Who is…
Araunah
Hebrew: ארונה or אֲרַוְנָה —transliteration: Araunah or Aravnah
Meaning: agile
also known as: Ornan and Araniah (2 Samuel 24:18) and Haavarnah, or The Avarnah (2 Samuel 24:16)
This was the name of Jebusite man, also called Ornan (1 Chronicles 21:15), who lived in the city of Jebus (later called Jerusalem) before it was taken by the Israelites.
A destroying angel, sent to punish David for his vanity in taking a census of the people, was withheld from his destruction near a threshing-floor belonging to Araunah which was on Mount Moriah.
Araunah offered it to David as a free gift (donation), together with the oxen and the threshing equipment; but the king insisted on purchasing it at its full price (2 Samuel 24:24; 1 Chronicles 21:24-25), for, according to the law of sacrifices, he could not offer to God what cost him nothing.
The price was either 50 shekels of silver (2 Samuel 24:24) or 600 shekels of gold (1 Chronicles 21:25), or possibly David gave him both—as he bought both the threshing floor with equipment and oxen, and the surrounding land.
At this same place, Solomon later erected the temple (2 Samuel 24:16; 2 Chronicles 3:1).
More information
- What is JEBUS? Answer
- What are JEBUSITES? Answer
- What is ZION? Answer
- What is JERUSALEM? and
- What is a DESTROYING ANGEL? Answer
- Who is the PROPHET GAD? Answer