The Threshing Floor of Ornan the Jebusite holds significant historical and theological importance in the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of King David's reign and the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem. This site is mentioned in the books of 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, where it serves as a pivotal location for divine interaction and covenantal development.

Biblical Account

The account of the Threshing Floor of Ornan the Jebusite is primarily found in 1 Chronicles 21 and 2 Samuel 24. In these passages, King David, incited by Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1) or moved by the LORD's anger (2 Samuel 24:1), conducts a census of Israel, which is seen as an act of pride and lack of trust in God's provision. As a result, God sends a plague upon Israel as a judgment for David's sin.

In response to the plague, David is instructed by the prophet Gad to erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. The Berean Standard Bible records this directive: "Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite" (1 Chronicles 21:18).

David approaches Ornan to purchase the site, insisting on buying it at full price to offer a sacrifice that costs him something, demonstrating his repentance and reverence for God. Ornan offers the site and the necessary materials for free, but David insists, saying, "No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing" (1 Chronicles 21:24).

Significance

The Threshing Floor of Ornan the Jebusite is significant for several reasons:

1. Site of Atonement and Mercy: The site becomes a place where God's mercy is demonstrated. As David offers sacrifices, the LORD responds by halting the plague, signifying divine forgiveness and the restoration of the covenant relationship between God and His people.

2. Future Temple Location: The site is later identified as the location where Solomon, David's son, would build the Temple, the central place of worship for Israel. 2 Chronicles 3:1 states, "Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite" . This connection underscores the continuity of God's plan and the importance of the site in Israel's religious life.

3. Symbol of Sacrifice and Worship: David's insistence on purchasing the threshing floor at full price highlights the principle that true worship involves sacrifice. This act prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who, according to Christian belief, fulfills the sacrificial system and provides atonement for sin.

4. Covenantal Fulfillment: The acquisition of the threshing floor and the subsequent building of the Temple fulfill God's promises to David regarding the establishment of his dynasty and the centralization of worship in Jerusalem, as outlined in the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7).

Cultural and Historical Context

Threshing floors in ancient Israel were open, flat areas where grain was separated from chaff, often located on elevated ground to take advantage of the wind. The choice of a threshing floor as the site for an altar and later the Temple underscores the transformation of a commonplace agricultural setting into a sacred space for divine encounter and worship.

The Jebusites were the original inhabitants of Jerusalem, and Ornan's willingness to sell the threshing floor to David reflects the transition of the city into Israelite control and its central role in the unfolding of God's redemptive history.

In summary, the Threshing Floor of Ornan the Jebusite is a site of profound theological and historical significance, marking a moment of repentance, divine mercy, and the establishment of a central place of worship for the people of Israel.