Words Around "ORNAN" in the English Dictionary and the OT Hebrew Lexicon

"Ornan" in the Hebrew Lexicon

The Hebrew word for Ornan is ARNN (#771). Matching the idea of being humbled to the dust, the next two words (772 ARU, and 773 ARUYTh) mean: "(1) earth, (2) ground, below, inferior;" and "the lowest (part), bottom." A few words prior are: ARM (758), which means "to be high, to swell up, to exalt oneself;" and ARN (766), which means "a very lofty tree, of the wood of which idols were carved;" matching the idea of the implied boasting associated with numbering the people. The Hebrew word for threshing floor (1637 GRN) is defined as "a level place, pr. a place levelled, made smooth." ["The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain." (Isa. 40:4.) This was a key scripture quoted by John the Baptist (Luke 3:5).] Ornan (ARNN #771) means "strong,"⁽⁶⁾ which is fitting considering that Christ said, "My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27.)

"Ornan" in the English Dictionary

It was at the memorialized site of this threshing floor on mount Moriah that Solomon built his temple. (2 Chron. 3:1.) After the temple was complete, during the dedication of the temple, "when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the...offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house." (2 Chron. 7:1.) The words surrounding Ornan in the English language seem to cast sentiments on the whole process of man's desire to create elaborate buildings in which to worship their God. The words before Ornan have the root, ornament...: "(See ornate) (2)(a) That which is added to embellish or adorn; that which adds grace or beauty; and embellishment; a decoration. Ornament, as in architecture, is often distinguished as structural when it is an integral part of what it adorns; or as applied when executed on the surface of something structrually complete without it." The words following Ornan have the root related to ornate: "(See ordain) (1) Decorated; now, adorned elaborately, esp. in excess; (2) Of a style of composition, marked by elaborate rhetoric; (3) Having a characteristic ornamentation; -- said espially of ticks." The word ordain, referred to above, is tightly linked to the word "establish" [see {} section]. The only sure foundation upon which we might establish ourselves is Christ -- that must ever remain the focus. The buildings and their locations are to point us to him, not to be seen as an end themselves for worship. A word before ornament is ormolu: "(1) Originally a preparation of ground gold for gilding; (2) A variety of brass made to imitate gold in appearance;" and ormolu varnish: "A varnish used to give the appearance of gold." How often have the original intentions of God's revelations to man been altered by man so as to turn them upside-down, while still maintaining the appearance of piety? The word prior to ormolu is ormer: "An ear shell;" and the word prior to that is Ormazd: "The supreme diety, the principle of good, creator of the world, and guarian of mankind." Is that not the purpose of these edifices: to direct our attention to God so that we might come into communion with Him? Is it possible that the buildings themselves have no inherent power? Stephen said: "Solomon built [the Lord] an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as saith the prophet [Isaiah], Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?." (Acts 7:47-49; Isa. 66:1.) Isaiah's words continue, "But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." (Isa. 66:2.) Stephen then comments, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." (Acts 7:51.) It was at about this point that the Jews "were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God." (Acts 7:54,55.) This was not without its impact on Saul, at whose feet the garments of the witnesses of Stephen's stoning were cast. He too, later, would express the same sentiments on Mars' hill:

"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts 17:24-28.)

The word after the forms of "ornat...," which follows Ornan, is ornery: "Of bad disposition; hard to manage" -- a temperament inherently opposed to the meekness and charity that should characterize the saints of God. The next grouping of words have the prefix orni..., which comes from the Greek, meaning, "bird." Our sought-after treasure is "that the Holy Ghost should be given" (3 Ne. 19:9), which is represented by the dove, spoken of above. The word after the words with the orni... prefix is oro: "I. Gold; II. god; III. mountain." ["I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." (1 Nephi 18:3.)] The most significant thing about this bedrock of Ornan's threshing floor is not that the temple was built there and the Mosaic sacrifices offered there. Rather, on this same rock outcropping, at a site just a few hundred feet north, is Golgotha, where the most significant sacrifice was made, and from which the greatest victory emerged. It is there that we must look, that we might live.

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6. Strong's, p. 17.

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