So David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold for the site. So David paid OrnanDavid refused to offer to the LORD what had cost him nothing. After the judgment brought by his sinful census, he responded with repentance, obedience, and a costly sacrifice. Ornan, also called Araunah, was a Jebusite who lived within Israel’s capital, and David treated his property with justice rather than royal entitlement. The king’s purchase established the altar on land rightly acquired for the worship of God. 2Sa 24:24 So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen… six hundred shekels of gold The large payment was for the entire site, including the threshing floor and the surrounding land, distinguishing it from the smaller payment recorded for the immediate threshing floor and oxen in 2 Samuel 24:24. David recognized the lasting importance of the location. Gold, associated with the holiness and splendor of the sanctuary, fittingly marked the acquisition of the ground where the temple would stand. 1Ki 10:16-17 King Solomon made two hundred large shields… for the site. The site was Mount Moriah, where Solomon later built the temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). Moriah was also associated with Abraham’s obedience when he offered Isaac to God in faith (Genesis 22:2). At this place of sacrifice, mercy, and divine provision, Israel’s sacrifices would later point beyond themselves to Christ, whose once-for-all sacrifice secured forgiveness and access to God. 2Ch 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD… Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe 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 that David purchased. His willingness to give the site to David for free highlights his respect for the king and the God of Israel. 3. Threshing Floor The site David purchased to build an altar to the Lord. It later becomes the location for Solomon's Temple, making it a significant place in Israel's history. 4. The Census An event where David, against God's will, ordered a count of Israel's fighting men, leading to God's displeasure and a subsequent plague. 5. The Plague A divine punishment for David's sin, which was halted when David built an altar and offered sacrifices on the threshing floor. Teaching Points Obedience and RepentanceDavid's willingness to pay for the site, despite Araunah's offer to give it for free, demonstrates the importance of obedience and genuine repentance. True repentance often requires a personal cost. The Cost of Worship Worship that costs us nothing is not true worship. David's insistence on paying for the site underscores the principle that our offerings to God should be meaningful and sacrificial. God's Sovereignty and Mercy Despite David's sin, God's mercy is evident in providing a way to stop the plague. This teaches us about God's sovereignty and His readiness to forgive when we turn back to Him. The Significance of Place The purchase of the threshing floor, which becomes the site of the Temple, shows how God can use our actions to fulfill His greater purposes. Our obedience can have far-reaching implications. Bible Study Questions 1. What does David's insistence on paying for the threshing floor teach us about the nature of true repentance and worship?2. How does the account of David's census and the resulting plague illustrate the consequences of disobedience to God? 3. In what ways can we apply the principle of sacrificial giving in our own lives today? 4. How does the location of the threshing floor connect to other significant biblical events, and what does this teach us about God's plan? 5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's mercy after a period of disobedience. How did this experience change your relationship with Him? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Samuel 24This parallel account provides additional details about the purchase of the threshing floor and the events surrounding the census. Genesis 22 The location of the threshing floor is traditionally associated with Mount Moriah, where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac, highlighting themes of sacrifice and obedience. 1 Kings 6 Solomon's construction of the Temple on this site fulfills the significance of David's purchase, showing God's long-term plan for this location.
People Araunah, Benjamin, Dan, David, Gad, Gibeon, Israelites, Joab, Levi, OrnanPlaces Beersheba, Dan, Gath, Gibeon, JerusalemTopics Araunah, David, Giveth, Gold, Hundred, Ornan, Paid, Shekels, Site, Six, WeightDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Chronicles 21:25Library "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 21:25 NIV1 Chronicles 21:25 NLT 1 Chronicles 21:25 ESV 1 Chronicles 21:25 NASB 1 Chronicles 21:25 KJV 1 Chronicles 21:25 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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