1 Chronicles 28

World English Bible (WEB) · English

1 David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, to Jerusalem. 2 Then David the king stood up on his feet and said, “Hear me, my brothers and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and for the footstool of our God; and I had prepared for the building. 3 But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4 However the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5 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 LORD’s kingdom over Israel. 6 He said to me, ‘Solomon, your son, shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as it is today.’ 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the LORD’s assembly, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever. 9 You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10 Take heed now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.” 11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, for its houses, for its treasuries, for its upper rooms, for its inner rooms, for the place of the mercy seat; 12 and the plans of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of the LORD’s house, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of God’s house, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things; 13 also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the LORD’s house, and for all the vessels of service in the LORD’s house— 14 of gold by weight for the gold for all vessels of every kind of service, for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service; 15 by weight also for the lamp stands of gold, and for its lamps, of gold, by weight for every lamp stand and for its lamps; and for the lamp stands of silver, by weight for every lamp stand and for its lamps, according to the use of every lamp stand; 16 and the gold by weight for the tables of show bread, for every table; and silver for the tables of silver; 17 and the forks, the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl; 18 and for the altar of incense, refined gold by weight; and gold for the plans for the chariot, and the cherubim that spread out and cover the ark of the LORD’s covenant. 19 “All this”, David said, “I have been made to understand in writing from the LORD’s hand, even all the works of this pattern.” 20 David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the LORD’s house is finished. 21 Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of God’s house. Every willing man who has skill for any kind of service shall be with you in all kinds of work. Also the captains and all the people will be entirely 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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