18 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 Araunah the Jebusite. |
19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD . |
20 While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. |
21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground. |
22 David said to him, "Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the LORD , that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price." |
23 Araunah said to David, "Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this." |
24 But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." |
25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels3 21:25 That is, about 15 pounds (about 7 kilograms) of gold for the site. |
26 David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.4 21:26 Traditionally peace offerings He called on the LORD , and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. |
27 Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. |
28 At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. |
29 The tabernacle of the LORD , which Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. |
30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD . |
