Topical Encyclopedia Ornan, also known as Araunah, is a significant biblical figure mentioned in the Old Testament. He was a Jebusite, an ancient people who inhabited the land of Canaan before the Israelites. Ornan's most notable appearance in the biblical narrative is in the context of King David's reign and the establishment of the site for the future Temple in Jerusalem.Biblical Account Ornan is introduced in the context of a divine judgment upon Israel. In 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21, King David, incited by Satan, orders a census of Israel, which displeases God. As a result, God sends a plague upon Israel as punishment. When David sees the angel of the Lord striking down the people, he repents and seeks to make atonement. The prophet Gad instructs David to build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. This location is significant as it is situated on Mount Moriah, the same region where Abraham was to offer Isaac (Genesis 22:2). David approaches Ornan to purchase the threshing floor. Ornan, recognizing the king and the gravity of the situation, offers the site to David for free, along with oxen for burnt offerings and threshing sledges for wood. David insists on purchasing the site, stating, "I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24). He buys the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver, according to 2 Samuel, while 1 Chronicles 21:25 records the price as six hundred shekels of gold for the site. This discrepancy is often understood as referring to different aspects of the transaction or the broader area purchased. Theological Significance Ornan's threshing floor becomes the site where David builds an altar and offers sacrifices to the Lord, resulting in the cessation of the plague. This location is later identified as the site for Solomon's Temple, making it a central place of worship and sacrifice for the Israelites (2 Chronicles 3:1). Ornan's willingness to give his property for the service of God highlights themes of generosity and submission to divine will. His interaction with David underscores the importance of sacrificial giving and the principle that offerings to God should be meaningful and costly. Historical and Cultural Context As a Jebusite, Ornan represents the indigenous peoples of the land prior to Israelite conquest. The Jebusites were known to inhabit Jerusalem, which was originally called Jebus. David's respectful negotiation with Ornan reflects the complex relationships between the Israelites and the remaining Canaanite populations. Ornan's account is a testament to the integration of non-Israelites into the narrative of Israel's history, demonstrating that God's purposes often involve individuals from diverse backgrounds. His threshing floor, a place of agricultural activity, becomes a sacred site, illustrating the transformation of ordinary spaces into places of divine encounter. Legacy Ornan's legacy is preserved through the enduring significance of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. His role in the biblical narrative serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience, sacrifice, and the recognition of God's sovereignty over all lands and peoples. Nave's Topical Index 1 Chronicles 21:15-25,28And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now your hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Nave's Topical Index 2 Chronicles 3:1 Strong's Hebrew 771. Ornan -- a Jebusite... Ornan. Probably from 'oren; strong; Ornan, a Jebusite -- Ornan. See 'Aravnah. see HEBREW 'oren. see HEBREW 'Aravnah. 770, 771. Ornan. 772 . Strong's Numbers /hebrew/771.htm - 6k 728. Aravnah -- a Jebusite Library The Best of All, God is with Us One Worker Preparing for Another On the Formation of the Character of Believers, and on Giving of ... The Life and Death of Mr. Badman, Resources Who was Araunah the Jebusite? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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