Topical Encyclopedia
Ornan, also known as Araunah, is a significant biblical figure mentioned in the Old Testament, primarily in the context of King David's reign. He is identified as a Jebusite, a member of the original inhabitants of Jerusalem before it was conquered by the Israelites. Ornan's account is pivotal in the narrative of David's establishment of Jerusalem as the political and spiritual center of Israel.
Biblical AccountThe primary account of Ornan is found in
1 Chronicles 21 and
2 Samuel 24. The narrative begins with King David's decision to conduct a census of Israel, an act that was displeasing to God. As a result, God sent a plague upon Israel as a form of judgment. In response to David's repentance and plea for mercy, God instructed the prophet Gad to tell David to build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1 Chronicles 21:18-19 states: "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. So David went up at the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD."
When David approached Ornan to purchase the threshing floor, Ornan offered it to David for free, along with oxen for the burnt offerings and threshing sledges for wood. However, David insisted on buying it at full price, emphasizing the importance of offering to God something that cost him personally. This transaction is recorded in
1 Chronicles 21:24-25 : "But King David replied to Ornan, 'No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the LORD what belongs to you, nor will I offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.' So David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold for the site."
SignificanceThe site of Ornan's threshing floor holds profound significance in biblical history. It is traditionally identified as the location where Solomon later built the Temple, making it the focal point of Jewish worship and sacrifice. This site, Mount Moriah, is also associated with Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac, further deepening its spiritual importance.
Ornan's willingness to give his property for the service of God and David's insistence on paying for it highlight themes of sacrifice, obedience, and the proper attitude toward worship. David's actions demonstrate the principle that true worship involves personal cost and dedication.
Cultural and Historical ContextAs a Jebusite, Ornan represents the remnants of the Canaanite peoples who inhabited the land before the Israelite conquest. His interaction with David reflects the peaceful integration of some Canaanite elements into Israelite society. The Jebusites, having been conquered by David when he captured Jerusalem, were allowed to remain in the city, and Ornan's presence there underscores the complex social dynamics of the time.
Theological ReflectionsOrnan's account is often used to illustrate the importance of genuine worship and the necessity of offering to God that which is valuable and meaningful. David's refusal to accept the threshing floor as a gift underscores the belief that worship should not be cheap or convenient but should reflect a heart fully devoted to God.
The narrative also serves as a reminder of God's mercy and the power of repentance. Despite David's initial sin in conducting the census, God's provision of a means to atone for that sin through the establishment of an altar on Ornan's threshing floor demonstrates His willingness to forgive and restore.
In summary, Ornan's role in the biblical narrative, though brief, is crucial in the unfolding account of Israel's history and worship. His interaction with David sets the stage for the future construction of the Temple, a central element in the religious life of Israel.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Ornanthat rejoices
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Ornan(active). (1 Chronicles 21:15;2 Chronicles 3:1) [ARAUNAH]
ATS Bible Dictionary
OrnanSeeARAUNAH.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
1 Chronicles 21:15. (see
ARAUNAH.)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ORNANor'-nan (1 Chronicles 21:15).
SeeARAUNAH.
Strong's Hebrew
771.Ornan -- a Jebusite... 770, 771.
Ornan. 772 . a Jebusite. Transliteration:
Ornan Phonetic Spelling:
(or-nawn') Short Definition:
Ornan. Word Origin from
...728. Aravnah -- a Jebusite
... Or (by transposition) rowrnah {ore-naw'}; or farniyah {ar-nee-yaw'}; all by
orthographical variation for 'Ornan; Aravnah (or Arnijah or Ornah), a Jebusite...
Library
The Best of All, God is with Us
... 15, 16. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor ofOrnan the
Jebusite. And... themselves. NowOrnan was threshing wheat....
One Worker Preparing for Another
... 1 CHRONICLES 21:25-30; 22. David was commanded to go toOrnan, or Araunah, the
Jebusite, to rear an altar unto the Lord in his threshingfloor....
The Destruction of Jerusalem
... There the flames of the sacrifice ascending to heaven from the threshing floor of
Ornan had turned aside the sword of the destroying angel (1 Chronicles 21...
The Destruction of Jerusalem.
... There, the flames of the sacrifice ascending to heaven from the threshing-floor
ofOrnan had turned aside the sword of the destroying angel(6)"fitting symbol...
Letter Xlvi. Paula and Eustochium to Marcella.
... the angel grasped his sword, and while he laid waste the whole of the ungodly city,
marked out the temple of the Lord in the threshing floor ofOrnan, king of...
On the Formation of the Character of Believers, and on Giving of...
... war before his rash vow; of Barak and Deborah in the days of Sisera; [3508] of Samuel
in Mizpeh; [3509] of David in the threshing-floor ofOrnan the Jebusite...
The Bible
... Synagogues are built within the shadow of the sacred rock, the one-time threshing
floor ofOrnan, which David bought and whereon the holy temple stood....
The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <....
Thesaurus
Ornan (10 Occurrences)... (see ARAUNAH.). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
ORNAN. or'-nan (1 Chronicles
21:15). See ARAUNAH. Multi-Version Concordance
Ornan (10 Occurrences).
...Araunah (14 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Agile; also calledOrnan 1 Chronicles 21:15, a Jebusite
who dwelt in Jerusalem before it was taken by the Israelites....
Threshingfloor (18 Occurrences)
... David built an altar onOrnan's (Araunah's) threshing-floor (2 Samuel 24:18-24 1
Chronicles 21:18-27), which later became the site of the Temple (2 Chronicles 3...
Grain-floor (27 Occurrences)
... enough; do no more. Now the angel of the Lord was by the grain-floor ofOrnan
the Jebusite. (BBE). 1 Chronicles 21:18 Then the angel...
Threshing-floor (36 Occurrences)
... David built an altar onOrnan's (Araunah's) threshing-floor (2 Samuel 24:18-24 1
Chronicles 21:18-27), which later became the site of the Temple (2 Chronicles 3...
Jeb'usite (8 Occurrences)
... evil, and said to the destroying angel: 'It is enough; now stay thy hand.' And the
angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing-floor ofOrnan the Jebusite....
Threshing (57 Occurrences)
... The angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor ofOrnan the Jebusite.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV).... NowOrnan was threshing wheat....
Floor (69 Occurrences)
... hand. The angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor ofOrnan the
Jebusite. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Jebusite (39 Occurrences)
... His name is non-Sem, and the various spellings of it (compare 1 Chronicles 21:15,
"Ornan") indicate that the Hebrew writers had some difficulty in pronouncing...
Wheat (56 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 21:20Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons who
were with him hid themselves. NowOrnan was threshing wheat....
Resources
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