Why would Ornan keep threshing wheat when an angel stood above him? When David showed up, Ornan bowed to the King? Why did he not turn a hair when the angel came? (1 Chronicles 21:20)
1 Chronicles 21:20 describes Ornan (also called Araunah) as threshing wheat when he saw the angel-. While his sons hid in fear, Ornan himself continued working until David arrived, at which point he bowed before the king.
Why Didn’t Ornan React to the Angel? The four points below give an idea as to what the reason was. In reality we don’t really know for certain.
1. Shock or Acceptance – Some scholars suggest Ornan may have been stunned or resigned to the angel’s presence. He continuing his work as a form of acceptance rather than panic.
2. Different Reactions to Divine Presence – His sons hid in fear, but Ornan may have had a different understanding of the angel’s purpose, possibly seeing it as God’s will unfolding.
3. Focus on His Work – Threshing wheat was a critical task and Ornan may have instinctively continued, despite the supernatural event.
4. Greater Reverence for David – When David arrived, Ornan bowed immediately, recognizing the earthly authority of Israel’s king. This suggests he may have had a stronger cultural response to human leadership than to angelic presence.
Some interpretations suggest Ornan’s reaction reflects steadfastness or spiritual awareness, while others see it as shock or disbelief. While there are a number of web pages on the topic, I’ve kept this work brief and suggest you delve deeper for greater clarity on the matter.
This is just a brief overview. So much is written on the topic that I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here.
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