What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 24:23? “O king” • Araunah addresses David with heartfelt honor: “O king” (2 Samuel 24:23). • His greeting mirrors David’s earlier reverence for Saul (1 Samuel 24:8) and reflects the biblical call to “honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17). • By recognizing David’s God-given authority, Araunah shows humble submission similar to the widow of Zarephath’s respect for Elijah (1 Kings 17:12-15). • The passage reminds us that genuine worship often starts with a right attitude toward God-appointed leadership (Romans 13:1-2). “Araunah gives all these to the king” • Araunah freely offers the threshing floor, oxen, and wood (2 Samuel 24:22-23; 1 Chronicles 21:23). • His generosity echoes Abraham’s offer to Lot (Genesis 13:9) and the Macedonians who “gave beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5). • The phrase underscores true stewardship: everything belongs to God, so holding possessions loosely honors Him (Psalm 24:1). • Araunah’s openhandedness sets the stage for David’s conviction that worship must cost something (2 Samuel 24:24), paralleling Mary’s costly perfume poured on Jesus (John 12:3). “May the LORD your God accept you” • Araunah’s blessing—“May the LORD your God accept you” (2 Samuel 24:23)—reveals a desire for divine approval, not mere human courtesy. • Acceptance language recalls Leviticus sacrifices “to make atonement on his behalf and it will be accepted” (Leviticus 1:4). • The plea anticipates David’s aim: appeasing God’s wrath after the census (2 Samuel 24:10-14, 25). • It highlights intercession: Araunah, though not the offerer, petitions that David’s sacrifice succeed—similar to Jonathan’s plea for David before Saul (1 Samuel 19:4). • New-covenant believers find ultimate acceptance in Christ, “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6), foreshadowed here by the longing for God’s favor. summary 2 Samuel 24:23 captures Araunah’s respectful greeting, generous offer, and intercessory blessing. His actions showcase humble submission, openhanded stewardship, and a heart that longs for God’s acceptance. The verse sets up David’s insistence on costly worship and ultimately points us to the One whose perfect sacrifice guarantees our acceptance before God. |
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