ORNAN, or Araunah, or Araniah, a Jebusite, to whom belonged the Soil or Area, upon which Solomon built the Temple of Jerusalem. While the Lord was provoked against David, who had taken the Number of the People, this Prince perceived the Angel of the Lord standing over the Floor of Ornan, holding in his Hand a naked Sword, and threatning Jerusalem. Then David and all that were with him fell upon their Faces; and the Angel of the Lord bid the Prophet Gad to give Notice to the King, that he should transport himself to the Floor of Ornan, and there erect an Altar, and sacrifice to the Lord. David presently obey’d; and Ornan, who was then threshing Corn in his Floor with his four Sons, perceiving the Angel, was seised with Fear and hid himself. After which Ornan seeing the King come towards him, he went to meet him, and prostrated himself before him. David said to him, ” Let me have the Place of your ” Threshing-Floor, that I may there build ” an Altar to the Lord, that he may cease ” to smite the People. Ornan reply’d, that the King might dispose as he pleased of his1 Threshing-floor, and that he would also furnish Oxen for a Burnt-sacrifice, Wood for the Fire, and Corn for the Offering that was to accompany the Sacrifice. But David answered him, that he did not intend to receive any thing gratis, but that he would pay him the full Value of his Floor. He therefore gave him six hundred Shekels of Gold for the Ground. In the second Book of Samuel it is said, that 2 Sam. xxiv. 24.David bought the Oxen and the Floor of Ornan for the Sum of fifty Shekels of Silver. This may be reconciled by supposing that at first he only bought the Floor and the Oxen, for which he gave fifty Shekels of Silver; but that afterwards having bought the whole Inheritance of Ornan, he added six hundred Shekels of Gold more to the Price. It may be seen under the Article ARAUNAH, which is the same as Ornan, what we have already said concerning him. Josephus calls him Orphona, Antiq. l. vii. c. 3.
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Footnotes
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King. Joseph. Antiq. l. vii. c. 3. p. 218. In the Year of the World 2956, before Christ 1044, before the Vulgar Æra 1048. 1 Macc. xv. 25.—37. In Aristot. Hist. Anim. l. i. Vide Plin. l. 8. c. 53. & l. xi. c. 46. Juvenal. Sat. II. Isai. li. 20. תואor ↩