2 Samuel 24:21 nasb — Then Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from you…

NASB

"Then Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people.""

— 2 Samuel 24:21, NASB

Read in Another Translation

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2 Samuel 24:21 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.”

  • ASV

    “And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar unto Jehovah, that the plague may be stayed from the people. ”

  • WEB

    “Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David said, "To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people."”

  • NET

    “Araunah said,“Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied,“To buy from you the threshing floor so I can build an altar for the LORD, so that the plague may be removed from the people.””

  • DRB

    “And going out he worshipped the king, bowing with his face to the earth, and said: Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said to him: To buy the thrashingfloor of thee, and build an altar to the Lord, that the plague, which rageth among the people, may cease.”

  • BBE

    “And Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To give you a price for your grain-floor, so that I may put up an altar to the Lord, and the disease may be stopped among the people.”

  • KJVA

    “And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.”

2 Samuel 24 — Context

18

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."

19

David went up according to the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded.

20

Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him; and Araunah went out and bowed his face to the ground before the king.

21

Then Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people."

22

Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.

23

"Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king." And Araunah said to the king, "May the LORD your God accept you."

24

However, the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2 Samuel 24:21 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 24:21 say?
2 Samuel 24:21 in the NASB reads: “Then Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people."”
Where is 2 Samuel 24:21 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 24:21 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 24, verse 21.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 24:21.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 24:21 in?
2 Samuel 24:21 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 24:21?
2 Samuel 24:21 reads (NASB): “Then Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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