Bible Questions & Answers Archive 

 What Did David Pay for the Threshingfloor?
By Dr. Max D. Younce
0015

 Question 

In I Chronicles 21:25, King David paid 600 shekels of gold for the threshingfloor, but in II Samuel 24:24 the Bible says he paid 50 shekels of silver for it. Please help me out.

 Answer 

There is no contradiction if you read the accounts carefully. In II Samuel 24, David had sinned when he sent Joab to count the number of soldiers on active duty and ready to fight (v.9). God sent a plague and killed 70,000 men (v.15). David was told to make an altar to the Lord in the threshingfloor nearby. David bought the threshingfloor ONLY for 50 shekels of silver. (v.24)

In I Chronicles 21:22, David bought the WHOLE FIELD where the threshingfloor was located. "Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the PLACE (the whole field) of the threshingfloor that I may build an altar unto the Lord." "So David gave to Ornan for the PLACE (whole field) six hundred shekels of gold by weight." (I Chronicles 21:25)

The threshingfloor was bought for 50 shekels of silver and the whole field for 600 shekels of gold. No contradiction!