֹיְבֶ֣ךָ ׀ לְמַשֶּׂגֶת֒ וְאִם־ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָ֠מִים חֶ֣רֶב יְהוָ֤ה וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מַשְׁחִ֖ית בְּכָל־ גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֣ה רְאֵ֔ה מָֽה־ אָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־ שֹׁלְחִ֖י דָּבָֽר פ

אִם־  Either 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
שָׁל֨וֹשׁ  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
שָׁנִ֜ים  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
רָעָ֗ב  of  famine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
חֳדָשִׁ֜ים  months 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
נִסְפֶּ֥ה  to  be  defeated 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָפָה  
Sense: to sweep or snatch away, catch up, destroy, consume.
צָרֶיךָ֮  your  foes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
וְחֶ֣רֶב  and  with  the  sword 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
אוֹיְבֶ֣ךָ ׀  of  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
לְמַשֶּׂגֶת֒  overtaking  [you] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Participle, feminine singular
Root: מַשֶּׂגֶת 
Sense: to reach, overtake, take hold upon.
וְאִם־  or  else 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
יָ֠מִים  for  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חֶ֣רֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
יְהוָ֤ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְדֶ֙בֶר֙  and  the  plague 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֶּבֶר 
Sense: pestilence, plague.
בָּאָ֔רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ  and  with  the  angel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מַשְׁחִ֖ית  destroying 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
בְּכָל־  throughout  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
גְּב֣וּל  the  territory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְעַתָּ֣ה  Now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
רְאֵ֔ה  consider 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אָשִׁ֥יב  I  should  take  back 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
שֹׁלְחִ֖י  to  Him  who  sent  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
דָּבָֽר  answer 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation