I was rather perplexed when I first noticed the discrepancy. It took quite a bit of detective work to iron it out. I find Bible commentaries to be such a rich resource.
Aah, yes, i should gravitate towards those....for the most part, J Vernon McGee is who i listen to re: the Old Testament...he's no longer with us, but he has left a blessed legacy
Hey Brenda.
I am rather partial to "biblehub" and use it whenever I look up a verse.
It also has numerous Bible commentaries [Pulpit Commentary being a favorite of mine] along with cross references. It also has a multitude of different Bible versions.
I recommend it.
http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/24-24.htm
Cross References
1 Chronicles 21:
24 But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing."
25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 24, 25. - David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. In
1 Chronicles 21:25, "So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight." There is a superficial, but no real discrepancy between these two narratives. David gave the fifty shekels for the immediate use of the place, and for the oxen and implements. He had no idea at the time of permanently occupying it, and probably the note in the LXX., interpolated by scribes from the margin into the text, is true, "And Solomon added to the altar afterwards, for it was small at the first."
It was a small altar hurriedly put together for the purpose of offering one sacrifice; and fifty shekels would be full compensation. But the sacrifice had hallowed the spot, and, when finally it was selected as the site for the temple, David bought the whole area and all that Araunah possessed there. Fifty shekels of silver would be about £9; six hundred shekels of gold would be about £1500; so that there is no comparison between the two sums.
But the precious metals were worth very much more in David's time than in ours, so that the smaller sum was adequate compensation for David's first acquisition, while the larger implies the purchase of an extensive and valuable estate. Substantially the fuller narrative in Chronicles agrees with this. David refuses to sacrifice of that which cost him nothing, and must therefore have at once paid for what he took. But When God accepted his offering, and answered him by fire from heaven, then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel."
And as the Chronicler has in view throughout the selection of the site for the temple, he naturally mentions its full cost. In the Book of Samuel this purpose is not expressly mentioned, and the narrative closes with the forgiveness of the sin both of David and his people. Jehovah was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed. But this sudden smiting down of so large a host humbled both king and people, and their eagerness for war and their lust of empire ceased. ? DEO GLORIA.
2 Samuel 24:24 Additional Commentaries
EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)....................................................................EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
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