Then 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." Then David said to Ornan,David addressed Ornan, called Araunah in 2 Samuel 24, a Jebusite who retained possession of land near Jerusalem after David captured the city. David came as Israel’s king, yet he approached Ornan with humility because God’s judgment had fallen upon the nation through David’s sin. 2Sa 24:18 And that day Gad came to David and said to him,… “Grant me the site of this threshing floor, The threshing floor, an open, flat area used for separating grain from chaff, stood on Mount Moriah, where Solomon would later build the temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). God had provided this place as the appointed setting for sacrifice, linking David’s repentance with the future center of Israel’s worship. 2Ch 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD… that I may build an altar to the LORD. The altar was to be built in obedience to God’s command and as an appeal for mercy. Sacrifice declared that sin required judgment and that reconciliation with the LORD could come only through the provision He established. Gen 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD… Sell it to me for the full price, David would not use royal authority to take the land or accept it as a gift. He insisted that worship involve personal cost, later declaring that he would not offer to the LORD what cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). David ultimately paid six hundred shekels of gold for the site (1 Chronicles 21:25). 2Sa 24:24 So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen… so that the plague upon the people may be halted.” The plague had come because of David’s unlawful census, but David sought mercy for the people who suffered under the judgment. The LORD accepted the sacrifice and stopped the plague, revealing both His holiness toward sin and His mercy toward repentant sinners. The altar on Moriah anticipated the temple sacrifices and ultimately points to Christ, whose sacrifice alone fully removes sin and reconciles His people to God. 2Sa 24:25 And there he built an altar to the LORD and… Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe King of Israel, who seeks to build an altar to the LORD to stop a plague. 2. Ornan (Araunah) A Jebusite who owns the threshing floor that David wishes to purchase. 3. Threshing Floor The site where David intends to build an altar; significant as a place of divine encounter. 4. Plague A divine judgment upon Israel due to David's earlier sin of conducting a census. 5. Altar A place of sacrifice and worship, intended to appease God's wrath and stop the plague. Teaching Points The Cost of ObedienceDavid insists on paying the full price, illustrating that true worship and repentance often require personal sacrifice. The Role of Repentance David's actions demonstrate the importance of repentance in restoring our relationship with God. God's Mercy in Judgment The account highlights God's willingness to relent from judgment when His people turn back to Him. Significance of the Altar The altar represents a place of meeting with God, where sin is atoned for and peace is restored. Faith in Action David's faith is demonstrated through his decisive action to rectify his wrongs and seek God's favor. Bible Study Questions 1. What does David's insistence on paying the full price for the threshing floor teach us about the nature of true worship and sacrifice?2. How does the account of David and the plague illustrate the consequences of sin and the necessity of repentance? 3. In what ways does the concept of an altar in the Old Testament connect to the New Testament understanding of Christ's sacrifice? 4. How can we apply David's example of taking responsibility for his actions in our own lives, especially when we face the consequences of our decisions? 5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's mercy in your life. How did it change your relationship with Him, and how can you share that experience with others? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Samuel 24This parallel account provides additional details about David's sin, the resulting plague, and the purchase of the threshing floor. Genesis 22 The concept of sacrifice and obedience is echoed in Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Hebrews 13:10 Discusses the altar as a place of spiritual significance, connecting to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Psalm 51 David's psalm of repentance, reflecting his heart posture in seeking God's mercy. 1 Corinthians 6:20 The principle of offering ourselves fully to God, as David offers to pay the full price for the threshing floor.
People Araunah, Benjamin, Dan, David, Gad, Gibeon, Israelites, Joab, Levi, OrnanPlaces Beersheba, Dan, Gath, Gibeon, JerusalemTopics Afflicting, Altar, Averted, Build, David, Disease, Floor, Full, Grain-floor, Grant, Money, Ornan, Plague, Price, Restrained, Sell, Silver, Site, Stayed, Stopped, Therein, Thereon, Threshing, Threshingfloor, Threshing-floorDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Chronicles 21:9-26Library "For what the Law could not Do, in that it was Weak through the Flesh, God Sending his Own Son in the Likeness of Sinful Flesh,Rom. viii. 3.--"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." For what purpose do we meet thus together? I would we knew it,--then it might be to some better purpose. In all other things we are rational, and do nothing of moment without some end and purpose. But, alas! in this matter of greatest moment, our going about divine ordinances, we have scarce any distinct or deliberate … Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture. Chronicles Links 1 Chronicles 21:22 NIV1 Chronicles 21:22 NLT 1 Chronicles 21:22 ESV 1 Chronicles 21:22 NASB 1 Chronicles 21:22 KJV 1 Chronicles 21:22 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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