The narrative notes that the tabernacle of the Lord and the altar of burnt offering were at the high place of Gibeon at this time, but David could not go there to inquire of God because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord. David's fear of the destroying angel and his inability to access the established center of worship at Gibeon necessitate the creation of an alternative site for worship and sacrifice. The presence of the tabernacle at Gibeon indicates that the central sanctuary of Israel was not yet permanently located in Jerusalem, suggesting that David's establishment of the threshing floor as a worship site represents a significant shift in religious geography. The restraint that David feels in approaching the established sanctuary because of the angel's presence emphasizes the psychological reality of the divine judgment and its lingering effects. This moment suggests that the plague and the angel's manifestation have created a spiritual barrier between David and the established forms of worship, making the new site at the threshing floor necessary for his reconciliation.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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