This verse shows how genuine confession leads to restorative action.
“So Gad came to David that day and said to him, ‘Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’” (2 Samuel 24:18)
This verse takes place toward the end of King David’s reign over Israel, around 970 BC. David had sinned by taking a census of the people, an act God did not authorize. As a result, a plague swept across the land, and in David’s heartfelt repentance he confessed his wrong to the Lord. Here, the prophet Gad, who served as God’s messenger, instructs David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Threshing floors were typically high, open areas where wind could separate the wheat from the chaff, and Araunah’s threshing floor was situated at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem (later identified with the Temple Mount in 2 Chronicles 3:1). Such a location with a panoramic view served both as an ideal threshing site and, in this instance, a sacred space to display David’s submission and worship to the LORD.
By instructing David to “Go up, erect an altar,” Gad conveyed God’s desire for atonement and genuine obedience rather than empty words. In ancient Israelite society, building an altar was an act of approaching the Lord on His terms—offering sacrifices as a confession of sin and an outward symbol of repentance. David’s response demonstrated humility. Despite his high station as Israel’s second king, he prepared to acquire Araunah’s threshing floor to build the altar. Ancient records place King David’s life from about 1010-970 BC; he followed Saul as king and preceded Solomon. David’s submission here stands in contrast to any pride that the census might have implied, showing that true repentance requires tangible, cost-bearing acts of obedience.
The threshing floor of Araunah would later become the site where the Temple would be built by David’s son, Solomon, establishing this spot as a permanent place of worship for Israel. This event also foreshadows Jesus’ role in providing an ultimate sacrifice for sin, where a single offering would cover the transgressions of humanity (Hebrews 10:10). The invitation to “Go up” into God’s presence reflects God’s constant desire for fellowship, showing how even deep sin can be remedied by repentance and proper worship.
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2 Samuel 24:18 meaning
“So Gad came to David that day and said to him, ‘Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’” (2 Samuel 24:18)
This verse takes place toward the end of King David’s reign over Israel, around 970 BC. David had sinned by taking a census of the people, an act God did not authorize. As a result, a plague swept across the land, and in David’s heartfelt repentance he confessed his wrong to the Lord. Here, the prophet Gad, who served as God’s messenger, instructs David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Threshing floors were typically high, open areas where wind could separate the wheat from the chaff, and Araunah’s threshing floor was situated at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem (later identified with the Temple Mount in 2 Chronicles 3:1). Such a location with a panoramic view served both as an ideal threshing site and, in this instance, a sacred space to display David’s submission and worship to the LORD.
By instructing David to “Go up, erect an altar,” Gad conveyed God’s desire for atonement and genuine obedience rather than empty words. In ancient Israelite society, building an altar was an act of approaching the Lord on His terms—offering sacrifices as a confession of sin and an outward symbol of repentance. David’s response demonstrated humility. Despite his high station as Israel’s second king, he prepared to acquire Araunah’s threshing floor to build the altar. Ancient records place King David’s life from about 1010-970 BC; he followed Saul as king and preceded Solomon. David’s submission here stands in contrast to any pride that the census might have implied, showing that true repentance requires tangible, cost-bearing acts of obedience.
The threshing floor of Araunah would later become the site where the Temple would be built by David’s son, Solomon, establishing this spot as a permanent place of worship for Israel. This event also foreshadows Jesus’ role in providing an ultimate sacrifice for sin, where a single offering would cover the transgressions of humanity (Hebrews 10:10). The invitation to “Go up” into God’s presence reflects God’s constant desire for fellowship, showing how even deep sin can be remedied by repentance and proper worship.