David Purchases the Threshing Floor; Sacrifice and End of Plague
2 Samuel 24:18-25
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2 S.24.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- גד: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ביום: PREP
- ההוא: DEM,ms,sg
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- עלה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הקם: VERB,hiph,impv,2,m,sg
- ליהוה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- מזבח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בגרן: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ארונה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,cons
- היבסי: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- 1 Chronicles 21:18 (quotation): Near‑verbatim parallel: Gad tells David to go up and build an altar on Araunah/Ornan’s threshing floor — the Chronicler retells the same command with only minor wording changes.
- 2 Samuel 24:25 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation in the same chapter: David erects the altar and offers burnt offerings on Araunah’s threshing floor, fulfilling Gad’s instruction.
- 1 Chronicles 21:25 (verbal): Chronicles’ account of David buying the threshing floor and offering sacrifices repeats the key elements (purchase, altar, offerings), emphasizing David’s act of atonement following Gad’s direction.
- Genesis 22:2 (thematic): Thematically related: both passages locate a divinely significant altar on a designated high place/mountain (the site later identified with the temple mount), linking sacrificial activity at a specific sacred site to covenantal encounter with God.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Gad came to David on that day and said to him, "Go up; erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing‑floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
2 S.24.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כדבר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- גד: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- כאשר: CONJ
- צוה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Chronicles 21:19 (quotation): Nearly identical retelling in Chronicles: 'And David went up at the word of Gad, as the LORD commanded' — a direct verbal parallel to the Samuel account.
- 2 Samuel 24:18 (structural): Immediate context in Samuel: Gad brings Yahweh's instruction to David, providing the command that David then follows in v.19.
- 2 Samuel 24:25 (thematic): Shows the outcome of David's obedience to the divine command — David builds an altar and offers sacrifices, completing the action initiated 'as the LORD commanded.'
- 1 Chronicles 21:18 (verbal): Chronicles' parallel to the same scene where Gad (or the angel via Gad) conveys Yahweh's command to David to go up and erect an altar on Araunah's threshing floor — another closely related verbal/thematic parallel.
Alternative generated candidates
- David went up at Gad's word, as the LORD had commanded.
2 S.24.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישקף: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- ארונה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ואת: CONJ
- עבדיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+3ms
- עברים: PART,qal,ptc,3,m,pl
- עליו: PREP,3,m,sg
- ויצא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- ארונה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וישתחו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- למלך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אפיו: NOUN,m,sg,poss+3,m,sg
- ארצה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1Chron.21.23 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel of the same line: Ornan (Araunah) sees the king and his servants approaching and bows with his face to the ground.
- 1Chron.21.22-24 (structural): Parallel account of the entire episode (Ornan sees David, prostrates himself, offers the threshing floor and oxen; David insists on buying the site) — same narrative sequence as 2 Samuel 24:20–25.
- 2Sam.24.23-25 (structural): Immediate continuation in Samuel’s account: Ornan’s offer of the threshing floor and David’s refusal to accept it for free, completing the context of v.20.
- Esther.5.2 (thematic): Similar motif of a subject coming into the king’s presence and prostrating/bowing before him in the presence of the king’s attendants — a conventional gesture of respect/submission.
Alternative generated candidates
- Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming; Araunah went out and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
2 S.24.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ארונה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- מדוע: ADV
- בא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אדני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- עבדו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לקנות: VERB,qal,inf
- מעמך: PREP+PRON,2ms
- את: PRT,acc
- הגרן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לבנות: ADJ,f,pl,abs
- מזבח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ליהוה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- ותעצר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,f,sg
- המגפה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- מעל: PREP
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- 1 Chronicles 21:22-26 (quotation): A near-verbatim parallel account of David’s conversation with Ornan (Arunah), his intention to buy the threshing floor and build an altar to YHWH to halt the plague, and his refusal to accept the site for free.
- 2 Samuel 24:24 (verbal): Immediate narrative continuation in the same chapter: David insists on purchasing the threshing floor and pays the full price so that he may build the altar and offer sacrifices (reiterates motive in v.21).
- Numbers 16:46-48 (thematic): Aaron’s offering of incense and intercession to stop a divine plague provides a thematic parallel: ritual sacrifice/atonement as means to halt a plague sent by God.
- 2 Chronicles 3:1 (structural): Identifies the later location of Solomon’s temple as Mount Moriah, ‘the threshing floor of Ornan/Arunah’—shows the long-term significance of David’s purchase and altar at that site.
Alternative generated candidates
- Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David said, "To buy from you the threshing‑floor to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people."
2 S.24.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ארונה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יקח: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- ויעל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אדני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הטוב: ADJ,m,sg,def
- בעיניו: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs+3ms
- ראה: VERB,qal,imperat,2,m,sg
- הבקר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לעלה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- והמרגים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- וכלי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- הבקר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לעצים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- 1 Chron.21.22 (quotation): Close parallel/duplicate account of Arunah's offer to David; wording and content are nearly identical to 2 Sam 24:22.
- 2 Sam.24.24 (structural): Immediate narrative contrast: David refuses to accept Arunah's gift and insists on buying the threshing floor and oxen, shaping the theological point about proper sacrifice/payment.
- Gen.22.2 (thematic): The motif of being called to offer an expiatory sacrifice on a specific high place (Mount Moriah tradition) connects Abraham's willingness to sacrifice with David's altar-site and offerings.
- 2 Chron.3.1 (thematic): Links the site of David's altar/threshing floor to the later building of Solomon's temple on Mount Moriah, underscoring the long-term religious significance of the location where Arunah offers the oxen.
Alternative generated candidates
- Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and do what is good in your sight—behold, oxen for burnt offerings, threshing‑sledges and yokes of oxen for the wood."
2 S.24.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הכל: PRON,m,sg,abs
- נתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ארונה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- למלך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ארונה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיך: NOUN,m,sg,prsuf-2ms
- ירצך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Chr.21.23 (verbal): Direct parallel account in Chronicles of Araunah’s offer and the king’s response; many words and the scene correspond closely to 2 Sam 24:23–24.
- 2 Sam.24.24 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation in the same chapter explaining David’s refusal to accept the threshing floor as a gift (he insists on buying it), which clarifies the significance of v.23.
- Gen.23.9–16 (thematic): Abraham’s insistence on paying full price for the cave of Machpelah rather than taking it as a gift parallels the motif of purchasing sacred ground rather than accepting it freely.
- 2 Chr.3.1 (thematic): Identifies Mount Moriah (the site of Araunah’s threshing floor) as the location where Solomon later builds the temple, linking Araunah’s offer/purchase to the temple’s sacred geography.
Alternative generated candidates
- All this Araunah gave to the king. Araunah said to the king, "May the LORD your God accept you."
2 S.24.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- ארונה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- כי: CONJ
- קנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- אקנה: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- מאותך: PREP+PRON,2,ms
- במחיר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- אעלה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- ליהוה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- עלות: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- חנם: ADV
- ויקן: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- הגרן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ואת: CONJ
- הבקר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- בכסף: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שקלים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- חמשים: NUM,card,pl
Parallels
- 1 Chronicles 21:24 (quotation): Direct parallel/near-quotation of David's words refusing to accept Araunah's threshing floor and oxen for free; same sentiment and many identical phrases.
- 1 Chronicles 21:25 (verbal): Repeats the purchase detail (fifty shekels of silver) and the conclusion of the episode—chronicles' account closely mirrors 2 Samuel's wording and price information.
- 2 Samuel 24:21-23 (structural): Immediate narrative context: Araunah's offer to give the threshing floor and oxen, David's insistence on buying them, and the priestly/prophetic involvement—these verses form the same episode and explain v.24's action.
- 2 Chronicles 3:1 (thematic): Identifies the temple site on Mount Moriah, the same location connected with David's purchase of the threshing floor—shows later cultic significance of the purchased site.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the king said to Araunah, "No; I will surely buy it from you at its price; I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing‑floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
2 S.24.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויבן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- שם: ADV
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מזבח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ליהוה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויעל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- עלות: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- ושלמים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ויעתר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ותעצר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,f,sg
- המגפה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- מעל: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Chronicles 21:26 (verbal): Parallel account of the same event—David builds an altar, offers burnt and peace offerings, and God answers from heaven (near-identical language).
- 2 Samuel 24:16–17 (structural): Immediate narrative context: the angel executing the plague is stopped after David offers sacrifice and pleads, explaining why David builds the altar and the plague ceases.
- 1 Kings 18:36–38 (verbal): Elijah prays over a sacrifice and the LORD answers from heaven by fire consuming the offering—same motif of divine fire answering a petition at an altar.
- Numbers 16:46–50 (thematic): Aaron offers incense/atones to stop a deadly plague among the people; like David’s offerings, priestly sacrifice averts divine judgment on Israel.
- Isaiah 37:36 (thematic): God intervenes through an angel to destroy Israel’s enemies (deliverance by angelic action), paralleling the motif of divine/angelic agency halting a nation-threatening calamity.
Alternative generated candidates
- There David built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. The LORD heeded the plea for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
Gad came to David on that day and said to him, “Go up; set up an altar to the LORD at the threshing‑floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
David went up at Gad’s word, just as the LORD had commanded.
Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming toward him; Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy from you the threshing‑floor to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.”
Araunah said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing implements, and the wood are here.”
All these Araunah gave to the king. Araunah said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.” But the king said to Araunah, “No; I will buy it from you for a price—I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing‑floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. The LORD answered prayer for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.