Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Agile; also called Ornan 1 Chr. 21:15, a Jebusite who dwelt in Jerusalem before it was taken by the Israelites. The destroying angel, sent to punish David for his vanity in taking a census of the people, was stayed in his work of destruction near a threshing-floor belonging to Araunah which was situated on Mount Moriah. Araunah offered it to David as a free gift, together with the oxen and the threshing instruments; but the king insisted on purchasing it at its full price (2 Sam. 24:24; 1 Chr. 21:24, 25), for, according to the law of sacrifices, he could not offer to God what cost him nothing.
On the same place Solomon afterwards erected the temple (2 Sam. 24:16; 2 Chr. 3:1).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(ark), a Jebusite who sold his threshing floor on Mount Moriah to David as a site for an altar to Jehovah, together with his oxen.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
ARAU'NAH (ark; a large ash or pine), or OR'NAN, was a Jebusite who lived at Jerusalem and owned a threshing-place or floor, where the temple was afterward built. 2 Sam 24:16. David bought it of him because the destroying angel sent to desolate the nation, in consequence of David's sin of numbering the people, stayed his hand at the command of God just as he had reached the floor. Araunah refused at first to receive anything for it, but offered it to him, together with oxen for sacrifices, and the timber of the threshing-instruments for fuel.
David refused to receive them as a gift, as he would not offer to the Lord that which had cost him nothing. He therefore bought the oxen for fifty shekels of silver, 2 Sam 24:24, and the whole place for six hundred shekels of gold, 1 Chr 21:25, and offered his sacrifices, which were accepted and the plague stayed. " But taking the Authorized Version translation as it stands, it favors the view of some that the expression "Araunah the king" implies that he was one of the kings of the Jebusites.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
ark; song; joyful cry