What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 21:21? David came to Ornan • David has just obeyed the prophet Gad’s command to build an altar “on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” (1 Chronicles 21:18–19). • His approach shows active repentance after the census sin; he goes personally rather than sending servants (contrast 2 Samuel 24:19). • God is guiding David’s steps to the exact spot where plague will be stopped and, later, the temple will stand (2 Chronicles 3:1). • Lesson: when the Lord pinpoints the place of sacrifice, faith responds promptly and directly. Ornan looked out • Ornan is threshing wheat when he “looked out and saw David” (v. 21). His alertness suggests a heart ready to recognize God-given authority (Romans 13:1). • Seeing the king in person would signal something important; Ornan’s quick gaze catches a divine appointment unfolding (Proverbs 16:9). • The text reminds us God often enters ordinary routines—work, family, chores—to call us into His bigger plans (Exodus 3:1–4; Luke 5:1-3). He left the threshing floor • Ornan immediately steps away from his labor, choosing worship over work at that moment (Ecclesiastes 3:1). • The threshing floor, a place of separating grain from chaff, becomes a symbol of God separating judgment from mercy on Israel (Matthew 3:12). • Leaving the tools behind shows faith that obedience is more urgent than productivity (Mark 1:18). Bowed facedown before David • “He bowed facedown before David” (v. 21). This physical posture expresses deep respect for God’s anointed king (1 Samuel 24:8; Psalm 2:11-12). • Bowing acknowledges that David’s presence represents the Lord’s authority; ultimately the honor flows to God Himself (1 Chronicles 29:20). • The gesture also conveys submission—Ornan is ready to give his prized threshing floor without bargaining (vv. 22-23), mirroring believers who yield fully to God’s purposes (Romans 12:1). summary 1 Chronicles 21:21 captures a divinely arranged meeting where a repentant king and a responsive subject converge. David’s determined approach, Ornan’s watchful eye, his readiness to lay aside work, and his humble bow together illustrate how God’s people should meet His interventions—with prompt obedience, attentiveness, surrendered priorities, and reverent humility. The verse points ahead to the ultimate sacrifice that would end judgment and foreshadows the temple where God’s mercy would be celebrated. |
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