Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 21:12

"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." — 1 Chronicles 21:12 (ASV)

Three years’ famine. —This appears correct, as harmonizing with the three months and three days of the other visitations. Samuel has the reading “seven,” which perhaps originated in some scribe’s memory of the famine described in Genesis 41:30 and following.

To be destroyed. —Samuel has, “your flying,” and so Septuagint and Vulgate here. This is doubtless right, as the word in our Hebrew text might easily be a corrupt form of that in Samuel.

While the sword of your enemies overtakes you. —Literally, and the sword of your foes at overtaking. The word “overtaking” (massègeth) is found elsewhere only in Leviticus 14:21. Samuel has simply, “and he pursuing you.” Perhaps the right text is, and he pursue you to overtaking. (Compare the Syriac here: “Three months you shall be subdued before your enemy, and he shall be pursuing you, and he shall be mastering you.”)

Or else three days the sword of the Lord ... coasts of Israel. —Samuel has the brief, “Or that there be three days’ pestilence in your land.” Our text appears to be an exegetical expansion of the older statement. Others suppose it to be the original, of which Samuel is an epitome, alleging that otherwise “the angel” is introduced in 2 Samuel 24:16 quite suddenly and abruptly. But we must remember that in the thought of those times pestilence and “the sword,” or “angel of the Lord”, would be suggestive of each other. (Compare 2 Kings 19:35; and for the three judgments, Ezekiel 5:17; Ezekiel 14:13–19; Ezekiel 14:21; Leviticus 26:25–26.)

Throughout all the coasts. —In every border.

Now therefore advise yourself. — And now see. Samuel, “Now know and see.”