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Araunah

Who was Araunah?

Araunah (Hebrew: אֲרַוְנָה, Araunah or Ornan in 1 Chronicles, possibly meaning “joyful shouting” or “ark”) was a Jebusite landowner in Jerusalem during the time of King David. He is best known for the pivotal role he played in 2 Samuel 24, where he offered his threshing floor to David as the site for an altar to the Lord. This act of generosity and reverence ultimately led to the location becoming the site of Solomon’s Temple.

Araunah appears in the narrative of 2 Samuel 24:16-25 and is identified as “Ornan” in 1 Chronicles 21:15-28. Though a Jebusite—likely a non-Israelite—his reverence for Israel’s God and his humble interaction with King David mark him as a significant figure in biblical history. His threshing floor would become the very heart of Jerusalem‘s worship life for generations to come.

Biblical Background

The Context: David’s Sin and God’s Mercy

The account of Araunah emerges at the end of 2 Samuel. David, in a moment of pride and mistrust in God, ordered a census of the fighting men of Israel (2 Samuel 24:1-9), a decision that was seen as sinful because it reflected dependence on human strength rather than divine provision.

As a result, God sent a plague upon Israel, killing 70,000 men (2 Samuel 24:10-15). When the angel of the Lord was about to destroy Jerusalem, God commanded the angel to stop at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:16). There, David saw the angel and was instructed by the prophet Gad to build an altar on that very site (2 Samuel 24:18).

Araunah’s Offering and David’s Response

When David approached Araunah to purchase the threshing floor, Araunah offered it to the king freely, along with oxen and threshing sledges for a burnt offering (2 Samuel 24:22–23). However, David refused to offer to the Lord something that cost him nothing, insisting on paying for it (2 Samuel 24:24). David then built an altar there, offered sacrifices, and the Lord answered by stopping the plague.

This account emphasizes themes of sacrifice, repentance, and atonement. David‘s insistence on costly worship speaks to the nature of true repentance—worship that involves genuine surrender, not convenience.

Parallel Account: Ornan the Jebusite

The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21 names Araunah as “Ornan” and adds more detail. For example, it states that Ornan and his four sons hid when they saw the angel of the Lord (1 Chronicles 21:20), underscoring the fearsome presence of divine judgment.

Significance of Araunah’s Threshing Floor

Future Site of the Temple

Araunah’s threshing floor is not just a detail of geography—it becomes a cornerstone in Israel’s history. 2 Chronicles 3:1 identifies this very site as Mount Moriah, where Solomon built the temple of the Lord. This is the same location where Abraham prepared to offer Isaac (Genesis 22:2), making it a place of profound theological meaning: a site of sacrifice, surrender, and divine provision.

Broader Biblical Themes

1. Sacrifice Must Cost Something

David’s words—“I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24)—echo through Scripture. True worship requires more than lip service or ritual; it requires the heart, the will, and often a personal cost. This idea is echoed in Romans 12:1, where believers are urged to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.

2. God’s Mercy in Judgment

The story underscores God’s willingness to relent from judgment when there is true repentance. Though God sent a plague as discipline, His mercy stopped the destruction when David turned to Him in humility.

3. Gentiles in God’s Redemptive Plan

Araunah, a Jebusite, shows honor to Israel’s God and to David. Though not an Israelite by birth, his respectful and generous response foreshadows the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s salvation story. This anticipates the gospel truth revealed in Ephesians 2:11-22, where Christ tears down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile.

How Araunah’s Story Points to Jesus

The Place of Sacrifice

The threshing floor of Araunah, later the temple site, becomes the place where countless sacrifices were made to atone for sin under the Mosaic covenant. Ultimately, it foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice—Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Jesus likely taught in the temple courts built on Araunah’s threshing floor and offered His life as the final atonement just outside the city. The place that once hosted temporary sacrifices now finds fulfillment in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-14).

Relevance for Christians Today

Araunah’s story calls modern believers to reverence, generosity, and worship that costs something. In an age of convenience and consumer-driven faith, David’s response serves as a powerful reminder that worship involves surrender, not mere ritual. Araunah’s humble offering and David’s sincere repentance together remind us of the seriousness of sin and the beauty of God’s mercy.

Cross References

Reflection Questions

  1. How does David’s refusal to offer cheap worship challenge your view of sacrifice and devotion?

  2. In what ways can Christians today offer worship that “costs something”?

  3. What does Araunah’s humble generosity teach us about our response to God’s purposes?

  4. How does this story deepen your understanding of God’s mercy in the face of judgment?

  5. How does the transformation of Araunah’s threshing floor into the temple site reflect the redemptive work of Christ?

Araunah may appear only briefly in Scripture, but his story stands at a monumental crossroads of judgment and mercy, sacrifice and grace. The humble Jebusite’s land became holy ground—a foreshadowing of the cross, where God’s justice and mercy met once for all in Jesus Christ.

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