So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
1 CHRONICLES 21:25KJVWhat does 1 Chronicles 21:25 mean?
1 Chronicles 21:25 describes how King David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold, measured by weight, to buy a specific piece of land. This verse highlights the exact price David gave for the site, making it clear that the transaction was both significant and official.
In this scene, David is speaking to Ornan (also known as Araunah), a Jebusite who owned the threshing floor David wanted. The situation follows a plague on Israel, and David is instructed to build an altar to God on this land. The verse emphasizes the full, fair payment David made, showing his respect for both Ornan and the importance of the place.
The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 21:25
- שֶׁקֶל (sheqel): This word means "shekel," a standard unit of weight for precious metals in ancient Israel. Mentioning shekels by weight underlines the transaction's precision and fairness.
- זָהָב (zahav): This word means "gold." The use of gold instead of silver or another metal points to the high value David placed on the land.
- מִשְׁקָל (mishqal): This word means "weight." Specifying that the gold was measured by weight stresses that there was no estimation or shortcut; it was a careful, exact payment.
Why 1 Chronicles 21:25 matters
- This verse clears up any idea that David took the land by force or received it as a gift; he insisted on paying the full price, which shows integrity and respect.
- The amount paid—six hundred shekels of gold—signals the importance of the site, which later becomes the location for Solomon’s temple, a central place in Israel’s worship.
- By recording the details of the transaction, the verse connects to the wider theme of rightful ownership and the seriousness of making offerings to God in the right way.