1 Chronicles 21:21
New International Version
Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

New Living Translation
When Araunah saw David approaching, he left his threshing floor and bowed before David with his face to the ground.

English Standard Version
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground.

Berean Standard Bible
David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked out and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed facedown before David.

King James Bible
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

New King James Version
So David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed before David with his face to the ground.

New American Standard Bible
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself to David with his face to the ground.

NASB 1995
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.

NASB 1977
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor, and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed his face to the ground before David.

Amplified Bible
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw him, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

Christian Standard Bible
David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground.

American Standard Version
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

Contemporary English Version
Just then, David arrived, and when Araunah saw him, he stopped his work and bowed down.

English Revised Version
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When David arrived, Ornan looked up and saw him. So he left the threshing floor and bowed down with his face touching the ground in front of David.

Good News Translation
As soon as Araunah saw King David approaching, he left the threshing place and bowed low, with his face touching the ground.

International Standard Version
As David approached Ornan, Ornan looked around and observed David, left the threshing floor, and fell to the ground before David with his face on the ground.

Majority Standard Bible
David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked out and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed facedown before David.

NET Bible
When David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David; he came out from the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground.

New Heart English Bible
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

Webster's Bible Translation
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked, and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

World English Bible
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David comes to Ornan, and Ornan looks attentively and sees David, and goes out from the threshing-floor, and bows himself to David—face to the earth.

Young's Literal Translation
And David cometh in unto Ornan, and Ornan looketh attentively, and seeth David, and goeth out from the threshing-floor, and boweth himself to David -- face to the earth.

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will go even to Ornan, and Ornan will look and see David, and he will go forth from the threshing-floor, and he will worship to David, the face to the earth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And as David was coming to Ornan, Ornan saw him, and went out of the thrashingfloor to meet him, and bowed down to him with his face to the ground.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then, as David was approaching Ornan, Ornan saw him, and he went out from the threshing floor to meet him. And he reverenced him prone on the ground.

New American Bible
But as David came toward Ornan, he looked up and saw that it was David, and left the threshing floor and bowed down before David, his face to the ground.

New Revised Standard Version
As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David; he went out from the threshing floor, and did obeisance to David with his face to the ground.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And as David came to Aran, Aran turned and saw David and went out of his threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David came to Aran, and Aran turned and he saw David, and he bowed to David on his face on the ground, and Aran went out from his granary.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed down to David with his face to the ground.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David came to Orna; and Orna came forth from the threshing-floor, and did obeisance to David with his face to the ground.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Builds an Altar
20Now Ornan was threshing wheat when he turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked out and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed facedown before David. 22Then David said to Ornan, “Grant me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar to the LORD. Sell it to me for the full price, so that the plague upon the people may be halted.”…

Cross References
2 Samuel 24:18-25
And that day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” / So David went up at the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded. / When Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, he went out and bowed facedown before the king. ...

Genesis 23:7-16
Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. / “If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf / to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.” ...

1 Kings 21:2-3
So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.” / But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Exodus 30:12-16
“When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered. / Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. / Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD. ...

Numbers 16:46-50
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” / So Aaron took the censer as Moses had ordered and ran into the midst of the assembly. And seeing that the plague had begun among the people, he offered the incense and made atonement for the people. / He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was halted. ...

2 Samuel 24:1
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

2 Samuel 24:10
After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

2 Samuel 24:17
When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”

1 Chronicles 21:18-20
Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. / So David went up at the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD. / Now Ornan was threshing wheat when he turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves.

Matthew 21:12-13
Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. / And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Mark 11:15-17
When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. / And He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. / Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Luke 19:45-46
Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling there. / He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

John 2:14-16
In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. / So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. / To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Acts 7:47-50
But it was Solomon who built the house for Him. / However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: / ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be? ...


Treasury of Scripture

And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

bowed himself

1 Samuel 25:23
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

2 Samuel 24:18-20
And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite…

Jump to Previous
Approached Araunah Attentively Bowed Boweth David Earth Face Floor Forth Grain-Floor Ground Obeisance Ornan Prostrated Threshing Threshingfloor Threshing-Floor
Jump to Next
Approached Araunah Attentively Bowed Boweth David Earth Face Floor Forth Grain-Floor Ground Obeisance Ornan Prostrated Threshing Threshingfloor Threshing-Floor
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














David came to Ornan
David, the king of Israel, approaches Ornan, also known as Araunah, a Jebusite. This event occurs after David's census of Israel, which displeased God and led to a plague. The location is significant as it is the future site of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jebusites were the original inhabitants of Jerusalem before David conquered the city, indicating a peaceful coexistence at this point. This encounter highlights David's role as a leader who seeks to rectify his wrongs by building an altar to the Lord.

and when Ornan looked out and saw David
Ornan, engaged in his daily work, notices the approach of the king. This indicates Ornan's position as a landowner and a person of some standing, as he possesses a threshing floor. The threshing floor is a place where grain is separated from chaff, symbolizing judgment and purification, which is fitting given the context of David's repentance. Ornan's recognition of David suggests the king's prominence and respect among the people, even those of different ethnic backgrounds.

he left the threshing floor
Ornan's immediate response to leave his work signifies respect and urgency. The threshing floor, often located on elevated ground for wind exposure, is a place of economic activity and importance. Ornan's willingness to leave it unattended reflects his recognition of the significance of David's visit and possibly an understanding of the divine purpose behind it.

and bowed facedown before David
Bowing facedown is a gesture of deep respect and submission, common in ancient Near Eastern cultures when in the presence of royalty or someone of high status. This act demonstrates Ornan's acknowledgment of David's authority and possibly his awareness of the spiritual implications of the king's visit. The act of bowing also prefigures the reverence due to Christ, the ultimate King, and foreshadows the worship that will occur at the Temple, which will be built on this very site.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The King of Israel, known for his heart after God, but also for his human failings. In this chapter, David is dealing with the consequences of his sin of conducting a census of Israel.

2. Araunah
A Jebusite who owned the threshing floor where David intended to build an altar to the Lord. His interaction with David is significant in the account of repentance and sacrifice.

3. Threshing Floor
A place where grain is separated from chaff, symbolically a place of separation and purification. It becomes the site for David's altar and later the location for Solomon's Temple.

4. Jerusalem
The city where these events take place, central to Israel's history and God's covenant with His people.

5. The Plague
A divine judgment sent upon Israel as a consequence of David's sin, which is halted at the threshing floor of Araunah.
Teaching Points
Repentance and Restoration
David's approach to Araunah's threshing floor is a step towards repentance. True repentance involves acknowledging sin and taking steps to make things right with God.

The Cost of Sacrifice
David insists on paying for the threshing floor, teaching us that genuine worship and repentance often require personal sacrifice.

God's Mercy
Despite David's sin, God provides a way to stop the plague, demonstrating His mercy and willingness to forgive when we turn back to Him.

The Significance of Place
The threshing floor becomes a sacred site, reminding us that God can transform places of judgment into places of worship and blessing.

Leadership and Accountability
As a leader, David's actions had consequences for the entire nation, highlighting the importance of responsible and godly leadership.(21) And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David.--This is wanting in Samuel. The corruption of the previous verse made some such statement necessary here. The rest of the verse nearly corresponds with 2Samuel 24:20.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
David
דָוִ֖יד (ḏā·wîḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

came
וַיָּבֹ֥א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

Ornan,
אָרְנָ֑ן (’ā·rə·nān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 771: Ornan -- a Jebusite

and when Ornan
אָרְנָן֙ (’ā·rə·nān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 771: Ornan -- a Jebusite

looked out
וַיַּבֵּ֤ט (way·yab·bêṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5027: To scan, look intently at, to regard

and saw
וַיַּ֣רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

David,
דָּוִ֔יד (dā·wîḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

he left
וַיֵּצֵא֙ (way·yê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

the threshing floor
הַגֹּ֔רֶן (hag·gō·ren)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1637: A threshing-floor, open area

and bowed
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ (way·yiš·ta·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

facedown
אַפַּ֖יִם (’ap·pa·yim)
Noun - md
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

before David.
לְדָוִ֛יד (lə·ḏā·wîḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 21:21 As David came to Ornan Ornan looked (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 21:20
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