David And Araunah. Bible Stories In Simple English

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David And Araunah
Edited and Adapted From Antique Book in His Library
© By James Dearmore, July, 1999

AFTER David had reigned many years, he numbered the people of Israel. This was wrong; and God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy thousand men. David was grieved, and prayed that God would punish him and spare the people. God stayed the hand of the destroying angel; who stood by the threshing-floor of Araunah, whither David was told to go and offer sacrifice. David went. He purchased the threshing floor of Araunah, also oxen and wood, and offered a burnt sacrifice to God. The following verses describe the scene:

BESIDE Araunah's threshing-place
The awful angel took his stand,
When from high heaven came words of grace
It is enough ; stay now thine band."

For David's penitential prayer
Had enter'd God's compassionate ear;
Arid where the angel stood, even there
God bade the King an altar rear.

Araunah offered ground, and wood,
And oxen for the sacrifice:
David the noble wish withstood,
And bought them all at the full price.

His answer has a royal ring;
Its lesson high shall not be lost:
Burnt offerings I will never bring
Unto Jehovah without cost."

The altar rose, the victims died,
The plague was stayed, and lo, there fell
Token that Heaven was satisfied
A fire from God, and all was well.

'Twas like a finger from the skies
That falling fire---- to show God's will,
That here the Temple should arise
And crown Moriah's sacred hill.

And still God marks the faithful prayer,
The careful work, the costly pains;
The Spirit's fire descendeth there,
And there, as in a shrine, remains.
---Poem by Richard Wilton, M. A.

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