And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
But King David said to Ornan, 'No, I will definitely buy it from you at the full price. I won't take what belongs to you to give to the LORD, and I won't offer sacrifices that cost me nothing.'
David insists on paying full price for the land because he believes offerings to God should cost something and come from genuine sacrifice, not be free gifts from others.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, King David had sinned by ordering a census of Israel, which was seen as a lack of faith and led to a devastating plague sent by God. To halt the plague, David was instructed by the prophet Gad to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan, a Jebusite resident of Jerusalem. David refused to take the land for free, emphasizing that true offerings to God must come at a personal cost, reflecting the cultural value in ancient Israel of sincere and sacrificial worship.
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