David's Threshing Floor and the 50 Versus 600 Shekels Riddle

"And David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver" (II Samuel 24:24). Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: One verse says, "And David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver," and another verse says, "And David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight" (I Chronicles 21:25). Rather, say from now on: fifty shekels from each and every tribe — behold, six hundred shekels. Rabbi says in the name of Abba Yose ben Derosai: One verse says, "And David bought the threshing floor," and another verse says, "And David gave to Ornan for the place," and so on. Rather, the place of the altar was for fifty, and the place of the threshing floor was for six hundred shekels. Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said: I did not hear it from the mouth of my father; my colleague Shimon heard it from the mouth of his father — "And David gave to Ornan," and so on — but the oxen for a burnt offering, and the threshing sledges and the implements of the oxen for wood, for fifty shekels of silver.