1 Chronicles 21:24
And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
1 Chronicles 21:24 (KJV)
Context
King David speaks these words to Ornan, a Jebusite who owned a threshing floor. The setting is serious. David had ordered a census of Israel against God’s will, and God sent a deadly plague on the nation (1 Chronicles 21:1, 7). After David repented and pleaded for mercy, the angel of the Lord stood at Ornan’s threshing floor. God told David to build an altar there and offer sacrifices to stop the plague. This was not a small request. The future of the people depended on David’s obedience.
Meaning
Ornan generously offered to give David the threshing floor and the oxen for the offering. He also offered the threshing instruments and the wheat for a grain offering, as the fuller account shows. David refused. He insisted on paying the full price. His words show a deep conviction: he would not offer to the Lord something that cost him nothing. For David, worship was not a casual gesture. It required personal sacrifice and sincerity. He would not take what belonged to another and present it as his own offering. David understood that a gift given from someone else’s resources was not truly his gift. He wanted his worship to be genuine, not borrowed or convenient.
Biblical connections
The parallel account in 2 Samuel 24:24 records the same principle: David would not offer burnt offerings to the Lord that cost him nothing. This threshing floor later became the site of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). So David’s purchase was not just a personal act; it prepared a place for the future worship of Israel. His insistence on paying the full price shows that true repentance and worship are never cheap. The location itself carries lasting meaning. What David bought with his own resources became the foundation for generations of worship. This reminds us that our sacrifices today can bless those who come after us.
Application
This verse challenges how we approach God. Do we give Him what costs us something, or only what is convenient? David’s example teaches us to offer our best, not leftovers. This applies to our time, money, talents, and hearts. We should not serve God only when it is easy or when others provide the means. Genuine worship involves personal investment and a willing heart. Consider these areas:
Time: Do we give God our best hours or only what remains?
Money: Do we give generously and sacrificially, or only when it does not hurt?
Talents: Do we use our abilities for God even when it costs us effort or recognition?
David refused to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing. His example calls us to examine our own giving. When we give to God, it should be from what is truly ours, not from what we have received without effort or cost.
Reflection
Consider your own worship. Is there an area where you have been offering God something that costs you nothing? David understood that a sacrifice without cost was not a true sacrifice. He wanted to honor God fully, even when it meant paying a high price. May we learn from his example and give to the Lord from what is truly ours, with sincerity and devotion. Let us ask God to show us where we have held back, and to give us the courage to offer Him our best, even when it is costly.
