1 Chronicles 28

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) · English

1 Now David summoned all the leaders of Israel to Jerusalem: the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions in the king’s service, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, along with the court officials and mighty men—every mighty man of valor. 2 Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build it, 3 but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a man of war who has spilled blood.’ 4 Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my father’s household, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel. 5 And of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. 6 And He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him as My son, and I will be his Father. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever, if he resolutely carries out My commandments and ordinances, as is being done this day.’ 8 So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants forever. 9 As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 10 Consider now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.” 11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat. 12 The plans contained everything David had in mind for the courts of the house of the LORD, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God and of the dedicated things, 13 for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for all the work of service in the house of the LORD, and for all the articles of service in the house of the LORD: 14 the weight of all the gold articles for every kind of service; the weight of all the silver articles for every kind of service; 15 the weight of the gold lampstands and their lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; the weight of each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; 16 the weight of gold for each table of showbread, and of silver for the silver tables; 17 the weight of the pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls, and pitchers; the weight of each gold dish; the weight of each silver bowl; 18 the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 19 “All this,” said David, “all the details of this plan, the LORD has made clear to me in writing by His hand upon me.” 20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. 21 The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man of every skill will be at your disposal for the work. The officials and all the people are fully at your command.”

Commentary — not Bible text

1 Chronicles 28:1

Introduction

David assembles the princes of Israel, and informs them that the temple was to be built by Solomon; to whom God had given the most gracious promises, 1Chr 28:1-7. He exhorts them and him to be obedient to God, that they might continue to prosper, 1Chr 28:8-10. He gives Solomon a pattern of the work, 1Chr 28:11, 1Chr 28:12; directs him concerning the courses of the priests and Levites, 1Chr 28:13; gives also gold, by weight, for the different utensils of the temple, as God had directed him, 1Chr 28:14-19; encourages Solomon to undertake the work, 1Chr 28:20, 1Chr 28:21.

Verse 1

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

1 Chronicles 28:2

Verse 2

David - stood up upon his feet - He was now very old, and chiefly confined to his bed, (see 1Kgs 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.

1 Chronicles 28:3

Verse 3

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

1 Chronicles 28:4-7

Verse 4

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

1 Chronicles 28:8-9

Verse 8

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

1 Chronicles 28:10

Verse 10

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

1 Chronicles 28:11

Verse 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 1Chr 28:12, 1Chr 28:19), just as Moses had received the plan of the tabernacle.

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.

1 Chronicles 28:12-13

Verse 12

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

1 Chronicles 28:14

Verse 14

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

1 Chronicles 28:15-17

Verse 15

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

1 Chronicles 28:18

Verse 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.

1 Chronicles 28:19

Verse 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."

1 Chronicles 28:20

Verse 20

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

1 Chronicles 28:21

Verse 21

Behold, the courses of the priests - The priests and the Levites, the cunning artificers, and the princes of the people, will be at thy command. Thus David, having assigned him his work, and described the manner in which it was to be done, shows him who were to be his assistants in it, and encourages him in the great undertaking.

Here we find piety, good sense, prudence, zeal for the public welfare and God's glory, the strongest attachments to the worship of Jehovah, and concern for the ordinances of religion, all united; and Solomon has his danger, his duty, and his interest placed before him in the truest and most impressive light by his pious and sensible father.

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