Text -- 1 Chronicles 28:1-20 (NET)

David Commissions Solomon to Build the Temple

28:1 David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them. 28:2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord’s covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God. I have made the preparations for building it. 28:3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’ 28:4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel. 28:5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel. 28:6 He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father. 28:7 I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.’ 28:8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord’s assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this: Carefully observe all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you. 28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. 28:10 Realize now that the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!” 28:11 David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. 28:12 He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the Lord’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items. 28:13 He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the Lord’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the Lord’s temple. 28:14 He gave him the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the Lord’s temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service, 28:15 for the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, for the silver lampstands, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 28:16 for the gold used in the display tables, including the amount to be used in each table, for the silver to be used in the silver tables, 28:17 for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls, and jars, for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including the weight for each bowl, 28:18 and for the refined gold of the incense altar. He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the Lord’s covenant. 28:19 David said, “All of this I put in writing as the Lord directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints.” 28:20 David said to his son Solomon: “Be strong and brave! Do it! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! For the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you or abandon you before all the work for the service of the Lord’s temple is finished.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 1Ch 28:1

_A great deal of business David had done in his day. And the nearer he comes to his end, the more busy he is, still endeavouring to do his work with all his might. He is now recovered from the weakness mentioned 1Ki 1:1. He therefore improves his recovery, as giving him an opportunity of doing God and his country a little more service.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:2

Out of reverence to God and respect to this great and honourable assembly.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:2

So he calls the princes and chief rulers, both because they had a share with him, though under him in the government; and in compliance with the Divine command, that the king should not be lifted up above his brethren; Deu 17:20.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:2

A place where it might be fixed, and no more removed from place to place, as it had been.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:2

stool - An house for the ark is here styled an house for the foot - stool of our God.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:2

stool. So much difference is there between the manifestations of his glory, in the upper and in the lower world!

Wesley: 1Ch 28:6

_So was he a figure of him that was to come, who is both the founder and the foundation of the gospel - temple.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:7

As he hath begun. This promise is absolute with regard to the Messiah, but conditional, with regard to Solomon. If we are constant in our duty, then and not otherwise, we may expect the continuance of his favour.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:8

I exhort and charge you every one, calling God who is here present, and this congregation wherein all Israel are present by their representatives, or witness against you, if you do not follow my counsel.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:8

Keep those commands which you know, and seek for, or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may distinctly understand the whole will of God, and seriously give yourselves to the practice of it. God's commandments cannot be kept without great care.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:9

So as to love and serve him.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:9

use commonly imply affection and practice. Or, acknowledge him, as thy God, by loving and obeying him.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:9

If thou dost only put on a profession of religion to please me, or if thy obedience to God be unsincere, thou mayest indeed deceive me, but thou canst not deceive him, for he searcheth the motions of thy heart.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:9

Notwithstanding all his promises to me and to my seed, and that great honour and favour which he hath shewed thee.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:10

For the ark to dwell in.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:10

Take courage to break through all difficulties. Without this, we can do no work of God as we ought.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:11

Of the temple.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:11

The houses of the temple, namely, the holy place, and the holy of holies.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:11

Those rooms which were made against the wall of the house round about, 1Ki 6:5.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:11

In what particular part of the holy of holies it was to be placed.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:12

All the particulars of the tabernacle built by Moses were suggested to him by God's spirit, and it is not credible that God would use less care and exactness in the building of this far more glorious and durable work. All this, it seems, was given him in writing, probably by the ministry of an angel. The temple was to be a sacred thing, a type of Christ, of his church, and of heaven. Therefore it was not to be contrived by man's invention, but to be framed by divine institution. So Christ, the true temple, the church, the gospel - temple, and heaven, the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine counsels, and the plan laid before the world began. It is supposed, the tabernacle of Moses, with all its utensils, being wanted no more, was laid up here.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:15

_Whether they were fixed in one place, whereof there were ten in the holy place, or to be carried from place to place.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:16

There were divers tables to be used about the shew - bread; but one of them seems to have been of more eminency than the rest, and therefore it is commonly called the table of the shew - bread in the singular number.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:18

Purer than any of the rest. For that was typical of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing can be more pure and perfect.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:18

Which Solomon was to make, (for those which were fastened to the mercy - seat were made by Moses long before) which he fitly compares to a chariot, because within them God is said to sit and to dwell. And because a chariot is made to carry a person from place to place, this expression may be used to intimate that God was not so fixed to them by the building of this temple, but that he would remove from them if they forsook him.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:18

Not above it, for that was done by Moses's cherubim, but before it, to keep it from the eyes of the high-priest, when he entered into the most holy place.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:19

God revealed this to some man of God, who put it into writing, and by him to David. Or, God did, as it were, by his own hand, (where - with he wrote the Ten Commandments) write these things upon the table of his mind.

Wesley: 1Ch 28:20

Whom I have chosen and served, who has all along been with me and prospered me, I recommend thee to him; he will be with thee, to strengthen, direct and prosper thee. The God that owned our fathers, and carried them thro' the services of their day, will, in like manner, if we are faithful to him, go along with us in our day, and will never fail us. God never leaves any, unless they first leave him.

JFB: 1Ch 28:1

That is, the representatives of the people, the leading men of the kingdom, who are enumerated in this verse according to their respective rank or degree of authority.

JFB: 1Ch 28:1

(1Ch 27:16-22). Those patriarchal chiefs are mentioned first as being the highest in rank--a sort of hereditary noblesse.

JFB: 1Ch 28:1

The twelve generals mentioned (1Ch 27:1-15).

JFB: 1Ch 28:1

(1Ch 27:25-31).

JFB: 1Ch 28:1

Hebrew, "eunuchs," or attendants on the court (1Sa 8:15; 1Ki 22:9; 2Ki 22:18); and besides Joab, the commander-in-chief of the army, the heroes who had no particular office (1Ch. 11:10-12:40; 2Sa. 23:8-39). This assembly, a very mixed and general one, as appears from the parties invited, was more numerous and entirely different from that mentioned (1Ch 23:2).

JFB: 1Ch 28:2

This was the style of address becoming a constitutional king of Israel (Deu 17:20; 1Sa 30:23; 2Sa 5:1).

JFB: 1Ch 28:2

I proposed, or designed.

JFB: 1Ch 28:2

A solid and permanent temple.

JFB: 1Ch 28:2

God seated between the cherubim, at the two extremities of the ark, might be said to be enthroned in His glory, and the coverlet of the ark to be His footstool.

JFB: 1Ch 28:2

The immense treasures which David had amassed and the elaborate preparations he had made, would have been amply sufficient for the erection of the temple of which he presented the model to Solomon.

JFB: 1Ch 28:3

The church or spiritual state of the world, of which the temple at Jerusalem was to be a type, would be presided over by One who was to be pre-eminently the Prince of Peace, and therefore would be represented not so fitly by David, whose mission had been a preparatory one of battle and conquest, as by his son, who should reign in unbroken peace.

JFB: 1Ch 28:4-5

The spirit of David's statement is this:--It was not my ambition, my valor, or my merit that led to the enthronement of myself and family; it was the grace of God which chose the tribe, the family, the person--myself in the first instance, and now Solomon, to whom, as the Lord's anointed, you are all bound to submit. Like that of Christ, of whom he was a type, the appointment of Solomon to the kingdom above all his brethren was frequently pre-intimated (1Ch 17:12; 1Ch 22:9; 2Sa 7:12-14; 2Sa 12:24-25; 1Ki 1:13).

JFB: 1Ch 28:7

The same condition is set before Solomon by God (1Ki 3:14; 1Ki 9:4).

JFB: 1Ch 28:8

This solemn and earnest exhortation to those present, and to all Israel through their representatives, to continue faithful in observing the divine law as essential to their national prosperity and permanence, is similar to that of Moses (Deu 30:15-20).

JFB: 1Ch 28:9-10

The royal speaker now turns to Solomon, and in a most impressive manner presses upon him the importance of sincere and practical piety.

JFB: 1Ch 28:9-10

He did not mean head knowledge, for Solomon possessed that already, but that experimental acquaintance with God which is only to be obtained by loving and serving Him.

JFB: 1Ch 28:11

He now put into the hands of his son and successor the plan or model of the temple, with the elevations, measurements, apartments, and chief articles of furniture, all of which were designed according to the pattern given him by divine revelation (1Ch 28:19).

JFB: 1Ch 28:12

Rather, "with him in spirit"; that is, was floating in his mind.

JFB: 1Ch 28:15-16

Solomon made them all of gold--in this and a few minor particulars departing from the letter of his father's instructions, where he had the means of executing them in a more splendid style. There was only one candlestick and one table in the tabernacle, but ten in the temple.

JFB: 1Ch 28:18-19

The expanded wings of the cherubim formed what was figuratively styled the throne of God, and as they were emblematical of rapid motion, the throne or seat was spoken of as a chariot (Psa 18:10; Psa 99:1). It is quite clear that in all these directions David was not guided by his own taste, or by a desire for taking any existing model of architecture, but solely by a regard to the express revelation of the divine will. In a vision, or trance, the whole edifice, with its appurtenances, had been placed before his eyes so vividly and permanently, that he had been able to take a sketch of them in the models delivered to Solomon.

JFB: 1Ch 28:20

The address begun in 1Ch 28:9 is resumed and concluded in the same strain.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:1

David assembled - This refers to the persons whose names and offices we have seen in the preceding chapter.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:2

David - stood up upon his feet - He was now very old, and chiefly confined to his bed, (see 1Ki 1:47); and while he was addressing his son Solomon, he continued on the bed; but when all the principal nobles of his kingdom came before him he received strength to arise and address them, standing on his feet.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:3

Thou shalt not build a house - See 2Sa 7:6, 2Sa 7:13, and the observations at the end of that chapter.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:4

Over Israel for ever - The government should have no end, provided they continued to walk according to the commandments of God; see 1Ch 28:7. The government, as referring to Christ, is, and will be, without end.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:8

In the audience of our God - "Before the Word of the Lord."- T.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:10

The Lord hath chosen thee - "The Word of the Lord hath chosen thee."- T.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:11

David gave to Solomon - the pattern - He gave him an ichnograph of the building, with elevations, sections, and specifications of every part; and all this he received by inspiration from God himself, (see 1Ch 28:12, 1Ch 28:19), just as Moses had received the plan of the tabernacle

Clarke: 1Ch 28:11

The treasuries thereof - גנזכיו ganzaccaiv . The word גנזך ganzach is not Hebrew, but is supposed to be Persian, the same word being found in Ezr 3:1-13 :19. In this tongue we have the word ganj , a granary, a hidden treasure, and gunjoor , and gunjineh , a treasure, treasury, or barn. Parkhurst supposes that it is compounded of גנז ganaz , to treasure up, and זך zach , pure; a treasury for the most precious things.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:12

All that he had by the Spirit - "By the Spirit of prophecy that was with him."- T.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:14

Of gold by weight - The quantity of gold which was to be put in each article.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:15

For the candlesticks - There was but one chandelier in the tabernacle; there were ten in the temple. See 1Ki 7:49.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:18

The chariot of the cherubims - "And the figure of the chariot, like to the figure of the propitiatory, where are the figures of the golden cherubim, extending their wings and covering the ark of the covenant of the Lord."- T.

Clarke: 1Ch 28:19

Understand in writing - In some vision of ecstasy he had seen a regularly sketched out plan, which had made so deep an impression on his mind that he could readily describe it to his son

"That the architecture of the temple,"says Dr. Delaney, "was of Divine origin, I, for my part, am fully satisfied from this passage, and am confirmed in this opinion by finding from Vilalpandas that the Roman, at least the Greek, architecture is derived from this, as from its fountain; and in my humble opinion even an infidel may easily believe these to be of Divine original, inasmuch as they are, at least the latter is, found perfect in the earliest models; nor hath the utmost reach of human wisdom, invention, and industry, been ever able to improve it, or alter it but to disadvantage, through the course of so many ages."

Clarke: 1Ch 28:20

The Lord God - my God, will be with thee - "The Word of the Lord my God will be thy assistant."- T.

Defender: 1Ch 28:19

Here is a definite claim by David of receiving inscripturated revelation from God as to the pattern for the future temple."

Defender: 1Ch 28:20

This expression - "be strong and of good courage" - occurs at least eleven times in the Old Testament. It was spoken first by Moses (Deu 31:6) and last by Hezekiah (2Ch 32:7). This is still a good admonition today.

Defender: 1Ch 28:20

Similarly, the promise - "He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" - occurs at least four times in the Old Testament, first at Deu 31:6 and last in this verse. It is quoted in essence in Heb 13:5."

TSK: 1Ch 28:1

assembled : 1Ch 23:2; Jos 23:2, Jos 24:1

the princes : 1Ch 27:16-22

the captains of the companies : 1Ch 27:1-15, 1Ch 27:25

the stewards : 1Ch 27:25-31

substance : or, cattle

and of his sons : or, and his sons, officers. or, eunuchs. 1Ch 27:32-34

the mighty men : 1Chr. 11:10-47

TSK: 1Ch 28:2

stood up : Gen 48:2; 1Ki 1:47

my brethren : 1Ch 11:1-3; Deu 17:15, Deu 17:20; Psa 22:22; Heb 2:11, Heb 2:12

I had in mine heart : 1Ch 17:1, 1Ch 17:2; 2Sa 7:1, 2Sa 7:2; 1Ki 8:17, 1Ki 8:18

rest : 1Ch 6:31; Psa 132:3-8, Psa 132:14

the footstool : Psa 99:5, Psa 132:7; Isa 66:1; Lam 2:1; Act 7:49

had made ready : 1Ch 18:7-11, 1Ch 22:2-5, 1Ch 22:14

TSK: 1Ch 28:3

Thou shalt : 1Ch 17:4, 1Ch 22:8; 2Sa 7:5-13; 1Ki 5:3; 2Ch 6:8, 2Ch 6:9

blood : Heb. bloods

TSK: 1Ch 28:4

chose me : 1Sa 16:6-13; 2Sa 7:8-16; Psa 78:68-72, Psa 89:16-27

chosen Judah : 1Ch 5:2; Gen 49:8-10; Psa 60:7, Psa 108:8; Heb 7:14

the house of Judah : 1Sa 16:1

the house of my father : 1Sa 26:1

among the sons : 1Sa 16:12, 1Sa 16:13; Psa 18:19, Psa 147:10, Psa 147:11

TSK: 1Ch 28:5

all my sons : 1Ch 3:1-9, 1Ch 14:4-7

he hath chosen : 1Ch 22:9, 1Ch 22:10, 1Ch 23:1, 1Ch 29:1

to sit : 1Ch 17:14, 1Ch 29:23; 2Ch 1:8, 2Ch 1:9; Psa 72:1 *title Psa. 72:1-20; Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7

TSK: 1Ch 28:6

he shall : 1Ch 17:11-14, 1Ch 22:9, 1Ch 22:10; 2Sa 7:13, 2Sa 7:14; 2Ch 1:9; Zec 6:12, Zec 6:13; Heb 3:3, Heb 3:6

I have : Heb 4:5

TSK: 1Ch 28:7

Moreover : Psa 89:28-37, Psa 132:12; Dan 2:44

if : 1Ch 22:13; 1Ki 6:12, 1Ki 6:13, 1Ki 9:4, 1Ki 9:5, 1Ki 11:9-13

constant : Heb. strong, 1Ch 28:10; Jos 1:6, Jos 1:7; 1Ki 2:2-4

as at this day : 1Ki 8:61, 1Ki 11:4

TSK: 1Ch 28:8

in the sight : Deu 4:6; Mat 5:14-16; Phi 2:15, Phi 2:16; Heb 12:1, Heb 12:2

in the audience : Deu 4:26, Deu 29:10, Deu 29:15; Act 10:33

keep : Psa 119:4, Psa 119:10, Psa 119:11, Psa 119:27, Psa 119:33, Psa 119:34, Psa 119:44; Pro 2:1-5, Pro 3:1; Isa 34:16; Act 17:11

that ye may : Deu 4:1, Deu 5:32, Deu 5:33, Deu 6:1-3

leave it : Ezr 9:12; Pro 13:22

TSK: 1Ch 28:9

know thou : Deu 4:35; 1Ki 8:43; Psa 9:10; Jer 9:24, Jer 22:16, Jer 24:7, Jer 31:34; Hos 4:1, Hos 4:6; Joh 8:55, Joh 17:3; Act 17:23, Act 17:30; Rom 1:28; 1Co 15:34; 2Co 4:6

the God : Gen 28:13; Exo 3:16, Exo 15:2; 1Ki 3:6; Psa 18:2, Psa 89:26

serve him : 1Ch 29:9, 1Ch 29:17-19; 1Ki 8:61; 2Ki 20:3, 2Ki 22:2; Job 36:11, Job 36:12; Psa 101:2; Joh 1:47, Joh 4:24; Rom 1:29; Heb 12:28

a willing mind : 2Co 8:12, 2Co 9:7; 1Pe 5:2

the Lord : 1Ch 29:17; 1Sa 16:7; 1Ki 8:39; Psa 7:9, Psa 139:2; Pro 17:3; Jer 11:20, Jer 17:10; Jer 20:12; Joh 2:25, Joh 21:17; Act 1:24; Heb 4:13; Rev 2:23

the imaginations : Gen 6:5, Gen 8:21; Deu 31:21; Psa 139:2; Eze 38:10

if thou seek : 2Ch 15:2; Pro 2:1-6; Isa 45:19, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Jer 29:13; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8; Jam 4:8-11

if thou forsake : Deu 31:16, Deu 31:17; 1Ki 9:6-9; Ezr 8:22; Isa 1:28; Heb 10:38, Heb 10:39

TSK: 1Ch 28:10

Take heed now : 1Ch 28:6, 1Ch 22:16-19; 1Ti 4:16

TSK: 1Ch 28:11

David : He gave him an ichnograph of the building, with elevations, sections and specifications of every part; and all this he himself received by inspiration from God himself (1Ch 28:12 and 1Ch 28:19), just as Moses had received the plan of the tabernacle.

the pattern : 1Ch 28:19; Exo 25:40, Exo 26:30, Exo 39:42, Exo 39:43; 2Ch 3:3; Eze 43:10, Eze 43:11; Heb 8:5

the porch : 1Ki 6:3; 2Ch 3:4; Eze 40:8, Eze 40:9, Eze 40:15, Eze 40:48, Eze 40:49

the houses : 1Ki 6:16-20; 2Ch 3:5-10; Eze 41:13-17; Heb 9:2-8

the treasuries : גנזכיו , ganzakkaiv̀ . The word גנזך , ganzach , is supposed to be not Hebrew, but Persian; in which language we have gng , ganj , a granary, a hidden treasure, and rwgng , gunjoor , and hnygng , gunjineh , a treasure, treasury, or barn. It may, however, be a Chaldee form of the Hebrew גנז , genez , (from גנז , genaz , to treasure up); the ך being merely formative, as in דך , dech , אלך , illaich , and other Chaldee words. 1Ch 9:26-29, 1Ch 26:20-27; Luk 21:1

upper chambers : 1Ki 6:5, 1Ki 6:6, 1Ki 6:10; 2Ch 3:9; Neh 10:38, Neh 10:39, Neh 13:5; Jer 35:2; Eze 41:6-11

the place : Exo 25:17-22, Exo 40:20, Exo 40:21; 1Ki 6:19; 2Ch 5:7; Heb 9:5

TSK: 1Ch 28:12

the pattern : Exo 31:2

all : ""By the spirit of prophecy that was with him,""say the Targumist.

that he had by : Heb. that was with him by

the spirit : Exo 25:40; Heb 8:5

the treasuries : 1Ch 26:20, 1Ch 26:26-28; 1Ki 14:26, 1Ki 15:15, 1Ki 15:18; 2Ki 16:8, 2Ki 18:15

TSK: 1Ch 28:13

the courses : 1Chr. 24:1-19, 25:1-31

the vessels : 1Ch 9:29; 1Kings 7:1-51; Ezr 8:25-30, Ezr 8:33

TSK: 1Ch 28:14

of gold : The quantity of gold which was to be put in each article. 1Ch 28:14

TSK: 1Ch 28:15

the candlesticks : Exo 25:31-39; 1Ki 7:19; 2Ch 4:7; Zec 4:2, Zec 4:3, Zec 4:11-14; Rev 1:12, Rev 1:13, Rev 1:20; Rev 2:1

TSK: 1Ch 28:16

tables of showbread : Exo 25:23-30; 1Ki 7:48; 2Ch 4:8, 2Ch 4:19

TSK: 1Ch 28:17

pure gold : 1Sa 2:13, 1Sa 2:14; 2Ch 4:20-22

the bowls : Num 7:13, Num 7:14; 1Ki 7:48-50, 1Ki 10:21

TSK: 1Ch 28:18

the altar : Exo 30:1-10; 1Ki 7:48

the chariot : Exo 25:18-22; 1Sa 4:4; 1Ki 6:23-30; Psa 18:10, Psa 68:17, Psa 80:1, Psa 99:1; Eze 1:15-24, 10:2-22; Heb 9:5

TSK: 1Ch 28:19

the Lord : 1Ch 28:11, 1Ch 28:12; Exo 25:40, Exo 26:30

by his hand upon me : Eze 1:3, Eze 3:14, Eze 3:22

TSK: 1Ch 28:20

Be strong : 1Ch 28:10, 1Ch 22:13; Deu 31:7, Deu 31:8; Jos 1:6-9; 1Co 16:13

fear not : Psa 27:1, Psa 27:2; Isa 41:10, Isa 41:13; Rom 8:31

he will not fail thee : Jos 1:5; Heb 13:5

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 1Ch 28:1

Officer - literally, as in the margin. This is the only occasion in which eunuchs are mentioned in connection with David’ s reign; and it is to be remarked that they occupy, during the earlier period of the Jewish kingdom, a very subordinate position.

Barnes: 1Ch 28:2

My brethren - David retains the modest phrase of a king not born in the purple, but raised from the ranks of the people (see 1Sa 30:23; 2Sa 19:12). No later Jewish monarch would have thus addressed his subjects.

The footstool of our God - David views the ark as God’ s "footstool,"because he was enthroned above it visibly in the Shechinah, or luminous cloud, present from time to time above the mercy seat and between the cherubim (compare the marginal references).

Barnes: 1Ch 28:6

Besides the message sent to David through Nathan, he had a revelation, of which we have only the indirect account given here and in 1Ch 22:8-10 (see the note). He was told that one of his sons should be raised up to fill his throne after him, and should build the temple. In the second revelation it was distinctly declared to him that the son intended was Solomon.

My house and my courts - i. e., the temple and the courts of the temple (see 2Ch 4:9).

Barnes: 1Ch 28:7

If he be constant - The conditional character of the promise made to David, as to the continuance of his posterity on the Jewish throne (marginal reference; 2Sa 7:14), is now clearly declared.

Barnes: 1Ch 28:9

Know thou the God of thy father - " Knowing God,"in the sense of having a religious trust in Him, is an unusual phrase in the earlier Scriptures. It scarcely occurs elsewhere in the historical books. David, however, uses the phrase in his Psalms Psa 36:10; and its occurrence here may be accepted as evidence that the entire speech is recorded in the actual words of the monarch.

Barnes: 1Ch 28:11

Compare 1Ch 28:19. As God had revealed to Moses the pattern of the tabernacle Exo. 26; 27, so He had made known by revelation to David the pattern of the temple and its furniture. This pattern, which consisted of a set of directions in writing, David now handed over to Solomon.

The houses - The "holy place"and the "holy of holies "- called respectively "the house"and the "inner house"1Ki 6:17, 1Ki 6:27, and 2Ch 3:5, 2Ch 3:8 "the greater house"and "the most holy house."

The upper chambers - Compare 2Ch 3:9 note.

The inner parlours - The small rooms of the "lean-to"(1Ki 6:5 note), entered one from another.

Barnes: 1Ch 28:12

The pattern ... - literally, "the pattern of all that was with him in the spirit;"perhaps to be paraphrased, "the form of all that floated before his mind."It seems to be David’ s spirit, not God’ s Spirit, that is here spoken of.

Barnes: 1Ch 28:18

The chariot of the cherubims - The cherubim are themselves the chariot upon which Yahweh rides Psa 18:10; Psa 99:1.

Poole: 1Ch 28:2

David stood up partly out of reverence to God and his word, which was the matter of the following discourse; and partly out of respect to this great and honourable assembly.

My brethren so he calls the princes and chief rulers, both because they had a share with him, though under him in the government; and in compliance with the Divine command, that the king should not be lifted up above his brethren , Deu 17:20 .

An house of rest for the ark a place where it might be fixed, and no more removed from place to place, as it had been.

And for the footstool the word and is here put expositively for by the footstool , &c., he means the ark.

Poole: 1Ch 28:5

It is not my fancy or fond affection, but God’ s express will, that Solomon should be preferred before his elder brethren; and therefore all of you are obliged to submit to him, and accept of him as your king by Divine appointment.

Poole: 1Ch 28:7

As he hath begun and hitherto continued in some good measure to do.

Poole: 1Ch 28:8

In the audience of our God i.e. I do here exhort and charge you every one, calling God who is here present, and this congregation, wherein all Israel are present by their representatives, for witness against you, if you do not follow my counsel.

Keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord keep those commands which you know, and seek for or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may distinctly understand the whole will of God, and all the parts of your duty, and seriously give up yourselves to the practice thereof.

Poole: 1Ch 28:9

Know thou the God know him, so as to love him and serve him, as it follows; for words of knowledge in Scripture use commonly imply affection and practice: or acknowledge him as thy God, by loving and obeying him; for otherwise Solomon did already know God, having doubtless been very well instructed in the knowledge of God’ s nature and law.

The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou dost only put on a profession of religion, to please me and secure thy hopes of the kingdom; or if thy obedience to God be insincere and with grudging; thou mayst indeed deceive me, but thou canst not deceive him, for he searcheth thy inward thoughts, and the motions of thy heart.

If thou forsake him if when I am dead and gone, and thou art perfectly at thy own dispose, thou shalt cast off that religion and fear of God of which thou now makest profession, and shalt continue to do so without true repentance for thine errors.

He will cast thee off for ever notwithstanding all his promises made to me and to my seed, and that great honour and favour which he hath showed to thee, with which possibly thou mayst flatter thyself.

Poole: 1Ch 28:10

For the sanctuary or, for a sanctuary , i. e. which is to be a sanctuary for him, to wit, for the ark to dwell in.

Be strong take courage and resolution to break through all difficulties, troubles, discouragements, or oppositions which thou mayst possibly meet with.

Poole: 1Ch 28:11

The pattern of the porch to wit, of the temple; which is necessarily to be understood.

The houses thereof either,

1. The houses of the porch, so called because they went through the porch into them. Or rather,

2. The houses of the temple, manifestly understood in the next foregoing clause of this verse, to wit, the holy place, and the holy of holies; which may well pass for two houses, because they were separated by a partition; and because they were of differing dimensions, as appears by 1Ki 6:2,20 , especially seeing the holy place is called the greater house , 2Ch 3:5 , comparatively to the holy of holies, which was the lesser house, and so you have two houses.

The inner parlours thereof by these he seems to understand all those rooms which were made against the wall of the house round about, as it is said, 1Ki 6:5 , which are here called by divers names, according to the difference of their situation or use.

The place of the mercy-seat i.e. in what particular part of the holy of holies it was to be placed.

Poole: 1Ch 28:12

And the pattern of all for even the pattern of all ; for this clause belongs both to the foregoing and the following particulars.

By the spirit by the Spirit of God, as is evident from 1Ch 27:19 . For seeing all the particulars of the tabernacle built by Moses were suggested to him by God’ s Spirit, by which even the workmen were inspired, Exo 25:40 31:3 , it is not credible that God would use less care and exactness in the building of this far more glorious and durable work.

Of all the chambers & c.; all which were within the courts, or adjoining to them, as the other chambers, 1Ch 27:11 , were adjoined to the house.

Poole: 1Ch 28:15

Whether they were large and fixed in one place, whereof there were ten in the holy place, 1Ki 7:49 , or such as were less and loose to be carried from place to place, as need required.

Poole: 1Ch 28:16

The tables of shew-bread: by this, and 2Ch 4:19 , it appears that there were divers tables to be used either successively or together about the shew-bread; but one of them seems to have been of more eminency and use than the rest, and therefore it is most commonly called

the table of the shew-bread in the singular number. But of this and the rest of the utensils here named, see the notes on Exodus.

Poole: 1Ch 28:18

Of the chariot of the cherubims i.e. of the cherubims, which Solomon was to make, of which see 1Ki 6:23 , (for those which were fastened to the mercy-seat were made by Moses long before,) which he fitly compares to a chariot , because within them God is oft said to sit and to dwell, as 2Ki 19:5 Psa 80:1 99:1 ; and sometimes he is said to ride upon a cherub , Psa 18:10 . And because a chariot is made to carry a person from place to place, this expression may be used to intimate that God was not so fixed to them by the building of his temple, but that he both could and would remove from them if they forsook him. And when they did so, God did make use of the chariot of his cherubims to convey himself away from them, as is noted, Eze 10:15 , &c.

Covered the ark not above it, for that was done by Moses’ s cherubims, but before it, to keep it from the eyes of the high priest when he entered into the most holy place, 1Ki 6:23 .

Poole: 1Ch 28:19

The meaning is either,

1. That God revealed this to Samuel, see 1Ch 9:22or Gad, or Nathan, or some other man of God, who put it into writing, and by them to David. Or,

2. That God did, as it were, by his own hand and finger, (wherewith he wrote the ten commandments, Exo 31:18 ) write these things upon the table of my mind, which now I deliver to thee.

Poole: 1Ch 28:20

Be strong and of good courage . See Poole "1Ch 27:10" .

Haydock: 1Ch 28:1

Israel. These are more particularly described as princes of the tribes, (Haydock) twelve captains, &c., chap. xxvii. 1. ---

And his. Hebrew, "and of his sons." (Calmet) ---

We may also understand this of the preceptors of the royal family, chap. xxvii. 32. ---

Officers. Literally, "eunuchs." (Haydock) ---

Bravest; particularly those specified [in] chap. xi.

Haydock: 1Ch 28:2

Rising up from his bed, on which he lay, on account of his great age and weakness, while he addressed himself to his son; (3 Kings i. 47.; Calmet) or he rose from his throne, to honor this grand assembly. Hebrew, "stood upon his feet." (Haydock) ---

Thought. Hebrew, "I, with my heart, thought to," &c. (Calmet) ---

And, or which is the footstool. (Haydock) ---

The ark is often so called, because God was considered as sitting upon the wings of the cherubim, over it, Psalm xcviii. 1., &c. ---

Building. No doubt what David left would have been sufficient. Yet Solomon thought that he could make something still more magnificent.

Haydock: 1Ch 28:3

Blood. See chap. xxii. 8. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:4

Ever; for a long time, and to leave the throne to my posterity for many ages, and to the Messias for ever. This expression is not always to be taken in its rigour. (Calmet) ---

Princes. Hebrew, "prince, or the ruler." (Haydock) ---

This tribe had long possessed the greatest power, (Calmet) and the promise of the sceptre, Genesis xlix. (Worthington) ---

The phrase often denotes a long time, but it is best understood of Christ. (Du Hamel)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:5

My son, by the mouth of Nathan, 2 Kings vii. 13. (Menochius) ---

Solomon was a figure of Christ, and his dignity was predicted, chap. xvii. 11., and 3 Kings i. 13. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:7

If. The promises of the Old Testament were frequently conditional, and we always find the condition marked in some place; but those made to the Church of Christ, have no such limitation. (Haydock) ---

Day. Solomon was once faithful, and afterwards fell; it is uncertain whether ever to rise again. Hence it appears that the true children of God may become wicked. (Worthington)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:8

Seek. Wilful (Haydock) or supine ignorance will excuse no man. (Menochius)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:9

Know, with affection (Haydock) and faith; and him alone must thou serve. (Du Hamel) ---

Forsake him, and die impenitent. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:11

Description, impressed by God on David's imagination; (Cajetan) or rather planned out by the hand of God, (ver. 19.; Salien) as the law was written. (Haydock) ---

The Jews pretend that this plan was delivered to Moses, and handed down by Josue, &c., to David. (Estius) ---

But why might not David receive it immediately from heaven? (Calmet) ---

Treasures. Literally, "cellars." (Haydock) ---

The original term, Ganzac, is not Hebrew. We find Ganas (Esther iii. 9.) to signify a treasure, being derived from the Persian, Gaza. David gave, therefore, a description of the rooms to keep the treasures of the temple, or of the cellars for wine and oil. (Calmet) ---

Septuagint, "a pattern of the temple and of the houses thereof, and of the Zakcho, and of the upper rooms, and of the inner storehouses," &c. (Haydock) ---

Inner, or most retired closets, (3 Kings xx. 30.; Calmet) where the Levites slept. (Menochius) ---

Seat, where the ark was kept, and God was rendered propitious. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:13

Divisions, into twenty-four classes, (Menochius) which was done by God's order. (Haydock) ---

For all, that everything might be done with regularity. (Menochius)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:14

Weight, or sufficient for each, ver. 15. (Haydock) ---

Some think he only left a memorial of what quantity of gold and silver would be requisite. It does not appear that Solomon used silver for the vessels, as he chose to execute his father's injunctions with still greater magnificence.

Haydock: 1Ch 28:15

Silver. David probably intended that five candlesticks would be made of this metal: but Solomon made all the ten of gold, 3 Kings vii. 49. There was one in the tabernacle, Exodus xxv. 31. (Calmet) ---

But the temple was more spacious, and a greater number was not prohibited. (Menochius) ---

According. Hebrew, "for the use of every candlestick."

Haydock: 1Ch 28:16

Silver. Yet all the ten were composed of the purest gold, (2 Paralipomenon iv. 12.) as silver was too common, ibid.[2 Paralipomenon] ix. 20. Moses had only two tables. (Calmet) ---

Diversity. Hebrew, "for each table." (Vatable)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:17

Lions. St. Jerome seems to have read cephir, instead of the present cephor, which is rendered "a cup, or bowl," 1 Esdras i. 10. (Calmet) ---

Alexandrian Septuagint, "and of the flesh-hooks, libation vessels and bowls; and the weight of the golden and silver vessels ( kepphoure; a word which they do not translate) of each weight." (Haydock) ---

The change of i for u was very easy; and perhaps the basins were ornamented with representations of lions. (Du Hamel) (Menochius) ---

We do not find cephor used before, to denote any of the vessels of the tabernacle: but Esdras uses it, (chap. viii. 27.) whence it is inferred that it is of Chaldean extraction.

Haydock: 1Ch 28:18

Purest. Hebrew, "refined." ---

Lord. He was represented as riding in a chariot, drawn by Cherubim, (Calmet) or sitting on their wings. (Haydock) ---

Two, particularly, filled up the space between the walls in the most holy place, and covered the ark, and also the Cherubim made by Moses, 3 Kings vii. 23.

Haydock: 1Ch 28:19

These things, said he, is not in Hebrew. Septuagint, "All in the handwriting of the Lord, did David give to Solomon, according to the knowledge given to him from above, respecting the workmanship of the pattern." (Haydock) ---

David saw the pattern in a kind of ecstasy; (Salien; Estius) or some prophet delivered it unto him, (Calmet) marked out by the hand of an angel, (Tirinus) like the tabernacle given to Moses. (Du Hamel)

Haydock: 1Ch 28:20

Lord. Septuagint add, "and I beheld, or behold, the pattern of the temple, and of the house and the Zakcho thereof, and the upper rooms and inner storehouses, and the house of propitiation, and the pattern of the house of the Lord: ( 21 ) and behold," ver. 11. (Haydock)

Gill: 1Ch 28:1

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes,.... Whose names are given in 1Ch 27:16.

and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course; monthly, each having 24,000 men under him, whose names are expressed, 1Ch 27:2.

and the captains over the thousands; of which there were twenty four in a course, at the head of each 1000, under the chief captain:

and captains over the hundreds: centurions under the second captains:

and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons; whose names may be read in 1Ch 27:25.

with the officers: the courtiers:

and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men; both men of valour, and of wealth and riches: these David

assembled unto Jerusalem; the metropolis of the kingdoms and where his court and palace were.

Gill: 1Ch 28:2

Then David the king stood up upon his feet,.... Rose from the bed or couch on which he lay, as Kimchi thinks, being somewhat recovered of his paralytic disorder, and being willing to exert himself on this occasion; or he rose up from the seat or throne, on which he before sat, in honour to this august assembly before him, and that he might be the more easily heard; for which reason we are told ^r it was a custom with the ancients even for kings to stand up when they had a number of people about them they spoke to; and if anyone sat it was reckoned a new and strange thing; so Agamemnon, when wounded, did not speak sitting, until he had made an excuse for it:

and said, hear me, my brethren, and my people; having something of moment and importance to say unto them, and which required their diligent attention; and though they were his subjects, he calls them his brethren, being of the same nation and religion, and to show his modesty and humility; in which he was a type of Christ, the King of kings, see Heb 2:11.

as for me, I had it in my heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord; where it might abide, and not be removed from place to place; the same he had told Solomon, 1Ch 22:7.

and for the footstool of our God; or "even for it", for the ark is meant, which is so called, Psa 99:5 for as the Lord sat between the cherubim over the mercy seat, the lid of the ark, it was, speaking after the manner of men, a footstool to him:

and had made ready for the building; prepared materials for it; see 1Ch 22:4.

Gill: 1Ch 28:3

But God said unto me, thou shalt not build an house for my name,.... This he said by Nathan the prophet, 2Sa 7:5.

because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood: see 1Ch 22:8.

Gill: 1Ch 28:4

Howbeit, the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever,.... Passing by all his brethren who were elder than he, he pitched upon him, and ordered him to be anointed king of Israel, see 1Sa 16:10, and that for ever, for a long time, as long as he lived; or rather in his posterity for many years to come, and best of all in his antitype Christ, the son of David, see Luk 1:32.

for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; the tribe of Judah to be the seat of government, and one out of that tribe to be the chief ruler, see 1Ch 5:2.

and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; out of that tribe he chose his father's family, to take from thence one to be king of Israel:

and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel; though the youngest of them, 1Sa 16:11, this was his will and pleasure.

Gill: 1Ch 28:5

And of all my sons, for the Lord hath given me many sons,.... Whose names, and the order of their birth, may be read in 1Ch 3:1.

he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel; to be his successor in it: this he says to observe to them, that this was not merely his own will and choice, nor the fruit and effect of a fond affection to Solomon; nor was it barely in pursuance of a promise made to Bathsheba, she had obtained of him; but it was according to the will and appointment of God, and therefore to be the more regarded.

Gill: 1Ch 28:6

And he said unto me, Solomon that son, he shall build my house,.... See 2Sa 7:13.

and my courts; in the house or temple:

for I have chosen him to be my son; predestinated him to the adoption of children, Eph 1:5.

and I will be his father; see 2Sa 7:14.

Gill: 1Ch 28:7

Moreover, I will establish his kingdom for ever,.... The same is said in 2Sa 7:13.

if he be constant to do my commandments, and my judgments, as at this day; if he continued in the observance of them, as he had begun, and went on in until that day; this is added here, and was not spoken by Nathan, when what goes before was; for Solomon was not then born, but must be suggested to David since, and as it should seem at this time.

Gill: 1Ch 28:8

Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord,.... Whom this assembly represented:

and in the audience of our God; before him, as Jarchi, in whose presence they were, and who heard and saw all that passed, and to whom David appeals as a witness; the Targum is,"before the Word of the Lord.''before whom all things are naked and open, Heb 4:12.

keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God; seek to know them, search for them in the word of God, and endeavour to keep them:

that ye may possess this good land; continue in the possession of it, for by their obedience they held it, Isa 1:19.

and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever; that so they might not be removed from it, and carried captive into other lands, as they were for their disobedience.

Gill: 1Ch 28:9

And thou, Solomon my son,.... Who was present in this assembly, and presented to them by David as his successor, and their future king: and having addressed them, he turns himself to him, and exhorts him, saying:

know thou the God of thy father; who was his Father and covenant God, and whom he served and worshipped, and who had bestowed upon him many favours, both temporal and spiritual; and having had such an experience of his goodness, he exhorts his son to seek to know more and more of him, and to own and acknowledge him as his God, and to love and fear him:

serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; cordially and sincerely, cheerfully and freely, neither in an hypocritical manner, nor through force and constraint, nor with loathing and weariness:

for the Lord searcheth all hearts; the hearts of all men, even of kings, and knows from what principles and with what views and in what manor they serve him:

and understandeth all the imaginations of the thought; not only the thoughts of the heart, when regularly formed and ranged in order, hut even the very beginning of them, the first motions of the mind, and before they are well formed, see Gen 6:5.

if thou seek him; by prayer and supplication in his house and ordinances:

he will be found of thee; grant his presence and bestow his favours, see Isa 4:6.

but if thou forsake him: his word, his ways, his worship:

he will cast thee off for ever; from being king, or enjoying that peace, prosperity, and happiness, which otherwise would be enjoyed.

Gill: 1Ch 28:10

Take heed now,.... Of offending God by forsaking him; or see, consider, and observe now what he was further about to say to him, concerning the building of the temple, as follows:

for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary; a temple for the ark, called the sanctuary, Num 7:9 the Targum is, the Word of the Lord hath chosen thee, &c.

be strong, and do it, be of a good heart and courage, and set about it with vigour and resolution.

Gill: 1Ch 28:11

Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch,.... The breadth, and length, and height of it, which was to be placed at the east end of the temple, and was the entrance into it:

and, of the houses thereof; the holy place, and the most holy, which latter is called the greater house, 2Ch 3:5,

and of the treasures; where things belonging to the temple were laid up, the priests' vestments, and other things:

and of the upper chambers; where the priests lay or met for conversation, Jer 35:2.

and of the inner parlours thereof; where the priests ate of the holy things; all these seem to he buildings against the wall of the temple round about, 1Ki 6:5.

and of the place of the mercy seat: the holy of holies, where that, with the cherubim over it, and the ark under it, were placed.

Gill: 1Ch 28:12

By the Spirit of God, who gave him the whole form of the temple, and all things relative to it; just as God showed to Moses the pattern of the tabernacle in the mount; the Targum is, by the spirit of prophecy that was with him. The Jews suppose that Samuel the prophet was first made acquainted with it, and he made it known to David:

of the courts of the house of the Lord: the outward court, the court of the priests, &c.

and of all the chambers round about: see 1Ki 6:5.

of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things; of the difference of which, see 1Ch 26:20.

Gill: 1Ch 28:13

And also for the courses of the priests and Levites,.... Where they should serve, of which, as fixed and ordered by David, see 1Ch 24:1.

and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord; they should be employed in:

and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord; which they should use therein.

Gill: 1Ch 28:14

He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service,.... Whatever was to be made of gold, David was directed by the Spirit of God what weight or quantity of gold should be made use of in making it, as appears from some following instances: silver also

for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service; so likewise whatever instruments or vessels, for the service of the temple, were to be made of silver, he had a direction from the Spirit of God what weight each was to be of, or what quantity of silver was to be used in it, and this he gave; according to Jacob Jehudah Leon ^s, the vessels of gold were 340,000, the vessels of silver 470,000, in all 810,000.

Gill: 1Ch 28:15

Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof,.... These candlesticks were ten, and each had seven lamps, and were placed five on one side the Mosaic candlestick, and five on the other, as say the Jews, see 1Ki 7:49, and the weight of gold for each candlestick, according to the above writer ^t, was one hundred pounds; and for both candlesticks and lamps, David, by the Spirit of God, was directed to give:

and for the candlesticks of silver, by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick; the weight of silver for them was fixed; of these nowhere else read. Kimchi thinks these were for the chambers of the priests, to give them light when they ate and lay there.

Gill: 1Ch 28:16

And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table,.... For though there were but one table for the shewbread in the tabernacle of Moses, there were ten in the temple of Solomon, 2Ch 4:8 and each of them contained one hundred pounds in weight ^u:

and likewise silver for the tables of silver; these were placed in the court, as Jarchi thinks, on which they flayed the sacrifices; or, as Kimchi, on which they slew them, and laid the flesh of the burnt offerings on them, which he gathers from Eze 40:39.

Gill: 1Ch 28:17

Also pure gold for the flesh hooks,.... To take the pieces of flesh out of the pots, in which they were boiled:

and the bowls and the cups; and for the golden basins he gave gold by weight for every basin; which were vessels made use of for the receiving and sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices: likewise silver

by weight for every basin of silver; for it seems some of them were of silver, as others were of gold.

Gill: 1Ch 28:18

And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight,.... This was also one hundred pounds weight in gold, with which it was to be overlaid ^w:

and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim; which were two large ones, besides those which Moses made; and these were not made of gold, as they were, but overlaid with it, see 1Ki 6:23 which with them made four; and to which the four living creatures in Ezekiel's vision allude, and make the "mercavah", or chariot, the Jews so much speak of, perhaps from this and other like phrases; and the Lord sitting here as in a chariot, not only denotes the glory and splendour of the Shechinah, or divine Majesty; but, as some observe, his readiness to ride off and depart, when displeased and provoked, see Eze 10:18,

that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord; not that spread their wings over the ark, and covered it, that the Mosaic cherubim did; but these spread their wings before it from wall to wall, so that it could not be seen by any that turned aside the vail, and even by the high priest when he entered into the holy of holies: the ark, with the cherubim, which were on that, weighed two hundred pounds of pure gold, according to the Jacob Leon ^x.

Gill: 1Ch 28:19

All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me,.... Either by an impulse of his Spirit on him, whereby it was as it were written on his mind, and as clearly represented to him, as if he had it in writing before him; though the Jews think that all was first made known to Samuel, or some other prophet, who delivered it to David in writing, as from the Lord: but I see not why it may not be understood that David had the pattern of the temple, and all things relative to it, by an handwriting from the Lord himself, through the ministry of angels, as Moses received the two tables, the handwriting of the Lord, from himself; for the words, as they lie in order in the Hebrew text, are, the whole of this "in writing from the hand of the Lord, unto me, he made me to understand: even all the works of this pattern"; the particulars of which are given before.

Gill: 1Ch 28:20

And David said to Solomon his son, be strong, and of good courage, and do it,.... See Gill on 1Ch 28:10.

fear not, nor be dismayed; that thou shalt meet with any opposition in the work, or not be able to finish it for want of materials and workmen, or money to pay them:

for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; to guide and direct, prosper and succeed; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord God, my God, will be thy help:"

he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee; a promise made to Joshua, and is applicable to every good man in whatsoever good work he is concerned, Jos 1:5,

until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord; built the temple, and all the apartments of it, and courts belonging to it, and made and provided all the utensils and vessels necessary for the service and worship of God.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:1

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:2

¹ tn Heb “I, with my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for a stool of the feet of our God.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:3

¹ tn Heb “for my name.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:4

¹ tn Heb “out of all the house of my father to become king over all Israel permanently.”

² tn Or “for.”

³ tn Heb “and among the sons of my father he desired to make me king over all Israel.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:5

¹ tn Heb “from all my sons, for many sons the Lord has given to me, he chose Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:7

¹ tn Heb “if he is strong to do my commands and my regulations like this day.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:8

¹ tn The words “I say this” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “Watch! Seek!”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:9

¹ tn Heb “know.”

² tn Heb “with a complete heart and a willing being.”

³ tn Heb “he will allow himself to be found by you.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:10

¹ tn Heb “see.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:11

¹ tn Heb “for the porch.” The word “temple” was supplied in the translation for clarity.

² tn Or “storerooms.”

³ tn Heb “house.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:12

¹ tn The words “he gave him” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “the pattern of all which was in the spirit with him.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:13

¹ tn The words “he gave him the regulations” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:14

¹ tn The words “he gave him” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “for the gold, by the weight, for the gold, for all the items of service and service, for all the items of silver by weight for all the items of service and service.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:18

¹ tn The words “he gave him” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

² tc The Hebrew text reads מֶרְכָּבָה (merkavah, “chariot”), but the final he (ה) is probably dittographic – note the prefixed he (ה) on the immediately following word. It is preferable to read מֶרְכָּב (merkav, “seat”).

³ tc The Hebrew text does not have “their wings,” but the word כְּנָפַיִם (kÿnafayim, “wings”) has probably been accidentally omitted by homoioteleuton. Note that the immediately preceding לְפֹרְשִׂים (lÿforsim) also ends in mem (ם).

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:19

¹ tn The words “David said” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “the whole in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me, he gave insight [for] all the workings of the plan.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 28:20

¹ tn Or perhaps, “don’t be discouraged.”

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:2

Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: [As for me], I [had] in mine heart to build an house of ^{( a )} rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:

^{( a )} Where the ark would stay and no longer move to and fro.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:4

Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah [to be] the ruler; and of the house of ^{( b )} Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make [me] king over all Israel:

^{( b )} According to the prophecy of Jacob, (Gen 49:8).

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:7

Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at ^{( c )} this day.

^{( c )} If he continues to keep my law as he does now and doesn't depart from it.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:8

Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this ^{( d )} good land, and leave [it] for an inheritance for your children after you ^{( e )} for ever.

^{( d )} That is, of Canaan.

^{( e )} He declares that nothing can separate them from the conveniences of this land, both for themselves and their posterity except for their sins and iniquity.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:10

Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build ^{( f )} an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and ^{( g )} do [it].

^{( f )} Meaning, for his ark.

^{( g )} Put it in execution.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:15

Even the weight for the ^{( h )} candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, [both] for the candlestick, and [also] for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.

^{( h )} That is, the ten candlesticks, (1Ki 7:49).

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:18

And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of ^{( i )} the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out [their wings], and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

^{( i )} Meaning, of the mercy seat that covered the ark, which was called the chariot, because the Lord declared himself there.

Geneva Bible: 1Ch 28:19

All [this, said David], the LORD made me understand in writing ^{( k )} by [his] hand upon me, [even] all the works of this pattern.

^{( k )} For all this was left in writing in the book of the Law, (Exo 25:40), which the king was bound to put in execution, (Deu 17:19).

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 1Ch 28:1-21

1 David in a solemn assembly having declared God's favour to him, and promise to his son Solomon, exhorts them to fear God.

9 He encourages Solomon to build the temple.

11 He gives him patterns, gold and silver, etc.

Maclaren: 1Ch 28:1-10

David's Charge To Solomon

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. 2. Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 3. But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for My name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. 4. Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for He hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father He liked me to make me king over all Israel: 5. And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6. And He said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build My house and My courts: for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father. 7. Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day. 8. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. 9. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for over. 10. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.'--1 Chron. 28:1-10.

DAVID had established an elaborate organisation of royal officials, details of which occupy the preceding chapters and interrupt the course of the narrative. The passage picks up again the thread dropped at 1 Chron. 23:1. The list of the members of the assembly called in 1 Chron. 28:1 is interesting as showing how he tried to amalgamate the old with the new. The princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, represented the primitive tribal organisation, and they receive precedence in virtue of the antiquity of their office. Then come successively David's immediate attendants, the military officials, the stewards of the royal estates, the officers' or eunuchs attached to the palace, and the faithful mighty men' who had fought by the king's side in the old days. It was an assembly of officials and soldiers whose adherence to Solomon it was all-important to secure, especially in regard to the project for building the Temple, which could not be carried through without their active support. The passage comprises only the beginning of the proceedings of this assembly of notables. The end is told in the next chapter; namely, that the Temple-building scheme was unanimously and enthusiastically adopted, and large donations given for it, and that Solomon's succession was accepted, and loyal submission offered by the assembly to him.

David's address to this gathering is directed to secure these two points. He begins by recalling his own intention to build the Temple and God's prohibition of it. The reason for that prohibition differs from that alleged by Nathan, but there is no contradiction between the two narratives, and the chronicler has already reported Nathan's words (1 Chron. 28:17:3, etc.), so that the motive which is ascribed to many of the variations in this book, a priestly desire to exalt Temple and ritual, cannot have been at work here. Why should there not have been a divine communication to David as well as Nathan's message? That hands reddened with blood, even though it had been shed in justifiable war, were not fitted to build the Temple, was a thought so far in advance of David's time, and flowing from so spiritual a conception of God, that it may well have been breathed into David's spirit by a divine voice. Sword in one hand and trowel in the other are incongruous, notwithstanding Nehemiah's example. The Temple of the God of peace cannot be built except by men of peace. That is true in the widest and highest application. Jesus builds the true Temple. Controversy and strife do not. And, on a lower level, the prohibition is for ever valid. Men do not atone for a doubtful past by building churches, founding colleges, endowing religious or charitable institutions.

The speech next declares emphatically that the throne belongs to David and his descendants by real divine right,' and that God's choice is Solomon, who is to inherit both the promises and obligations of the office, and, among the latter, that of building the Temple. The unspoken inference is that loyalty to Solomon would be obedience to Jehovah. The connection between the true heavenly King and His earthly representative is strongly expressed in the remarkable phrase: He hath chosen Solomon … to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah,' which both consecrates and limits the rule of Solomon, making him but the viceroy of the true king of Israel. When Israel's kings remembered that, they flourished; when they forgot it, they destroyed their kingdom and themselves. The principle is as true to-day, and it applies to all forms of influence, authority, and gifts. They are God's, and we are but stewards.

The address to the assembly ends with the exhortation to these leaders to observe,' and not merely to observe, but also to seek out' God's commandments, and so to secure to the nation, whom they could guide, peaceful and prosperous days. It is not enough to do God's will as far as we know it; we must ever be endeavouring after clearer, deeper insight into it. Would that these words were written over the doors of all Senate and Parliament houses! What a different England we should see!

But Solomon was present as well as the notables, and it was well that, in their hearing, he should be reminded of his duties. David had previously in private taught him these, but this public charge' before the chief men of the kingdom bound them more solemnly upon him, and summoned a cloud of witnesses against him if he fell below the high ideal. It is pitched on a lofty key of spiritual religion, for it lays Know thou the God of thy fathers' as the foundation of everything. That knowledge is no mere intellectual apprehension, but, as always in Scripture, personal acquaintanceship with a Person, which involves communion with Him and love towards Him. For us, too, it is the seed of all strenuous discharge of our life's tasks, whether we are rulers or nobodies, and it means a much deeper experience than understanding or giving assent to a set of truths about God. We know one another when we summer and winter with each other, and not unless we love one another, and we know God on no other terms.

After such knowledge comes an outward life of service. Active obedience is the expression of inward communion, love, and trust. The spring that moves the hands on the dial is love, and, if the hands do not move, there is something wrong with the spring. Morality is the garment of religion; religion is the animating principle of morality. Faith without works is dead, and works without faith are dead too.

But even when we know God' we have to make efforts to have our service correspond with our knowledge, for we have wayward hearts and obstinate wills, which need to be stimulated, sometimes to be coerced and forcibly diverted from unworthy objects. Therefore the exhortation to serve God with a perfect heart and with a willing mind' is always needful and often hard. Entire surrender and glad obedience are the Christian ideal, and continual effort to approximate to it will be ours in the degree in which we know God.' There is no worse slavery than that of the half-hearted Christian whose yoke is not padded with love. Reluctant obedience is disobedience in God's sight.

David solemnly reminds Solomon of those pure eyes and perfect judgment,' not to frighten, but to enforce the thought of the need for whole-hearted and glad service, and of the worthlessness of external acts of apparent worship which have not such behind them. What a deal of seeming wheat would turn out to be chaff if that winnowing fan which is in Christ's hand were applied to it! How small our biggest heaps would become!

The solemn conditions of the continuance of God's favour and of the fulfilment of His promises are next plainly stated. God responds to our state of heart and mind. We determine His bearing to us. The seeker finds. If we move away from Him, He moves away from us. That is not, thank God! all the truth, or what would become of any of us? But it is true, and in a very solemn sense God is to us what we make Him. With the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure; and with the perverse Thou wilt show Thyself froward.'

The charge ends with recalling the high honour and office to which Jehovah had designated Solomon, and with exhortations to take heed' and to' be strong, and do it.' It is well for a young man to begin life with a high ideal of what he is called to be and do. But many of us have that, and miserably fail to realise it, for want of these two characteristics, which the sight of such an ideal ought to stamp on us. If we are to fulfil God's purposes with us, and to be such tools as He can use for building His true Temple, we must exercise self-control and take heed to our ways,' and we must brace ourselves against opposition and crush down our own timidity. It seems to be commanding an impossibility to say to a weak creature like any one of us, Be strong,' but the impossible becomes a possibility when the exhortation takes the full Christian form: Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.'

MHCC: 1Ch 28:1-10

During David's last sickness, many chief priests and Levites were at Jerusalem. Finding himself able, David spoke of his purpose to build a temple for God, and of God's disallowing that purpose. He opened to them God's gracious purposes concerning Solomon. David charged them to cleave stedfastly to God and their duty. We cannot do our work as we should, unless we put on resolution, and fetch in strength from Divine grace. Religion or piety has two distinct parts. The first is knowledge of God, the second is worship of God. David says, Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. God is made known by his works and word. Revelation alone shows the whole character of God, in his providence, his holy law, his condemnation of sinners, his blessed gospel, and the ministration of the Spirit to all true believers. The natural man cannot receive this knowledge of God. But thus we learn the value of the Saviour's atonement, and of the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and are influenced to walk in all his commandments. It brings a sinner to his proper place at the foot of the cross, as a poor, guilty, helpless worm, deserving wrath, yet expecting every thing needful from the free mercy and grace of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Having been forgiven much, the pardoned sinner learns to love much.

MHCC: 1Ch 28:11-21

The temple must be a sacred thing, and a type of Christ; it must be framed by Divine teaching. Christ is the true temple, the church is the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple; all are framed according to the Divine counsels, and the plan laid in the Divine wisdom, ordained before the world, for God's glory and our good. David gave this pattern to Solomon, that he might go by rule. Materials were provided for the most costly utensils of the temple. Directions were given which way to look for help in this great undertaking. Be not dismayed; God will help thee, and thou must look up to him in the first place. We may be sure that God, who owned our fathers, and carried them through the services of their day, will, in like manner, never leave us, while he has any work to do in us, or by us. Good work is likely to go on, when all concerned are hearty in furthering it. Let us hope in God's mercy; if we seek him, he will be found of us.

Matthew Henry: 1Ch 28:1-10

A great deal of service David had done in his day, had served his generation according to the will of God, Act 13:36. But now the time draws night that he must die, and, as a type of the Son of David, the nearer he comes to his end the more busy he is, and does his work with all his might. He is now a little recovered from the indisposition mentioned 1Ki 1:1, when they covered him with clothes, and he got no heat: but was cure is there for old age? He therefore improves his recovery, as giving him an opportunity of doing God and his country a little more service.

I. He summoned all the great men to attend him, that he might take leave of them all together, 1Ch 28:1. Thus Moses did (Deu 31:28), and Joshua, Jos 23:2; Jos 24:1. David would not declare the settlement of the crown but in the presence, and to the satisfaction, of those that were the representatives of the people.

II. He addressed them with a great deal of respect and tenderness. He not only exerted himself to rise from his bed, to give them the meeting (the occasion putting new spirits into him), but he rose out of his chair, and stood up upon his feet (1Ch 28:2), in reverence to God whose will he was to declare, and in reverence to this solemn assembly of the Israel of God, as if he looked upon himself, though major singulis - greater than any individual among them, yet minor universis - less than the whole of them together. His age and infirmities, as well as his dignity, might well have allowed him to keep his seat; but he would show that he was indeed humbled for the pride of his heart both in the numbers of his people and his dominion over them. It had been too much his pleasure that they were all his servants (1Ch 21:3), but now he calls them his brethren, whom he loved, his people, whom he took care of, not his servants, whom he had command of: Hear me, my brethren, and my people. It becomes superiors thus to speak with affection and condescension even to their inferiors; they will not be the less honoured for it, but the more beloved. Thus he engages their attention to what he was about to say.

III. He declared the purpose he had formed to build a temple for God, and God's disallowing that purpose, 1Ch 28:2, 1Ch 28:3. This he had signified to Solomon before, 1Ch 22:7, 1Ch 22:8. A house of rest for the ark is here said to be a house of rest for the footstool of our God; for heaven is his throne of glory; the earth, and the most magnificent temples that can be built upon it, are but his footstool: so much difference is there between the manifestations of the divine glory in the upper and lower world. Angels surround his throne, Isa 6:1. We poor worms do but worship at his footstool Psa 99:5; Psa 132:7. As an evidence of the sincerity of his purpose to build the temple, he tells them that he had made ready for it, but that God would not suffer him to proceed because he had appointed other work for him to do, which was enough for one man, namely, the managing of the wars of Israel. He must serve the public with the sword; another must do it with the line and plummet. Times of rest are building times, Act 9:31.

IV. He produced his own title first, and then Solomon's, to the crown; both were undoubtedly jure divino - divine. They could make out such a title as no monarch on earth can; the Lord God of Israel chose them both immediately, by prophecy, not providence, 1Ch 28:4, 1Ch 28:5. No right of primogeniture is pretended. Detur digniori, non seniori - It went by worth, not by age. 1. Judah was not the eldest son of Jacob, yet God chose that tribe to be the ruling tribe; Jacob entailed the sceptre upon it, Gen 49:10. 2. It does not appear that the family of Jesse was the senior house of that tribe; from Judah it is certain that it was not, for Shelah was before Pharez; whether from Nahshon and Salmon is not certain. Ram, the father of Nahshon, had a elder brother, 1Ch 2:9. Perhaps so had Boaz, Obed, and Jesse. Yet " God chose the house of my father. "3. David was the youngest son of Jesse, yet God liked him to make him king; so it seemed good unto him. God takes whom he likes, and likes whom he makes like himself, as he did David, a man after his own heart. 4. Solomon was one of the youngest sons of David, and yet God chose him to sit upon the throne, because he was the likeliest of them all to build the temple, the wisest and best inclined.

V. He opened to them God's gracious purposes concerning Solomon (1Ch 28:6, 1Ch 28:7): I have chosen him to be my son. Thus he declares the decree, that the Lord had said to Solomon, as a type of Christ, Thou art my son (Psa 2:7), the son of my love; for he was called Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him, and Christ is his beloved Son. Of him God said, as a figure of him that was to come, 1. He shall build my house. Christ is both the founder and the foundation of the gospel temple. 2. I will establish his kingdom for ever. This must have its accomplishment in the kingdom of the Messiah, which shall continue in his hands through all the ages of time (Isa 9:7; Luk 1:33) and shall then be delivered up to God, even the Father, yet perhaps to be delivered back to the Redeemer for ever. As to Solomon, this promise of the establishment of his kingdom is here made conditional: If he be constant to do my commandments, as at this day. Solomon was now very towardly and good: "If he continue so, his kingdom shall continue, otherwise not."Note, If we be constant to our duty, then, and not otherwise, we may expect the continuance of God's favour. Let those that are well taught, and begin well, take notice of this - if they be constant, they are happy; perseverance wears the crown, though it wins it not.

VI. He charged them to adhere stedfastly to God and their duty, 1Ch 28:8. Observe, 1. The matter for this charge: Keep, and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God. The Lord was their God; his commandments must be their rule; they must have respect to them all, must make conscience of keeping them, and, in order thereunto, must seek for them, that is, must be inquisitive concerning their duty, search the scriptures, take advice, seek the law at the mouth of those whose lips were to keep this knowledge, and pray to God to teach and direct them. God's commandments will not be kept without great care. 2. The solemnity of it. He charged them in the sight of all Israel, who would all have notice of this public charge, and in the audience of their God. "God is witness, and this congregation is witness, that they have good counsel given them, and fair warning; if they do not take it, it is their fault, and God and man will be witnesses against them."See 1Ti 5:21; 2Ti 4:1. Those that profess religion, as they tender the favour of God and their reputation with men, must be faithful to their profession. 3. The motive to observe this charge. It was the way to be happy, to have the peaceable possession of this good land themselves and to preserve the entail of it upon their children.

VII. He concluded with a charge to Solomon himself, 1Ch 28:9, 1Ch 28:10. He was much concerned that Solomon should be religious. He was to be a great man, but he must not think religion below him - a wise man, and this would be his wisdom. Observe,

1. The charge he gives him. He must look upon God and the God of his father, his good father, who had devoted him to God and educated him for God. He was born in God's house and therefore bound in duty to be his, brought up in his house and therefore bound in gratitude. Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not. He must know God and serve him. We cannot serve God aright if we do not know him; and in vain do we know him if we do not serve him, serve him with heart and mind. We make nothing of religion if we do not mind it, and make heart-work of it. Serve him with a perfect, that is, an upright heart (for sincerity is our gospel perfection), and with a willing mind, from a principle of love, and as a willing people, cheerfully and with pleasure.

2. The arguments to enforce this charge.

(1.) Two arguments of general inducement: - [1.] That the secrets of our souls are open before God; he searches all hearts, even the hearts of kings, which to men are unsearchable, Pro 25:3. We must therefore be sincere, because, if we deal deceitfully, God sees it, and cannot be imposed upon; we must therefore employ our thoughts, and engage them in God's service, because he fully understands all the imaginations of them, both good and bad. [2.] That we are happy or miserable here, and for ever, according as we do, or do not, serve God. If we seek him diligently, he will be found of us, and that is enough to make us happy, Heb 11:6. If we forsake him, desert his service and turn from following him, he will cast us off for ever, and that is enough to make us miserable. Note, God never casts any off till they have first cast him off. Here is,

(2.) One argument peculiar to Solomon (1Ch 28:10): " Thou art to build a house for the sanctuary; therefore seek and serve God, that that work may be done from a good principle, in a right manner, and may be accepted."

3. The means prescribed in order hereunto, and they are prescribed to us all. (1.) Caution: Take heed; beware of every thing that looks like, or leads to, that which is evil. (2.) Courage: Be strong, and do it. We cannot do our work as we should unless we put on resolution, and fetch in strength from divine grace.

Matthew Henry: 1Ch 28:11-21

As for the general charge that David gave his son to seek God and serve him, the book of the law was, in that, his only rule, and there needed no other; but, in building the temple, David was now to give him three things: - 1. A model of the building, because it was to be such a building as neither he nor his architects ever saw. Moses had a pattern of the tabernacle shown him in the mount (Heb 8:5), so had David of the temple, by the immediate hand of God upon him, 1Ch 28:19. It was given him in writing, probably by the ministry of an angel, or as clearly and exactly represented to his mind as if it had been in writing. But it is said (1Ch 28:12), He had this pattern by the Spirit. The contrivance either of David's devotion or of Solomon's wisdom must not be trusted to in an affair of this nature. The temple must be a sacred thing and a type of Christ; there must be in it not only convenience and decency, but significancy: it was a kind of sacrament, and therefore it must not be left to man's art or invention to contrive it, but must be framed by divine institution. Christ the true temple, the church the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine councils, and the plan laid in the divine wisdom, ordained before the world for God's glory and ours. This pattern David gave to Solomon, that he might know what to provide and might go by a certain rule. When Christ left with his disciples a charge to build his gospel church he gave them an exact model of it, ordering them to observe that, and that only, which he commanded. The particular models are here mentioned, of the porch, which was higher than the rest, like a steeple, - then the houses, both the holy place and the most holy, with the rooms adjoining, which were for treasuries, chambers, and parlours, - especially the place of the mercy-seat (1Ch 28:11), - of the courts likewise, and the chambers about them, in which the dedicated things were laid up. Bishop Patrick supposes that, among other things, the tabernacle which Moses reared and all the utensils of it, which there was now no further occasion for, were laid up here, signifying that in the fulness of time all the Mosaic economy, all the rites and ceremonies of that dispensation, should be respectfully laid aside, and something better come in their room. He gave him a table of the courses of the priests, patterns of the vessels of service (1Ch 28:13), and a pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, 1Ch 28:18. Besides the two cherubim over the mercy-seat, there were two much larger, whose wings reached from wall to wall (1Ki 6:23, etc.), and of these David here gave Solomon the pattern, called a chariot; for the angels are the chariots of God, Psa 68:17. 2. Materials for the most costly of the utensils of the temple. That they might not be made any less than the patterns, he weighed out the exact quantity for each vessel both of gold and silver, 1Ch 28:14. In the tabernacle there was but one golden candlestick; in the temple there were ten (1Ki 7:49), besides silver ones, which, it is supposed, were hand-candlesticks, 1Ch 28:15. In the tabernacle there was but one table; but in the temple, besides that on which the show-bread was set, there were ten others for other uses (2Ch 4:8), besides silver tables; for, this house being much larger than that, it would look bare if it had not furniture proportionable. The gold for the altar of incense is particularly said to be refined gold (1Ch 28:18), purer than any of the rest; for that was typical of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing is more pure and perfect. 3. Directions which way to look for help in this great undertaking. "Fear not opposition; fear not the charge, care, and trouble; fear not miscarrying in it, as in the case of Uzza; fear not the reproach of the foolish builder, that began to build and was not able to finish. Be not dismayed. (1.) God will help thee, and thou must look up to him in the first place (1Ch 28:20): The Lord God, even my God, whom I have chosen and served, who has all along been present with me and prospered me, and to whom, from my own experience of his power and goodness, I recommend thee, he will be with thee, to direct, strengthen, and prosper thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee."Note, We may be sure that God, who owned our fathers and carried them through the services of their day, will, in like manner, if we be faithful to him, go along with us in our day, and will never leave us, while he has any work to do in us or by us. The same that was Joshua's encouragement (Jos 1:5), and Solomon's, is given to all believers, Heb 13:5. He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. God never leaves any unless they first leave him. (2.) "Good men will help thee, 1Ch 28:21. The priests and Levites will advise thee, and thou mayest consult them. Thou hast good workmen, who are both willing and skilful;"and these are two very good properties in a workman, especially in those that work at the temple. And, lastly, "The princes and the people will be so far from opposing or retarding the work that they will be wholly at thy command, every one in his place ready to further it."Then good work is likely to go on when all parties concerned are hearty in it, and none secretly clog it, but all drive on heartily in it.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 28:1-10

David summoned the estates of the kingdom, and presented Solomon to them as his divinely chosen successor on the throne.

1Ch 28:1

"All the princes of Israel"is the general designation, which is then specialized. In it are included the princes of the tribes who are enumerated in 1Ch 27:16-22, and the princes of the divisions which served the king, who are enumerated in 1Ch 27:1-15; the princes of thousands and hundreds are the chiefs and captains of the twelve army corps (1Ch 27:1), who are subordinate to the princes of the host: the princes of all the substance and possessions of the king are the managers of the domains enumerated in 1Ch 27:25-31. וּלבניו is added to למּלך , "of the king and of his sons,"because the possession of the king as a property belonging to the house ( domanium ) belonged also to his sons. The Vulg. incorrectly translates לבניו filiosque suos , for in this connection ל cannot be nota accus . הסּריסים עם , with (together with) the court officials. סריסים are not eunuchs, but royal chamberlains, as in 1Sa 8:15; see on Gen 37:36. הגּבּורים has been well translated by the lxx τοὺς δυνάστας , for here the word does not denote properly or merely war heroes, but powerful influential men in general, who did not occupy any special public or court office. In חיל וּלכל־גּבּור all the others who were present in the assembly are comprehended.

1Ch 28:2

The king rose to his feet, in order to speak to the assembly standing; till then he had, on account of his age and feebleness, sat, not lain in bed, as Kimchi and others infer from 1 Kings 1.

1Ch 28:3-7

The address, "My brethren and my people,"is expressive of condescending goodwill; cf. on אחי , 1Sa 30:23; 2Sa 19:13. What David here says (1Ch 28:3-7) of the temple building, he had in substance already (1Ch 22:7-13) said to his son Solomon: I, it was with my heart, i.e., I purposed (cf. 1Ch 22:7) to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Jahve, and the footstool of the feet of our God, i.e., for the ark and for the capporeth upon it, which is called "footstool of the feet of our God,"because God was enthroned above the cherubim upon the capporeth. "And I have prepared to build,"i.e., prepared labour and materials, 1Ch 22:2-4 and 1Ch 22:14.; on 1Ch 28:3, cf. 1Ch 22:8. - In 1Ch 28:4 David states how his election to be king was of God, who had chosen Judah to be ruler (cf. 1Ch 5:2); and just so (1Ch 28:5, 1Ch 28:6) had God chosen Solomon from among all his many sons to be heir to the throne, and committed to him the building of the temple; cf. 1Ch 22:10. The expression, "throne of the kingdom of Jahve,"and more briefly, "throne of Jahve"(1Ch 29:23, or מלכוּתי , 1Ch 17:14), denotes that Jahve is the true King of Israel, and had chosen Solomon as He had chosen David to be holder and administrator of His kingdom dominion. - On 1Ch 22:6 and 1Ch 22:7, cf. 1Ch 22:10 and 1Ch 17:11.; and with the condition וגו יחזק אם , cf. 1Ki 3:14; 1Ki 9:4, where God imposes an exactly similar condition on Solomon. הזּה כּיּום , as is done at this time; cf. 1Ki 8:61, and the commentary on Deu 2:30. On this speech J. H. Mich. well remarks: " tota haec narratio aptata est ad prospositum Davidis: vult enim Salomoni auctoritatem apud principes et fratres conciliare, ostendendo, non humana, sed divina voluntate electum esse, "To this David adds an exhortation to the whole assembly (1Ch 28:8), and to his son Solomon (1Ch 28:9), to hold fast their faithfulness to God.

1Ch 28:8-10

"And now before the eyes of all Israel, of the congregation of Jahve (collected in their representatives), and into the ears of our God (so that God should hear as witness), ( scil. I exhort you), observe and seek ... that ye may possess (that is, keep as possession) the good land (cf. Deu 4:21.), and leave it to your sons after you for an inheritance"(cf. Lev 25:46). - In 1Ch 28:9 he turns to his son Solomon in particular with the fatherly exhortation, "My son, know thou the God of thy father (i.e., of David, who has ever helped him, Psa 18:3), and serve Him with whole (undivided) heart (1Ch 29:9, 1Ch 29:19; 1Ki 8:61) and willing soul."To strengthen this exhortation, David reminds him of the omniscience of God. Jahve seeks, i.e., searches, all hearts and knows all the imagination of the thoughts; cf. Psa 7:10; 1Sa 16:7; Jer 11:20; Psa 139:1. מחשׁבות יצר as in Gen 6:5. With the last clauses cf. Deu 4:29; Isa 55:6, etc. יזניח , only here and 2Ch 11:14; 2Ch 29:19. - With 1Ch 28:10 the discourse turns to the building of the temple. The exhortation ועשׂה חזק is interrupted by the giving over of the sketches and plans of the temple, and is taken up again only in 1Ch 28:20.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 28:11-19

The sketches and plans of the sacred buildings and vessels . - The enumeration begins in 1Ch 28:11 with the temple house, progressing from outside to inside, and in 1Ch 28:12 goes on to the courts and the buildings in them, and in 1Ch 28:13. to the vessels, etc. תּבנית , model, pattern; cf. Exo 25:9; here the sketches and drawings of the individual things. ואת־בּתּיו is a contraction for בּתּיו ועת־תּבנית , and the suffix refers, as the succeeding words show, not to העוּלם , but to הבּית , which may be easily supplied from the context (1Ch 28:10). In the porch there were no houses. The בּתּים are the buildings of the temple house, viz., the holy place and the most holy, with the three-storeyed side-building, which are specified in the following words. גּנזכּיו occurs only here, but is related to גּנזים , Est 3:9; Est 4:7; Eze 27:24, and to the Chald. גּנזין , Ezr 7:20, and signifies store and treasure chambers, for which the chambers of the three-storeyed side-building served. עליּות are the upper chambers over the most holy place, 2Ch 3:9; הפּנימים חדריו are the inner rooms of the porch and of the holy place, since הכּפּרת בּית , the house of the ark with the mercy-seat, i.e., the most holy place, is mentioned immediately after.

1Ch 28:12

And the pattern, i.e., the description of all that was in the spirit with him, i.e., what his spirit had designed, לחצרות , as to the courts. סביב לכל־הלּשׁכות , in reference to all the chambers round about, i.e., to all the rooms on the four sides of the courts. לאצרות , for the treasures of the house of God; see on 1Ch 26:20.

1Ch 28:13-16

הך וּלמחלקות (continuation of לאצרות ), "and for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of the service, and for all vessels,"- for for all these purposes, viz., for the sojourn of the priests and Levites in the service, as well as for the performance of the necessary works, e.g., preparation of the shew-bread, cooking of the sacrificial flesh, holding of the sacrificial meals, and for the storing of the vessels necessary for these purposes, the cells and building of the courts were set apart. - With 1Ch 28:14 begins the enumeration of the vessels. לזּהב is co-ordinate with לכל־הלּשׁכות ... לחצרות , 1Ch 28:12 : he gave him the description of that which he had in mind "with regard to the golden (i.e., to the golden vessels, cf. 1Ch 29:2), according to the weight of the golden, for all vessels of every service,"in regard to all silver vessels according to the weight. - With 1Ch 28:15 the construction hitherto employed is dropped. According to the usual supposition, the verb ויּתּן is to be supplied from 1Ch 28:11 after וּמשׁקל : "and gave him the weight for the golden candlesticks and their golden lamps," זהב being in a state of free subordination to the word ונרתיהם (J. H. Mich., Berth., and others). But apart from the fact that no analogous case can be found for such a subordination (for in 2Ch 9:15, which Berth. cites as such, there is no subordination, for there the first שׁחוּט זהב is the accusative of the material dependent upon ויּעשׂ ), the supplying of ויּתּן gives no suitable sense; for David here does not give Solomon the metal for the vessels, but, according to 1Ch 28:11, 1Ch 28:12, 1Ch 28:19, only a תּבנית , pattern or model for them. If ויּתּן be supplied, נתן must be "he appointed,"and so have a different sense here from that which it has in 1Ch 28:11. This appears very questionable, and it is simpler to take משׁקל without the article, as an accusative of nearer definition, and to connect the verse thus: "and (what he had in mind) as weight for the golden candlesticks and their lamps, in gold, according to the weight of each candlestick and its lamps, and for the silver candlesticks, in weight - כּעבודת , according to the service of each candlestick"(as it corresponded to the service of each). - In 1Ch 28:16 the enumeration is continued in very loose connection: "And as to the gold ( את , quoad ; cf. Ew. §277, d ) by weight ( משׁקל , acc. of free subordination) for the tables of the spreading out, i.e., of the shew-bread ( מערכת = לחם מערכת , 2Ch 13:11); see on Lev 24:6), for each table, and silver for the silver tables."Silver tables, i.e., tables overlaid with silver-lamin, and silver candlesticks (1Ch 28:15), are not elsewhere expressly mentioned among the temple vessels, since the whole of the vessels are nowhere individually registered even in the description of the building of the temple. Yet, when the temple was repaired under Joash, 2Ki 12:14; 2Ch 24:14, and when it was destroyed by the Chaldeans, 2Ki 25:15, vessels of gold and silver are spoken of. The silver candlesticks were probably, as Kimchi has conjectured, intended for the priests engaged in the service, and the tables for reception of the sacrificial flesh after it had been prepared for burning upon the altar.

1Ch 28:17

Before וגו והמּזלגות we should probably supply from 1Ch 28:11 : "he gave him the pattern of the forks... ולכפורי , and for the golden tankards, according to the weight of each tankard."For מזלנות and מזרקות , see on 2Ch 4:22. קשׂוה , σπονδεῖα , cups for the libations, occur only in Exo 25:29; Exo 37:16, and Num 4:7. טהור זהב , in free subordination: of pure gold. כּפורים from כּפר , to cover, are vessels provided with covers, tankards; only mentioned here and in Ezr 1:10; Ezr 8:27.

1Ch 28:18

And (the pattern) for the altar of incense of pure gold by weight. In the second member of the verse, at the close of the enumeration, תּבנית , from 1Ch 28:11, 1Ch 28:12, is again taken up, but with ל , which Berth. rightly takes to be nota accus .: and (gave him) "the model of the chariot of the cherubim of gold, as spreading out (wings), and sheltering over the ark of the covenant of Jahve." הכּרוּבים is not subordinated in the genitive to המּרכּבה , but is in explanatory apposition to it. The cherubim, not the ark, are the chariot upon which God enters or is throned; cf. Psa 18:11; Psa 99:1; Exo 25:22. The conception of the cherubim set upon the golden cover of the ark as מרכּבה is derived from the idea על־כּרוּב ירכּב , Psa 18:11. Ezekiel, it is true, saw wheels on the throne of God under the cherubim (Eze 1:15., 26), and in accordance with this the lxx and Vulg. have made a cherubim-chariot out of the words ( ἅρμα τῶν Χερουβίμ , quadriga cherubim ); but as against this Berth. rightly remarks, that the idea of a chariot of the cherubim does not at all appear in the two sculptured cherubim upon the ark, nor yet in our passage. לפרשׂים (without the article, and with ל ) Berth. thinks quite unintelligible, and would alter the text, reading והסּככים הפּרשׂים , because the two participles should be in apposition to הכּרוּבים . But this is an error; for neither by the meaning of the words, nor by the passages, 2Ch 5:8; Exo 25:20; 1Ki 8:7, are we compelled to make this alteration. The two first-mentioned passages prove the opposite, viz., that these participles state for what purpose the cherubim are to serve. וסככים לפרשׂים have the signification of כּנפים פּרשׂי הכּרוּבים והיוּ , "that the cherubim might be spreading wings and protecting"(Exo 25:20), as J. H. Mich. has rightly seen. This use of ל , where in ל even without a verb the idea of "becoming something"lies, but which Berth. does not understand, has been already discussed, Ew. §217, d , and illustrated by passages, among which 1Ch 28:18 is one. The reference to Exo 25:20 explains also the use of פּרשׂ without כּנפים , the author of the Chronicle not thinking it necessary to give the object of פּרשׂ , as he might assume that that passage would be known to readers of his book.

1Ch 28:19

In giving over to Solomon the model of all the parts and vessels of the temple enumerated in 1Ch 28:11-18, David said: "All this, viz., all the works of the pattern, has He taught by writing from the hand of Jahve which came upon me." הכּל is more closely defined by the apposition הת מלאכות כּל . That the verse contains words of David is clear from עלי . The subject of השׂכּיל is Jahve, which is easily supplied from יהוה מיּד . It is, however, a question with what we should connect עלי . Its position before the verb, and the circumstance that השׂכּיל construed with על pers . does not elsewhere, occur, are against its being taken with השׂכּיל ; and there remains, therefore, only the choice between connecting it with יהוה מיּד and with בּכתב . In favour of the last, Psa 40:8, עלי כּתוּב , prescribed to me, may be compared; and according to that, עלי כּתב can only mean, "what is prescribed to me;"cf. for the use of כּתב for written prescription, the command in 2Ch 35:4. Bertheau accordingly translates עלי יהוה מיּד בּכתב , "by a writing given to me for a rule from Jahve's hand,"and understands the law of Moses to be meant, because the description of the holy things in Exo 25:1. is manifestly the basis of that in our verses. But had David wished to say nothing further than that he had taken the law in the Scriptures for the basis of his pattern for the holy things, the expression which he employs would be exceedingly forced and wilfully obscure. And, moreover, the position of the words would scarcely allow us to connect בּכתב with עלי , for in that case we should rather have expected יהוה מיּד עלי בּכתב . We must there take עלי along with יהוה מיּד : "writing from the hand of Jahve came upon me,"i.e., according to the analogy of the phrase עלי יהוה יד היתה (2Ki 3:15; Eze 1:3; Eze 3:14, etc.), a writing coming by divine revelation, or a writing composed in consequence of divine revelation, and founded upon divine inspiration. David therefore says that he had been instructed by a writing resting upon divine inspiration as to all the works of the pattern of the temple. This need not, however, be understood to mean that David had received exemplar vel ideam templi et vasorum sacrorum immediately from Jahve, either by a prophet or by vision, as the model of the tabernacle was shown to Moses on the mount (Exo 25:40; Exo 27:8); for it signifies only that he had not himself invented the pattern which he had committed to writings, i.e., the sketches and descriptions of the temple and its furniture and vessels, but had drawn them up under the influence of divine inspiration.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Ch 28:20-21

In conclusion, David encourages his son to go forward to the work with good courage, for his God would not forsake him; and the priests and Levites, cunning workmen, and the princes, together with the whole people, would willingly support him. With the encouragement, 1Ch 28:20 , cf. 1Ch 22:13; and with the promise, 1Ch 28:20 , cf. Deu 31:6, Deu 31:8; Jos 1:5. אלהי , my God, says David, ut in mentem ei revocet, quomodo multis in periculis servatus sit (Lav.). עבודה כּל־מלאכת , all the work-business, i.e., all the labour necessary for the building of the house of God.

1Ch 28:21

והנּה is fittingly translated by Clericus, " en habes ." The reference which lies in the הנּה to the classes of the priests and Levites, i.e., the priests and Levites divided into classes, does not presuppose their presence in the assembly. With the והנּה corresponds ועמּך , with thee, i.e., for assistance to thee, in the second half of the verse. The ל before לכל -naadiyb, "are all freely willing with wisdom,"in the middle of the sentence introducing the subject is strange; Bertheau would therefore strike it out, thinking that, as לכל goes immediately before, and follows immediately afterwards twice, לכל here may easily be an error for כל . This is certainly possible; but since this ל is very frequently used in the Chronicle, it is a question whether it should not be regarded as authentic, "serving to bring into emphatic prominence the idea of the ndyb kl: with thee is for each business, what regards each willing person, for also all willing persons;"cf. Ew. §310, a . נדיב = לב נדיב , 2Ch 29:31; Exo 35:5, Exo 35:22, usually denotes him who brings voluntary gifts, but here, him who voluntarily brings wisdom to every service, who willingly employs his wisdom and knowledge in a service. Cunning, intelligent workmen and artists are meant, 1Ch 22:15; 2Ch 2:6. לכל־דּבריך , "towards all thy words,"i.e., as thou sayest or commandest them, the princes and the people, or callest upon them for assistance in the work.

Constable: 1Ch 10:1--29:30

II. THE REIGN OF DAVID chs. 10--29

In all of Chronicles the writer assumed his readers' acquaintance with the other Old Testament historical books. This is especially true regarding what Samuel and Kings contain.

"The reigns of Saul, David and Solomon over a united Israel are central to the concerns of the Chronicler, about half his narrative material being devoted to these three kings alone. Nearly all the many themes of his work are developed here, and it is in their light that the subsequent history of the people is assessed."³⁶

Constable: 1Ch 17:1--29:30

E. God's Covenant Promises to David chs. 17-29

The dominating theme in 1 Chronicles is the Davidic Covenant, the receiving of which was the most important event in David's life. God promised to give him an eternal kingdom, and He formalized that promise by making a covenant with him. The writer repeated three times that David's descendants would be God's instruments for bringing salvation to the nations.

The Chronicler referred to the Davidic Covenant seven times in his book (1 Chron. 17:11-14; 22:8-13; 28:6-7; 2 Chron. 6:8-9, 16; 7:17-18; 13:5; 21:7). Many students of Chronicles have regarded the Davidic Covenant as the heart of these books because it established David's kingly line with promises that relate to the temple and the priesthood. The temple and the priesthood are two major themes of these books. God brought them under Davidic rule forever, as the Chronicler revealed.

Another unifying theme is the steps taken toward the building of the temple.

"These include identification of the builder (ch. 17), the necessary political conditions (18-20), site (21), materials and plans (22, 28-29), and the personnel (the primary layer in 23-27)."⁵⁶

Constable: 1Ch 28:1--29:30

3. The third account of God's promises to David chs. 28-29

A primary concern of the Chronicler, the evidence of which is his selection of material and emphases, was the promise of a King who would eventually come and rule over God's people. God had fulfilled some of the Davidic Covenant promises in David's lifetime. He fulfilled others in Solomon's reign. Still others remained unfulfilled. For a third time the writer recorded the promises God gave to David. In the first case, God spoke to David (17:1-27). In the second, David spoke to Solomon (22:1-19). In the third, David spoke to Solomon and Israel's other leaders (28:1).

David may have thought Solomon would fulfill the rest of the promises in the covenant (28:5-7). He must have realized that to do so Solomon would have to obey God faithfully (28:7). Solomon, however, was not completely obedient. Consequently if God is faithful to His promises, a faithful Son of David had to arise. The Chronicler looked forward to this future hope.

In describing David's plans for building the temple the Chronicler seems to have wanted to present David as a second Moses. He also seems to have wanted to present Solomon as a second Joshua to some extent.⁷⁹

Constable: 1Ch 28:1-10

The public announcement of Solomon's succession 28:1-10

The earlier Old Testament historical books did not record this announcement. David directed his charge to remain faithful to Yahweh (vv. 7-9) to all the assembled leaders, not just Solomon, as is clear from the plural imperatives in the Hebrew text. David stressed obedience from the heart (v. 9), not just external conformity to the ritual he had established. Like Solomon, the people also failed here (Isa. 29:13).

Constable: 1Ch 28:11-19

The temple plan 28:11-19

God had revealed detailed plans for the temple to David (v. 19). Evidently God had instructed David as He had Moses (Exod. 25-31). The writer did not include all the details of the plan David received from the Lord any more than the writer of Kings did. Nevertheless God revealed the instructions for the temple as specifically as He had revealed the instructions for the tabernacle. The postexilic Jews must have had more detailed plans than are available to us today.

". . . the Temple of Old Testament Israel was not essentially a religious' center where religious activities such as sacrifice and worship were carried out; it was the house of Yahweh, the palace of the Great King who could and must be visited there by His devoted subjects. Losing sight of this downplays the centrality of covenant as a fundamental theological principle. When one understands that Yahweh had redeemed and made covenant with His elect people Israel as a great king makes covenant with a vassal, the role of the Temple as the focal point of Israel's faith becomes immediately apparent. It is the palace of the Sovereign, the place to which they make periodic pilgrimage to proffer their allegiance and to offer up their gifts of homage. Seen as such, the care with which even its most minute details are revealed and executed is most intelligible, for as the visible expression of the invisible God, the Temple with all its forms and functions becomes a sublime revelatory vehicle of the character and purposes of the Almighty."⁸⁰

Constable: 1Ch 28:20--29:10

The commissioning of construction 28:20-29:9

Haggai echoed David's words of encouragement to begin building, which David addressed to Solomon and Israel's leaders, hundreds of years later to Israel's leaders in his day (Hag. 2:4-5). David sought to instill his own zeal for God's glory in his hearers (29:1). The people donated a freewill offering of more gold, silver, bronze, and other materials to make Yahweh's house reflect the glory of His greatness (cf. Hag. 2:6-9).⁸¹ The Israelites of Moses' day had been similarly generous in providing building materials for the tabernacle (Exod. 25:1-7; 35:4-9, 20-29).

"Often the extent to which we are prepared to put at risk our material well-being is a measure of the seriousness with which we take our discipleship. . . .

"People are closest to God-likeness in self-giving, and the nearer they approach God-likeness the more genuinely and rightly they become capable of rejoicing."⁸²

Guzik: 1Ch 28:1-21

1 Chronicles 28 - David's Public Charge to Solomon

A. David's public words to the assembly of Israel and to Solomon.

1. (1) The assembly of Israel gathers to hear King David.

Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: the officers of the tribes and the captains of the divisions who served the king, the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officials, the valiant men, and all the mighty men of valor.

a. Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: This was David's public "passing of the torch" ceremony to Solomon, with an emphasis on the responsibility to build the temple. Despite this, another son of David (Adonijah, in 1 Kings 1-2) tried to take the throne when David died.

b. All the leaders of Israel: It may be that this was the group of people collectively mentioned in the previous chapters.

i. "The occasion for the final chapters of 1 Chronicles is a continuation of what was introduced in chapter 23: the assembling by the king of the leaders of Israel (23:2 = 28:1 and 29:1)." (Payne)

2. (2-8) David speaks to the assembly of Israel.

Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.' However the LORD God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel. And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.' Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever."

a. Then King David rose to his feet: Since this happened towards the end of David's life, he was in declining health (1 Kings 1:1-4). The Chronicler noted David's standing posture because considering his age and the setting, it was a dramatic scene.

b. You shall not build a house for My name: Though David wanted to build God a house, God politely refused David's offer and proposed to build him a house instead, in the sense of a lasting royal dynasty (2 Samuel 7).

i. Significantly, David calls the temple a house of rest. "As in the case of God's sabbath rest at creation (Genesis 2:1-3), God's rest represents the completion of his work. The idea of rest was so significant for the temple that even though David's role as a 'man of war' was a vital part of the temple preparations in creating the necessary conditions for the work, it disqualified him from building the temple himself. Only Solomon, the 'man of rest' (22:9), was sufficiently fitted for the task." (Selman)

c. He has chose my son Solomon to sit on the throne: This was a significant event because there had never been a hereditary monarchy in Israel before. Saul, the previous King of Israel, was not succeeded by any son of his.

d. Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever: God promised that if the royal descendents of David remained obedient, the LORD would protect their throne and the kingdom of Israel, and there would always be a descendent of David reigning over Israel.

e. Be careful to seek out all the commandments of the LORD: This was an important and well-chosen exhortation to the people of Israel.

· They were exhorted to be careful, in the sense that they had to regard this responsibility as important and worthy of attention.

· They were exhorted to seek out the commandments of God, searching the Scriptures diligently.

· They were exhorted to seek out all the commandments, and not compromise by focusing on a few favored commandments.

3. (9-10) David speaks to Solomon.

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it."

a. Know the God of your father: David's exhortation to Solomon begins with the most important aspect - emphasizing a genuine commitment to a real relationship with the living God. David essentially told Solomon, "The secret of my success has been my relationship with God. You need to pursue the same relationship."

b. Serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind: David also exhorted Solomon to serve God with both his heart and mind. Some people are all heart and no mind in their service to God; others are all mind and no heart. Both of these are important to truly serve Him.

i. We notice that the command to know came before the command to serve. "To know God is to serve Him. All failure in service is the result of loss of vision of God, misapprehension of Him, due to some distance from Him." (Morgan)

ii. David gave Solomon a reason to commit his heart and mind to God: for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. When we properly understand God and His omniscience we will much more naturally serve Him as we should.

c. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever: Both of these proved true in the life of Solomon. When Solomon sought the LORD at Gibeon, he definitely found Him (1 Kings 3:1-15). When Solomon forsook God, he was in some sense cast . . . off (1 Kings 11:1-13).

i. "Solomon's response, typical of humanity, was inconsistent. Though he did seek God (2 Chronicles 1:5), it was not with a 'whole heart' and his divided devotion led ultimately to a divided kingdom." (Selman)

d. The LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it: David concluded his exhortation to Solomon with the single most urgent command - to build the temple. All of David's exhaustive preparations would be for nothing if Solomon did not complete the job that David started.

B. The plans for the temple.

1. (11-13) David gives Solomon the plans for the temple.

Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things; also for the division of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the articles of service in the house of the LORD.

a. Then David gave his son Solomon the plans: Considered together, David did almost everything for the building of the temple except actually build it. He gave Solomon security, a location, the land, money, materials, supervisory staff, workers, and an organized team to run the temple. Here we also see that David also gave his son Solomon the plans.

b. The plans for all that he had by the Spirit: Even as with the organization of the temple servants (2 Chronicles 29:25), these practical details were inspired by the Holy Spirit, not by human ingenuity.

i. "Moreover, the temple was for God's own dwelling. Should not the Most High have a house after his own mind? If he was to be the Tenant, should it not be built to suit him? And who knows what God requires in a habitation but God himself?" (Spurgeon)

2. (14-19) The ornate furnishings for the temple.

He gave gold by weight for things of gold, for all articles used in every kind of service; also silver for all articles of silver by weight, for all articles used in every kind of service; the weight for the lampstands of gold, and their lamps of gold, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps; for the lampstands of silver by weight, for the lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand. And by weight he gave gold for the tables of the showbread, for each table, and silver for the tables of silver; also pure gold for the forks, the basins, the pitchers of pure gold, and the golden bowls; he gave gold by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls, silver by weight for every bowl; and refined gold by weight for the altar of incense, and for the construction of the chariot, that is, the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD. "All this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."

a. He gave gold: These six verses mention gold 11 times. David amassed an amazing amount of gold for the furnishings of the temple.

b. For the construction of the chariot, that is the gold cherubim: "So called, because God sat between them (Psalm 99:1), rode upon them (Psalm 18:10); the angels - represent by those cherubims - are called the chariots of God (Psalm 68:17); and the Hebrews have a saying, that such as saw God of old saw only Merchavah velo harocheb, the chariot in which God rode, but not the rider in it." (Trapp)

i. "It is a good note also that is given here by some expositors - viz., that by this chariot of the cherubims God gave his people to understand that his presence in the ark was not so fixed among them, but that would leave them, and ride clean away from them, if they should thereunto provoke him by their sins." (Trapp)

c. The LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans: As with the organization of the servants and builders of the temple and the plans for the temple, God also spoke to David about these furnishings of the temple.

3. (20-21) David's final charge to Solomon.

And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God; my God; will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. "Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and every willing craftsman will be with you for all manner of workmanship, for every kind of service; also the leaders and all the people will be completely at your command."

a. Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed: David here echoes God's exhortation to Joshua before he led the people of God into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:5-7). This was appropriate, because Moses was a great leader who could only lead the people of Israel to a certain point - the rest was up to Joshua. The same pattern applied to David and his successor Solomon.

i. "In describing David's plans for building the temple, Chronicles has paid special attention to portray David as a second Moses and Solomon as a second Joshua." (Payne)

b. And do it: It is easy to see how important this was for David. He had spent enormous effort to prepare the temple but would all be naught unless Solomon did in fact do it.

i. "Do not talk about it; do not sit down, and dream over the plans, and think how admirable they are, and then roll them up; but, 'Be strong and of good courage, and do it.'" (Spurgeon)

c. Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites: We can picture David handing Solomon the scrolls with the plans for building the temple and organizing its service. The job was now in the hands of David's son Solomon.

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Introduction / Outline

JFB: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF CHRONICLES were also considered as one by the ancient Jews, who called them "words of days," that is, diaries or journals, being probably compiled from those registers that were kept by the king's historiographers of passing occurrences. In the Septuagint the title given them is Paraleipomenon, "of things omitted," that is, the books are supplementary because many things unnoticed in the former books are here recorded; and not only the omissions are supplied, but some narratives extended while others are added. The authorship is commonly ascribed to Ezra, whose leading object seems to have been to show the division of families, possessions, &c., before the captivity, with a view to the exact restoration of the same order after the return from Babylon. Although many things are restated and others are exact repetitions of what is contained in Kings, there is so much new and important information that, as JEROME has well said, the Chronicles furnish the means of comprehending parts of the New Testament, which must have been unintelligible without them. They are frequently referred to by Christ and the Apostles as forming part of "the Word of God" (see the genealogies in Mat. 1:1-16; Luk. 3:23-38; compare 2Ch 19:7 with 1Pe 1:17; 2Ch 24:19-21 with Mat 23:32-35).

JFB: 1 Chronicles (Outline)

• ADAM'S LINE TO NOAH. (1Ch. 1:1-23)
• SHEM'S LINE TO ABRAHAM. (1Ch 1:24-28)
• SONS OF ISHMAEL. (1Ch 1:29-31)
• SONS OF KETURAH. (1Ch 1:32-33)
• POSTERITY OF ABRAHAM BY ESAU. (1Ch 1:34-42)
• POSTERITY OF JUDAH. (1Ch 2:3-12)
• CHILDREN OF JESSE. (1Ch 2:13-17)
• POSTERITY OF CALEB. (1Ch. 2:18-55)
• SONS OF DAVID. (1Ch 3:1-9)
• HIS LINE TO ZEDEKIAH. (1Ch 3:10-16)
• SUCCESSORS OF JECONIAH. (1Ch 3:17-24)
• POSTERITY OF JUDAH BY CALEB THE SON OF HUR. (1Ch 4:1-8)
• OF JABEZ, AND HIS PRAYER. (1Ch 4:9-20)
• POSTERITY OF SHELAH. (1Ch 4:21-23)
• OF SIMEON. (1Ch. 4:24-43)
• THE LINE OF REUBEN. (1Ch 5:1-10)
• THE LINE OF GAD. (1Ch. 5:11-26)
• LINE OF THE PRIESTS. (1Ch. 6:1-48)
• OFFICE OF AARON AND HIS SONS. (1Ch. 6:49-81)
• SONS OF ISSACHAR. (1Ch 7:1-5)
• OF BENJAMIN. (1Ch 7:6-12)
• OF NAPHTALI. (1Ch 7:13)
• OF MANASSEH. (1Ch. 7:14-40)
• SONS AND CHIEF MEN OF BENJAMIN. (1Ch. 8:1-32)
• STOCK OF SAUL AND JONATHAN. (1Ch 8:33-40)
• ORIGINAL REGISTERS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH'S GENEALOGIES. (1Ch. 9:1-26)
• SAUL'S OVERTHROW AND DEATH. (1Ch 10:1-7)
• THE PHILISTINES TRIUMPH OVER HIM. (1Ch 10:8-14)
• DAVID MADE KING. (1Ch 11:1-3)
• HE WINS THE CASTLE OF ZION FROM THE JEBUSITES BY JOAB'S VALOR. (1Ch 11:4-9)
• A CATALOGUE OF HIS WORTHIES. (1Ch. 11:10-47)
• THE COMPANIES THAT CAME TO DAVID AT ZIKLAG. (1Ch. 12:1-22)
• THE ARMIES THAT CAME TO HIM AT HEBRON. (1Ch. 12:23-40)
• DAVID FETCHES THE ARK FROM KIRJATH-JEARIM. (1Ch 13:1-8)
• HIRAM'S KINDNESS TO DAVID; DAVID'S FELICITY. (1Ch 14:1-2)
• HIS WIVES. (1Ch 14:3-7)
• HIS VICTORIES OVER THE PHILISTINES. (1Ch 14:8-17)
• DAVID BRINGS THE ARK FROM OBEDEDOM. (1Ch. 15:1-24)
• DAVID'S FESTIVAL SACRIFICE AND LIBERALITY TO THE PEOPLE. (1Ch 16:1-6)
• HIS PSALM OF THANKSGIVING. (1Ch. 16:7-43)
• DAVID FORBIDDEN TO BUILD GOD A HOUSE. (1Ch 17:1-10)
• DAVID SUBDUES THE PHILISTINES AND MOABITES. (1Ch 18:1-2)
• DAVID SMITES HADADEZER AND THE SYRIANS. (1Ch 18:3-17)
• DAVID'S MESSENGERS, SENT TO COMFORT HANUN, ARE DISGRACEFULLY TREATED. (1Ch 19:1-5)
• JOAB AND ABISHAI OVERCOME THE AMMONITES. (1Ch 19:6-15)
• SHOPHACH SLAIN BY DAVID. (1Ch 19:16-19)
• RABBAH BESIEGED BY JOAB, SPOILED BY DAVID, AND THE PEOPLE TORTURED. (1Ch 20:1-3)
• THREE OVERTHROWS OF THE PHILISTINES AND THREE GIANTS SLAIN. (1Ch 20:4-8)
• DAVID SINS IN NUMBERING THE PEOPLE. (1Ch 21:1-13)
• HE BUILDS AN ALTAR. (1Ch 21:18-30)
• DAVID PREPARES FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (1Ch 22:1-5)
• HE INSTRUCTS SOLOMON. (1Ch 22:6-19)
• DAVID MAKES SOLOMON KING. (1Ch 23:1)
• NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES. (1Ch 23:2-6)
• SONS OF GERSHON. (1Ch 23:7-11)
• OF KOHATH. (1Ch 23:12-20)
• OF MERARI. (1Ch 23:21-23)
• OFFICE OF THE LEVITES. (1Ch 23:24-32)
• DIVISION OF THE SONS OF AARON INTO FOUR AND TWENTY ORDERS. (1Ch. 24:1-19)
• NUMBER AND OFFICE OF THE SINGERS. (1Ch 25:1-7)
• THEIR DIVISION BY LOT INTO FOUR AND TWENTY ORDERS. (1Ch. 25:8-31)
• DIVISIONS OF THE PORTERS. (1Ch 26:1-12)
• THE GATES ASSIGNED BY LOT. (1Ch 26:13-19)
• LEVITES THAT HAD CHARGE OF THE TREASURES. (1Ch 26:20-28)
• OFFICERS AND JUDGES. (1Ch 26:29-32)
• TWELVE CAPTAINS FOR EVERY MONTH. (1Ch 27:1-15)
• PRINCES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES. (1Ch 27:16-24)
• DAVID EXHORTS THE PEOPLE TO FEAR GOD. (1Ch 28:1-8)
• HE ENCOURAGES SOLOMON TO BUILD THE TEMPLE. (1Ch 28:9-20)
• DAVID CAUSES THE PRINCES AND PEOPLE TO OFFER FOR THE HOUSE OF GOD. (1Ch 29:1-9)
• HIS REIGN AND DEATH. (1Ch 29:26-30)

TSK: 1 Chronicles 28 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

1Ch 28:1, David in a solemn assembly having declared God’s favour to him, and promise to his son Solomon, exhorts them to fear God; 1Ch 28:9, He encourages Solomon to build the temple; 1Ch 28:11, He gives him patterns, gold and silver, etc.

Poole: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES

THE ARGUMENT

THESE Books of the CHRONICLES are not the same which are so called, 1Ki 14:19 , and elsewhere, (because some passages said to be there mentioned are not found here,) but other books, and written by other persons, and for other ends. Yet this same writer took out of those books such historical passages as were most useful or necessary. They were written after the Babylonish captivity, as appears from 2Ch 36:20 , &c., by Ezra; as may be gathered not only from the same words used in the place now quoted, and in the beginning of that book which goeth under the name of Ezra, but also from some other passages, which we may observe hereafter, and from the exactness and diligence here used in making catalogues of persons and families, which also is used in the Book of Ezra. If one or two passages seem to be of a later date, those were added by some other prophets; there being some few such additional passages in the Books of Moses. The chief design of these books is, to complete the history of the kings of Judah, and to gather up the fragments of sacred history which were omitted in the Books of Samuel and Kings, and to explain some passages there mentioned, and to give an exact account of the genealogies; which (though ignorant or inconsiderate persons may think trivial and useless) was a work of great necessity, to preserve the distinction of the tribes and families, that so it might appear that Christ came of that nation, and tribe, and family, of which he was to be born. And this account having been hitherto neglected, is most seasonably mentioned in these books, because this was to be in a manner the last part of the sacred and canonical history of the Old Testament, and therefore the fittest place to record those genealogies, upon which the truth and authority of the New Testament ill some sort depends. And whereas many things in these genealogies to us are obscure and doubtful, they were not so to the Hebrews; and all the persons here named were known to them by those very particular and exact genealogies, which they kept in their several families and in public registers; from whence this sacred penman, by the direction of God’ s Spirit, took those things which were of most importance.

Poole: 1 Chronicles 28 (Chapter Introduction)

CHRONICLES CHAPTER 28

David in a solemn assembly declareth God’ s favour to him, and promise to his son Solomon; exhorteth them to fear God, and encourageth Solomon to build the temple, 1Ch 28:1-10 ; giveth him a pattern for the form, and gold and silver for the materials, 1Ch 28:11-21 .

This assembly seems to be distinct from that 1Ch 23:2 , and more general, as may be gathered from the persons said to be assembled here and there. Though others think them to be the same, and this to be a return to his former discourse.

MHCC: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

The books of Chronicles are, in a great measure, repetitions of what is in the books of Samuel and of the Kings, yet there are some excellent useful things in them which we find not elsewhere. The FIRST BOOK traces the rise of the Jewish people from Adam, and afterward gives an account of the reign of David. In the SECOND BOOK the narrative is continued, and relates the progress and end of the kingdom of Judah; also it notices the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. Jerome says, that whoever supposes himself to have knowledge of the Scriptures without being acquainted with the books of Chronicles, deceives himself. Historical facts passed over elsewhere, names, and the connexion of passages are to be found here, and many questions concerning the gospel are explained.

MHCC: 1 Chronicles 28 (Chapter Introduction)

(1Ch 28:1-10) David exhorts the people to the fear of the Lord.

(1Ch 28:11-21) He gives instructions for the temple.

Matthew Henry: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Book of Chronicles

In common things repetition is thought needless and nauseous; but, in sacred things, precept must be upon precept and line upon line. To me, says the apostle, to write the same things is not grievous, but for you it is safe, Phi 3:1. These books of Chronicles are in a great measure repetition; so are much of the second and third of the four evangelists: and yet there are no tautologies either here or there no vain repetitions. We may be ready to think that of all the books of holy scripture we could best spare these two books of Chronicles. Perhaps we might, and yet we could ill spare them: for there are many most excellent useful things in them, which we find not elsewhere. And as for what we find here which we have already met with, 1. It might be of great use to those who lived when these books were first published, before the canon of the Old Testament was completed and the particles of it put together; for it would remind them of what was more fully related in the other books. Abstracts, abridgments, and references, are of use in divinity as well as law. That, perhaps, may not be said in vain which yet has been said before. 2. It is still of use, that out of the mouth of two witnesses every word may be established, and, being inculcated, may be remembered. The penman of these books is supposed to be Ezra, that ready scribe in the law of the Lord, Ezr 7:6. It is a groundless story of that apocryphal writer (2 Esdr. 14:21, etc.) that, all the law being burnt, Ezra was divinely inspired to write it all over again, which yet might take rise from the books of Chronicles, where we find, though not all the same story repeated, yet the names of all those who were the subjects of that story. These books are called in the Hebrew words of days - journals or annals, because, by divine direction, collected out of some public and authentic records. The collection was made after the captivity, and yet the language of the originals, written before, it sometimes retained, as 2Ch 5:9, there it is unto this day, which must have been written before the destruction of the temple. The Septuagint calls it a book Paraleipomenōn - of things left, or overlooked, by the preceding historians; and several such things there are in it. It is the rereward, the gathering host, of this sacred camp, which gathers up what remained, that nothing might be lost. In this first book we have, I. A collection of sacred genealogies, from Adam to David: and they are none of those which the apostle calls endless genealogies, but have their use and end in Christ, ch. 1-9. Divers little passages of history are here inserted which we had not before. II. A repetition of the history of the translation of the kingdom from Saul to David, and of the triumph of David's reign, with large additions, ch. 10-21. III. An original account of the settlement David made of the ecclesiastical affairs, and the preparation he made for the building of the temple, ch. 22-29. These are words of days, of the oldest days, of the best days, of the Old Testament church. The reigns of kings and dates of kingdoms, as well as the lives of common persons, are reckoned by days; for a little time often gives a great turn, and yet all time is nothing to eternity.

Matthew Henry: 1 Chronicles 28 (Chapter Introduction)

The account we have of David's exit, in the beginning of the first book of Kings, does not make his sun nearly so bright as that given in this and the following chapter, where we have his solemn farewell both to his son and his subjects, and must own that he finished well. In this chapter we have, I. A general convention of the states summoned to meet (1Ch 28:1). II. A solemn declaration of the divine entail both of the crown and of the honour of building the temple upon Solomon (1Ch 28:2-7). III. An exhortation both to the people and to Solomon to make religion their business (1Ch 28:8-10). IV. The model and materials delivered to Solomon for the building of the temple (1Ch 28:11-19). V. Encouragement given him to undertake it and proceed in it (1Ch 28:20, 1Ch 28:21).

Constable: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

The earliest Hebrew title for the Books of Chronicles translates as, "The Things Left Behind." This name describes Chronicles as containing remnants of the monarchy history not recorded in the preceding Old Testament historical books. A later title that appears in most copies of the Hebrew Bible is, "The Accounts of the Days," or "Daily Matters." This title emphasizes the nature of Chronicles as official annals (cf. Esth. 2:23; 1 Kings 14:19). Chronicles contains the official records of the kings of Israel, especially those of the Southern Kingdom after the kingdom split. The English title "Chronicles" comes down to us from this later Hebrew one.

As was true of Samuel and Kings, the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Hebrew Old Testament was responsible for dividing the single Book of Chronicles into 1 and 2 Chronicles. Scribes divided these long books to make them easier for copyists, publishers, and readers to handle. We could translate the Septuagint title as, "Things Omitted." This title implies that Chronicles contains material left out of other inspired histories of Israel. This is true. Of course, it also contains much material that the former historical books included.

Writer and Date

Early Jewish tradition recorded in the Talmud ascribed the authorship of Chronicles to Ezra. Recent studies of the linguistic differences that exist between the Books of Ezra and Chronicles have led some modern scholars to reject this ancient view.¹ Internal evidence suggests that if the writer was not Ezra he was probably a contemporary of Ezra.

There is quite a bit of difference of opinion even among conservative evangelical scholars regarding the date of composition. Most of these people place it within Ezra's lifetime (ca. 450-400 B.C.).² This date would make Chronicles one of the last if not the last historical book of the Old Testament. The date of composition of Ezra was probably about 446 B.C. The Book of Nehemiah probably came into existence between 420 and 400 B.C. The date of writing of Esther was probably shortly after 473 B.C.

"It is now clear from comparison of Chronicles with the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek translations of the Pentateuch that the text Chronicles used was more like these texts than the MT [Masoretic Text]."³

Scholars vary greatly in their ideas concerning the date of composition. Some of them hold a date as early as the middle of the fifth century B.C. (450 B.C.) while others date Chronicles as late as 200 B.C.⁴

Scope and Purpose

Chronicles covers a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. It begins with Adam and ends with Anani who lived eight generations after King Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:24). If we allow 25 years for each generation, the birth of Anani would have been between 425 and 400 B.C.

"In Near Eastern antiquity, the generation (that is the years between a man's birth and his begetting his first-born son) is ordinarily 25 years or less."⁵

Since the writer had great interest in David's family it is unlikely that any of David's descendants after Anani were alive when he wrote the book. If they had been, the writer probably would have included their names.

Other Old Testament books, especially Genesis, Samuel, and Kings, cover over half the material that Chronicles contains. There are two main reasons for this repetition. First, the writer wanted to give his readers another version of those events. In this respect Chronicles and the other historical books are similar to the Gospels in the New Testament. Each gives a unique interpretation and emphasis. Each writer selected the historical materials that would present what he wanted to emphasize. Chronicles is more similar to John's Gospel than the other Gospels. Both books are very sermonic, and each has a purpose that is easy to identify (John 20:30-31; 2 Chron. 7:14). Chronicles is also similar to Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch, which also preaches by recalling history.

Second, the writer of Chronicles explained and expounded the meaning of many events in Israel's history much as the writers of modern commentaries do. This was especially important since the original readers of Chronicles needed to remember their history and the spiritual issues that had molded and would mold their destiny. These observations would guide them as they sought to reestablish Israel in the Promised Land after the Babylonian captivity.

"The purpose of these two volumes [1 and 2 Chronicles] is to review the history of Israel from the dawn of the human race to the Babylonian captivity and Cyrus' edict of restoration. This review is composed with a very definite purpose in mind, to give to the Jews of the Second Commonwealth the true spiritual foundations of their theocracy as the covenant people of Jehovah. This historian's purpose is to show that the true glory of the Hebrew nation was found in its covenant relationship to God, as safeguarded by the prescribed forms of worship in the temple and administered by the divinely ordained priesthood under the protection of the divinely authorized dynasty of David. Always the emphasis is upon that which is sound and valid in Israel's past as furnishing a reliable basis for the task of reconstruction which lay ahead. Great stress is placed upon the rich heritage of Israel and its unbroken connection with the patriarchal beginnings (hence the prominence accorded to genealogical lists)."⁶

". . . the Chronicler' is no mere chronicler! He is a theologian, sharing with all the biblical writers the burden of interpreting God's ways to human beings."⁷

The writer saw principles operating in history. He selected unmistakable instances of them and applied them to his own times.

"If Kings, composed after the final collapse of the kingdom in 586 B.C., concentrates on how sin leads to defeat (2 Kings 17:15, 18), then Chronicles, coming after the two returns from exile in 537 and 458 B.C., recounts, from the same record, how faith is the victory' (2 Chron. 20:20, 22)."⁸

". . . the Chronicler goes even further than the Deuteronomic historian [i.e., the writer of 1 and 2 Kings] in attempting to correlate blessing with faithfulness and judgment with disobedience within each separate generation."⁹

Another statement of the purpose of Chronicles is as follows:

". . . to rally the returned remnant to hopeful temple worship . . . by demonstrating their link with the enduring Davidic promises."¹⁰

"The past is explained so that its institutions and religious principles become relevant to the present, and the ways of the present are legitimized anew by being connected to the prime source of authority--the formative period in the people's past."¹¹

Three major features of Chronicles appear when we isolate the material the writer included that is not in Samuel or Kings. First, the genealogies reflect the writer's goal of encouraging Israel's racial and religious purity. Second, the emphases on the temple, ark, and worship show his desire that the returned exiles reestablish worship according to the Mosaic Law.¹² Third, the record of David's glories and the victories God gave his successors were his way of encouraging his original readers as they sought to reestablish their nation in the Promised Land.¹³

Conservative students of Chronicles differ in their opinion concerning the amount of Messianic expectation the Chronicler held out to his readers. My belief is that he did present some hope of a coming Messiah who would fulfill the promises given to David in the Davidic Covenant. I will point this out at the appropriate places in the notes that follow.¹⁴

Passages Unique to Chronicles (In probable chronological order)15
Genealogies	The genealogical tables	1 Chron. 1-9
David	The list of the men who came to David at Ziklag	1 Chron. 12:1-7
	The list of the men who joined David on his way to Ziklag	1 Chron. 12:19-22
	Data concerning the number of warriors who made David king	1 Chron. 12:23-40
	The Gadites who "separated themselves unto David"	1 Chron. 12:8-15
	David's hymn of praise when he moved the ark	1 Chron. 16:4-36
	David's final preparations for the building of the temple	1 Chron. 22:1-19
	The national convention	1 Chron. 23:1-9:22
Solomon	The making of the altar of brass	2 Chron. 4:1
	The close of Solomon's dedicatory prayer	2 Chron. 6:40-42
Rehoboam	The adherence of the Levites in all Israel to Rehoboam	2 Chron. 11:13-14
	The immigration of other pious Israelites to Judah	2 Chron. 11:16-17
	Rehoboam's fortifications	2 Chron. 11:5-12
	Rehoboam's family	2 Chron. 11:18-23
Abijah	Abijah's family	2 Chron. 13:21
Asa	The ten years of peace under Asa	2 Chron. 14:1
	Asa's defense policy	2 Chron. 14:6-8
	Asa's victory over Zerah the Ethiopian	2 Chron. 14:9-15
	The warning of the prophet Azariah	2 Chron. 15:1-7
	The four years of peace under Asa	2 Chron. 15:19
	The renewal of the covenant	2 Chron. 15:9-15
	The warning of the prophet Hanani	2 Chron. 16:7-9
	Asa's transgression	2 Chron. 16:10
Jehoshaphat	Jehoshaphat's strengthening of his kingdom	2 Chron. 17:1-7
	The mission of the princes, Levites and priests	2 Chron. 17:7-9
	Jehoshaphat's increasing power	2 Chron. 17:10-8:1
	The prophet Jehu's judgment on Jehoshaphat	2 Chron. 19:1-3
	Jehoshaphat's further reforms in worship and law	2 Chron. 19:4-11
	The deliverance from Moab and Ammon on Mt. Seir	2 Chron. 20:1-30
Jehoram	The posthumous message of Elijah to Jehoram	2 Chron. 21:12-15
	The invasion of the Philistines and Arabians	2 Chron. 21:16-17
	Jehoram's illness	2 Chron. 21:18
Joash	Joash's matrimonial affairs	2 Chron. 24:3
	The temple worship	2 Chron. 24:14
	The death of Jehoiada	2 Chron. 24:15-16
	The sins of Joash	2 Chron. 24:17-19
	The stoning of Zechariah	2 Chron. 24:20-22
	The reverses of Judah due to Hazael's operations	2 Chron. 24:23-24
Amaziah	Amaziah's planned expedition against Edom	2 Chron. 25:5
	Amaziah's hiring of 1000 mercenaries out of Israel and dismissing them	2 Chron. 25:6-10
	The pillage of the cities of Judah by the dismissed mercenaries	2 Chron. 25:13
	Amaziah's further wickedness	2 Chron. 25:14-16
Uzziah	Uzziah's success in war	2 Chron. 26:6-8
	Uzziah's building and farming	2 Chron. 26:9-10, 15
	Uzziah's army	2 Chron. 26:11-14
	Uzziah's fame	2 Chron. 26:8, 15
Jotham	Jotham's subjugation of the Ammonites	2 Chron. 27:5-6
Ahaz	Obed the prophet's obtaining the release of the Jewish captives during Ahaz's war with Rezin and Pekah	2 Chron. 28:9-15
	The Edomite and Philistine invasions under Ahaz	2 Chron. 28:17-19
Hezekiah	The cleansing of the temple by Hezekiah	2 Chron. 29:3-19
	The consecration of the temple	2 Chron. 29:20-36
	Preparations for the Passover	2 Chron. 30:1-12
	The keeping of the Passover	2 Chron. 30:13-22
	The keeping of "other seven days"	2 Chron. 30:23-27
	Hezekiah's further religious reforms	2 Chron. 31:2-21
	Hezekiah's wealth and building	2 Chron. 32:27-30
	Sennacherib's second entry into Judah for invasion	2 Chron. 32:1
	Hezekiah's precautions in view of Sennacherib's second entry into Judah for invasion	2 Chron. 32:2-8
	Hezekiah's renewed prosperity	2 Chron. 32:23
Manasseh	Manasseh's captivity	2 Chron. 33:11
	Manasseh's repentance and restoration	2 Chron. 33:12-13
	The acts of Manasseh after his restoration	2 Chron. 33:14-16
	The spiritual condition of the people	2 Chron. 33:17
Josiah	Josiah's early reformations	2 Chron. 34:3-7
Captivity	The length of the captivity	2 Chron. 36:20-21
	Cyrus' proclamation permitting return from the captivity	2 Chron. 36:22-23

Message¹⁶

The central subject of 1 and 2 Chronicles is the temple of God. Someone evidently wrote these books at the end of the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites to reestablish Israel's national life in the Promised Land. In view of this purpose the northern kingdom of Israel was of little interest to the writer. Judah is the kingdom in view, and David is the king in view. The central passion in David's life is in view, namely the building of the temple. Furthermore the reason for David's passion for the temple is in view. He saw that the recognition of God is of supreme importance in national life.

This is the message of the book. The recognition of God is of supreme importance in national life formally as well as really. The writer demonstrated this fact in the genealogies, and he illustrated it in David's life in the rest of 1 Chronicles.

The genealogies demonstrate the supreme importance of recognizing God in national life.

What was the writer emphasizing by his selective genealogy? This genealogy (chs. 1-9) shows that God has chosen to bless some individuals and not others. This was His plan from Adam to Nehemiah. God also chose to bring blessing to those who obeyed Him regardless of their other personal abilities or disabilities. Obedience is key to success. We can see a heart for God in obedience to God's will. There are two reasons God blesses people: His sovereign choice to bless, and our obedience to Him. Character grows out of obedience. Likewise God chose to bring cursing on those who were disobedient to Him regardless of their other personal rights and privileges.

The reason God chose to bless some individuals was to accomplish one ultimate goal. This goal was the fulfillment of His plans for His own glorification including the fulfillment of His promises to humanity. All the details of His choices of individuals contributed to His ultimate goal.

The genealogies teach us this lesson. The way to achieve permanence and success in individual life, and the way to achieve stability and success in national life, is to recognize God in life. Throughout history people and nations have succeeded or failed as they recognized God. This is a major point the writer was demonstrating in the genealogies. God has been selecting, changing, interrupting, and moving through history inexorably toward His ultimate goal.

The life of David, as narrated here, illustrates the supreme importance of recognizing God in national life (chs. 10-29).

The writer presented David as a strong model king. He selected four pictures from David's life. The first of these was his crowning that shows God's choice of him. The second was his capture of Jerusalem that was the victory that led to the temple. The third picture was his mighty men. It shows his influence on personal character and his true power. The fourth was the gathering of multitudes behind his leadership that shows his influence on the masses. All of these pictures are in a sense background for what follows concerning David.

What made David the great king he was? The writer showed that it was his attitude toward God that expressed itself in his attitude toward the temple. David's care for the ark (a symbol of God's grace) and his desire to build the temple (a symbol of worship that responds to God's grace) reveal his deepest passion in life. His master passion was that Israel should never forget the God who had chosen her for special blessing in the world. We can see that his great desire was not simply to build the temple. When God told him through Nathan not to build it, David accepted this. He was content to gather materials and to make plans because he saw the temple as a way of helping Israel remember her God.

The writer of 1 Chronicles wanted to show the importance of what the temple symbolized, namely Israel's national recognition of God. David's great desire was that Israel recognize God and express that recognition publicly.

As king, David ruled under the authority of God. As warrior, he executed the will of God. As poet, he constantly extolled the reign of God. He glorified God in every aspect of his life. He also appreciated the importance of recognizing God nationally.

The message of this book is still a timeless one for us today. The recognition of God is still extremely important in life nationally and individually. Just as God governs all individuals, He also governs all nations, not just Israel. Amos made the point that God governs all nations, not just Israel. All nations are accountable to Him (cf. Deut. 32). Even today one of the Jews' favorite names for God is "king of the universe."

It is important that we recognize God because of His selective activity that the genealogies highlight. Throughout all of history God has been choosing, selecting, lifting up, and casting down. He selects new people in every generation. If they fail, He selects others and keeps moving ahead. If the person we would normally expect God to use is not ready or is unqualified, God will choose another (cf. Saul and David). If the person with privilege does not respond to his opportunity, God will pass him by, find some other perhaps obscure person, and move on. How foolish it is for nations and individuals not to recognize Him in view of God's sovereign progress.

It is also important that we recognize God because of the effect recognizing Him has on life. Take God out of the life of nations and individuals and what happens? There is no moral standard. An English politician once said, "If there is no Bible, where is your textbook of morals? There is the supreme difficulty. We must teach morals, and there is no textbook or standard in the world if we take the Bible away."¹⁷

When we lose our moral standard we lose individual character. When we lose individual character we lose the basis for civilized society. These things build on each other. Awareness of the throne of God and the government of God is foundational for any social order.

It is extremely important for every nation to build the temple of God, to recognize God in its life. This creates an opportunity for people to deal with God. Movements that advocate removing recognition of God from national life are pernicious. The person who points people to God is the true patriot. David wrote, "Zeal for your house has eaten me up." What is God's temple today? It is the church (Matt. 16:18). As the church we must point people to God. This was the "point" of church steeples in the past, to point people to God.

Constable: 1 Chronicles (Outline)

Outline

I. Israel's historical roots chs. 1-9

A. The lineage of David chs. 1-3

B. The house of Israel chs. 4-7

1. The family of Judah 4:1-23

2. The family of Simeon 4:24-43

3. The families of Transjordan ch. 5

4. The family of Levi ch. 6

5. The remaining families of Israel ch. 7

C. The lineage of Saul chs. 8-9

II. The reign of David chs. 10-29

A. The death of Saul ch. 10

B. David's coronation and capital 11:1-9

C. David's mighty men 11:10-12:40

D. David and the ark chs. 13-16

1. The removal of the ark from Kiriath-jearim ch. 13

2. Restoring fellowship with Yahweh ch. 14

3. The importance of the priests and Levites 15:1-15

4. The joy produced by God's presence 15:16-16:6

5. David's concern for the universal worship of Yahweh 16:7-43

E. God's covenant promises to David chs. 17-29

1. The first account of God's promises to David chs. 17-21

2. The second account of God's promises to David chs. 22-27

3. The third account of God's promises to David chs. 28-29

(Continued in notes on 2 Chronicles)

Constable: 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles

Bibliography

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST BOOK OF PARALIPOMENON.

INTRODUCTION.

These Books are called by the Greek Interpreters, Paralipomenon; ( Greek: Paraleipomenon, ) that is, of things left out, or omitted; because they are a kind of supplement of such things as were passed over in the Books of Kings. The Hebrews call them, Dibre Hajamim; that is, The words of the days, or The Chronicles. Not that they are the books which are so often quoted in the Kings, under the title of, The Words of the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Juda; for the Books of Paralipomenon were written after the Books of Kings; but because, in all probability, they have been abridged from those ancient words of the days, by Esdras, or some other sacred author. (Challoner) --- The author of this compilation refers to the same works, 2 Paralipomenon xvi. 11., &c. These journals were principally composed by prophets, though there were other people appointed to write the most important occurrences, 2 Kings viii. 16., and 4 Kings xviii. 18. The genealogies of families, particularly of the Levites, and the interests of piety and religion, are kept most in view. (Calmet) --- The variations which appear between this work and the other parts of Scripture, are owing to the faults of transcribers; and, though they could not be satisfactorily explained, it would be rashness to condemn the author of inaccuracy, at this distance of time, when we know so little of those transactions. (Haydock) --- Who calls in question the history of Alexander, though the different authors of it scarcely agree in one calculation of the number of troops, nations conquered, &c.?" Yet the work before us is of far higher authority, as it was dictated by the Holy Ghost. (Calmet) --- "Without it, a person would in vain pretend to understand the Scriptures." It is "an epitome of the Old Testament," and "explains many difficulties of the gospels." (St. Jerome) --- The author does not, however, seem to have designed to draw up an exact epitome, or to supply the deficiencies of the other works. (Calmet) --- The first nine chapters contain various genealogical histories. In the 10th, we have the election and death of Saul; and in the remainder of the first book, the transactions of David, (Worthington) till the year [of the world] 2990, where the second book commences with the reign of Solomon, and brings us to the end of the captivity. (The year of the world 3468.; Calmet)

Gill: 1 Chronicles (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES

This and the following book were reckoned by the Jews as one book, as appears by the Masoretic note at the end of the second book, and as is affirmed by Origen ^a and Jerom ^b; and they were by the ancients ^c called Chronicles, as they are by us; but they are different from the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah, so often mentioned in the preceding books, seeing several things there referred to, as in them, are not to be found here; though no doubt many things here recorded were taken from thence under a divine direction. In the Greek version, and so in the Vulgate Latin version after that, they are called "Paralipomena", that is, things passed over or omitted, because they contain several anecdotes which are not to be found in the books of Samuel and Kings. The Hebrew title of them is, "Dibre Hayamim", words of days, day books or diaries, and what the Greeks call "Ephemerides"; though, as "yamim" sometimes signifies years, they may be named "annals"; and so the Arabic inscription is,

"the Books of Annals;''

and because they chiefly respect the kings of Judah, the Syriac inscription is,

"the Book of the Things that were done in the Times of the Kings of Judah.''

The Targum is,

"the Book of Genealogies, the Words of Days, which were from the Days of the World;''

because the first ten chapters consist of genealogies beginning from Adam. The inspired penman of these books must live after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, since he carries down the genealogy of the kings and princes of Judah beyond that time, 1Ch 3:17. It is generally thought by the Jews and Christians that Ezra was the writer of them, with which agrees the age in which he lived; and as it may seem, from the last of these books ending with the same words with which that under his name begins: so the Talmudists ^d say, that Ezra wrote his own book, and the genealogy of the chronicles unto his own, or unto Velo, "and he had brethren", 2Ch 21:2 and Jarchi affirms that he wrote them by the hand or means of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, inspired prophets; though some Jewish writers ^e suppose they were written partly by him, and partly by Nehemiah; that all to 2Ch 21:2 were written by Ezra, and the rest by Nehemiah. Kimchi thinks that Ezra was not the first author and writer of these books, but that the books of Chronicles and Annals of the kings of Judah, and of the kings of Israel, were separately written before him; but that he only revised them, and with the men of the great synagogue added the genealogies, and put them into the canon of the Scriptures ^f. Spinosa ^g fancies they were written after Judas Maccabaeus had restored the temple, since the historian tells what families dwelt in Jerusalem in the times of Ezra, 1Ch 9:1 and speaks of the porters, 1Ch 9:17 two of which are mentioned, Neh 11:19 as if Ezra could not describe the families that lived when he did, or name the porters of the temple, since it was finished and dedicated in his time, Ezr 6:15, but however there is no doubt to be made of the authenticity of these books, since not only they have always been acknowledged by the Jews as a part of the canonical Scripture, and by ancient Christians, as appears by the catalogues of Melito ^h and Origen ⁱ; but there are plain references to them in the New Testament. The genealogy of Christ, by the evangelists, is formed out of them; the doxology in Rev 5:12 as some have observed, comes very near to what is used by David, 1Ch 29:11 and the passages in Act 7:48 contain the sense of what is expressed in 2Ch 2:5. The use and design of these books are chiefly to give a larger account of the kingdom of Judah, especially after the division of it from the ten tribes, and of the kings thereof, than what is given in the preceding books, as in the last of these books; and particularly they ascertain the genealogy of Christ, that it might be clear and plain of what tribe and family the Messiah came, that he descended from the tribe of Judah, and from the kings of the house of David, as in this first book. They both contain an history from Adam, to the deliverance of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The first of these books reaches, according to Hottinger ^k, to A. M. 2985, and the latter is an history of four hundred and seventy two years. According to Bishop Usher ^l the former contains a course of 2990 years, and the latter of four hundred and seventy eight.

Gill: 1 Chronicles 28 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 28

David, having convened the principal men of the nation, declared Solomon his successor, whom God had chosen both to be king, and to build the temple, 1Ch 28:1, and exhorted both them and him to serve the Lord, and build an house for him, 1Ch 28:8, then gave Solomon the pattern of it, and an account of the materials he had prepared for it, 1Ch 28:11, and encouraged him to go about the work with alacrity and intrepidity, 1Ch 28:20.