And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
Araunah asked, 'Why has my lord the king come to visit his servant?' David replied, 'I want to buy your threshing floor from you so I can build an altar to the LORD, so that this plague will stop affecting the people.'
David is asking to purchase Araunah's threshing floor so he can build an altar to God and stop a plague that's hurting his people.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Samuel 24, King David had sinned by ordering a census of Israel, which was seen as an act of pride and distrust in God's provision, leading to a devastating plague sent by God as judgment. To atone for this sin and stop the plague, David was instructed by the prophet Gad to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah, a Jebusite owner of the land. When David approached Araunah to purchase the site, it highlighted the cultural practice of making personal sacrifices to seek God's mercy, emphasizing that true repentance involves giving from one's own resources.
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