1 Chronicles 14:1

David’s Prestige Grows

14:1 King Hiram of Tyre ¹  sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, ²  and carpenters to build a palace for him.

Jeremiah 22:15

22:15 Does it make you any more of a king

that you outstrip everyone else in ³  building with cedar?

Just think about your father.

He was content that he had food and drink. ⁴ 

He did what was just and right. ⁵ 

So things went well with him.

Haggai 1:4

1:4 “Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses ⁶  while my temple is in ruins? ⁷ 

Haggai 1:9

1:9 ‘You expected a large harvest, but instead ⁸  there was little, and when you brought it home it disappeared right away. ⁹  Why?’ asks the Lord who rules over all. ‘Because my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house! ¹⁰ 

¹ map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.

² tn Heb “craftsman of a wall,” that is, masons skilled at building stone walls.

³ tn For the use of this verb see Jer 12:5 where it is used of Jeremiah “competing” with horses. The form is a rare Tiphel (see GKC 153 §55.h).

⁴ tn Heb “Your father, did he not eat and drink and do justice and right.” The copulative vav in front of the verbs here (all Hebrew perfects) shows that these actions are all coordinate not sequential. The contrast drawn here between the actions of Jehoiakim and Josiah show that the phrase eating and drinking should be read in the light of the same contrasts in Eccl 2 which ends with the note of contentment in Eccl 2:24 (see also Eccl 3:13; 5:18 [5:17 HT]; 8:15). The question is, of course, rhetorical setting forth the positive role model against which Jehoiakim’s actions are to be condemned. The key terms here are “then things went well with him” which is repeated in the next verse after the reiteration of Josiah’s practice of justice.

⁵ sn The father referred to here is the godly king Josiah. He followed the requirements for kings set forth in 22:3 in contrast to his son who did not (22:13).

⁶ sn Richly paneled houses. Paneling is otherwise known in the OT only in connection with the temple (1 Kgs 6:9) and the royal palace (2 Kgs 7:3, 7). It implies decoration and luxury (cf. NCV “fancy houses”; TEV “well-built houses”; NLT “luxurious houses”). The impropriety of the people living in such lavish accommodations while the temple lay unfinished is striking.

⁷ tn Heb “Is it time for you, [yes] you, to live in paneled houses, while this house is in ruins”; NASB “lies desolate”; NIV “remains a ruin.”

⁸ tn Heb “look!” (הִנֵּה, hinneh). The term, an interjection, draws attention to the point being made.

⁹ tn Heb “I blew it away” (so NRSV, TEV, NLT). The imagery here suggests that human achievements are so fragile and temporal that a mere breath from God can destroy them (see Ezek 22:20, 21; and Isa 40:7 with נָשַׁב, nashav).

¹⁰ tn Heb “and each of you runs to his own house”; NIV “is busy with”; TEV “is busy working on”; NCV “work hard for.”