The First Book of the Chronicles
1 Chronicles 28
Chapter XXVIII · Vol. II, pp. 842–843
1 David in a solemn assembly having declared God's special favour to him, and the promises to his son Solomon, exhorteth them to fear God. 9, 20 He encourageth Solomon to build the temple. 11 He giveth him patterns for the form, and gold and silver for the materials.
1 And David aassembled 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 possession1 of the king, and of his sons, with the officers,2 and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.
B.C. 1015.
a ch.23.2; 27.1-34; 11.11-47.
A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015.
1 Or, cattle.
2 Or, eunuchs.
2 Then David the king bstood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my cbrethren, and my people: As for me, I had din mine heart to build an house of rest efor the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the ffootstool3 of our God, and had made gready for the building:
b Ge.47.31. Ju.3.20. 1 Ki.1.47.
d ch.17.1,2; 22.7. 2 Sa.7.2. Ac.7.46. 1 Ki.8.17.
e ch.6.31. Ps.132.5.
3 We learn from Is.66.1. Mat.5.35. that while heaven is God's throne, the earth is his footstool. Even so is God represented in omnipresence. But when considered in locality, 'he sits between the cherubim,' Ps.99.1, whose wings overshadowed the mercy-seat, He.9.5; the place of worship in front, Ps.99.5, being consequently denominated God's footstool.—C.
g ch.xxii. 2 Sa.8.11.
3 But God said unto me, hThou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.4
h 2 Sa.7.5,13. 1 Ki.5.3; 8.18,19. ch.22.8; 17.4. 2 Ch.6.8,9.
4 Heb. bloods.
4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose ime before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever:5 for he hath chosen kJudah 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:
i 1 Sa.16.1-13. ch.17.7-13; 2.13-16.
5 The government was to have no end, provided they continued to walk according to the commandments of God (see ver. 7). The government, as referring to the Messiah, is, and will be, for ever.—J.
k Ge.49.8,10. 1 Sa.16.13. Ps.78.68,70; 108.8; 60.9.
5 And of all lmy sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath 6chosen mSolomon my son to sit upon the throne nof the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
l 2 Sa.3.2-5; 5.14-16. ch.3.1-9; 14.4-7.
6 He had, by his word, shown David his successor, either by a direct revelation to himself, or by a message through the prophet Nathan.—C.
m ch.22.9,10; 29.1. 2 Sa.12.24,25. 1 Ki.1.17.
6 And he said unto me, oSolomon 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.
o 2 Sa.7.13,14. 2 Ch.1.9. ch.17.10-14; 22.10. Zec.6.12.13. Mat.16.16?. He.1.5.
7 Moreover, pI will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant7 to do my commandments and my judgments, as qat this day.
8 Now therefore, rin the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, skeep 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.
r Mat.5.16. He.12.1,2. Phi.2.15,16.
s De.4.1,2,6,40; 5.1,32,33; 6.2,17,18; 8.1; 10.12,13; 11.32; 12.32. Jos.23.6; 24.14. 1 Sa.12.14,24. ch.22.19.
9 And thou, Solomon my son, tknow8 thou the God of thy father, and serve him uwith a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for xthe LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: yif thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
t De.4.35. Je.9.24. Jn.17.3. Ho.4.1,6. Ps.9.10.
8 Study his nature and will, in his word, ordinances, and providence, so that you may know him by observation and experience. Take him for thine own covenant God, thy portion and refuge for ever, Job 22.21.—C.
u De.10.12. Mat.22.37. 1 Ki.8.61. 2 Ki.20.3; 22.2.
x 1 Sa.16.7. Ps.7.9; 139.2. Je.11.20; 17.10; 20.12. Re.2.23. ch.29.17. Pr.17.3.
y Mat.7.7,11. Je.29.12,13. Is.55.6; 3.10,11. Ps.32.6. 1 Ki.18.18. 2 Ki.23.27.
10 Takez heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.
11 Then David gave to Solomon his son thea patterna of the bporch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy-seat
A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015.
a Ex.25.40; 26.30; 39.42,43. ver.12,19.
a 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 (ver. 12-19), just as Moses had received the plan of the tabernacle. Clarke.—The temple must be a sacred thing, and a type of Christ. There must be in it not only convenience but significance; it must not be left to man's art or invention to contrive it; but it must be framed by divine institution. Christ the true temple, the church 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.—Henry.
12 And the pattern of all that he had1 by the Spirit,2 of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of cthe treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:
1 Heb. of all that was with him.
2 God by his Spirit had shown to David the size, form, and arrangement of the temple in all its detail. Being an emblem of the body prepared for the Lord, it was needful the whole plan should come from God, and not from the imagination of man, Ex.25.40; 31.3.—C.
c ch.26.20-27; 9.26. 1 Ki.14.26; 15.15,18. 2 Ki.16.8; 18.15.
13 Also for dthe courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.
d ch.xxiii.-xxvi.
14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:3
3 He appointed what quantity of metal should go to each.
15 Even the weight for the ecandlesticks 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.
16 And by weight he gave gold for the tablesf of show-bread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:
f 2 Ch.4.8. 1 Ki.7.48. Ex.25.23-30.
17 Also gpure gold for the flesh-hooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:
18 And for the haltar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the ichariot4 of the cherubims,5 that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
h 1 Ki.7.48. Ex.30.1-10.
i 1 Sa.4.4. Eze.1.24. 1 Ki.6.23-30. Ps.99.1; 18.10; 80.1.
4 'The chariot,' it may be translated the supporters of the cherubim; or perhaps the cherubs themselves considered as the emblematic chariot of Jehovah. Compare 2 Ki.19.15. Ps.18.10; 80.1. Eze.10.15.—C.
5 In the original the word 'cherubims' is in apposition to 'chariot,' and not in the status constructus, as our translators appear to have supposed. In fact the form of the words shows at once to any scholar that there can be no genitive here. Consequently they should be translated: 'And for the pattern of the chariot—the cherubim, gold.' The cherubim constituted the chariot of Jehovah, as is stated in Ps.18.10, and as is indicated in Eze.10.14-17.—P.
19 All this, said David, kthe LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.6
20 And David said to Solomon his son, Bel strong, and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
l ch.22.13,16. De.31.7,8. Jos.1.5; 23.6. He.13.5. Ro.8.31. Phi.2.12,13. Zec.1.17. Is.41.10,14,15.
21 And, behold, mthe courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee, for all manner of workmanship, nevery willing skilful man, for any manner of service; also othe princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.7
m ch.xxiii.-xxvi.
A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015.
n Ex.31.3; 35.25,26,35; 36.1,2. Ps.110.3.
o ch.22.17-19. Ro.13.1. Tit.3.1.
7 Not that David established an irresponsible despotism for his son, but he prophesies the perfect obedience and cordial co-operation of the princes under the power of conscience and grace, Ps.110.3.—C.
Notes
[Ver. 19. These words are very remarkable. The Hebrew may be more clearly rendered:—'All this has Jehovah taught me through a writing from his hand given to me as a pattern.' The Lord himself, therefore, had given to David instructions written, and a pattern traced, by his own hand; just as he had done to Moses in regard to the tabernacle. The plan of both temple and tabernacle was divine. P.]
Reflections.—It is honourable to be removed and exalted to the church eternal, while we are earnestly exerting ourselves to leave all things well in the church below. Public settlements of religion and kingdoms ought to be conducted with the utmost prudence, that (if possible) all concerned may be satisfied. Rulers in the church and state should deal with those under them in the most affectionate and engaging manner. Respectful kindness has a powerful tendency to secure their cheerful service. And even when the settlement is divine, and cannot be altered, care ought to be taken to convince every one of its divinity. God puts his honourable work into what hands he pleases. But a solid knowledge of God, holy awe of him as the searcher of hearts, rewarder of piety, and punisher of apostasy, and a knowledge of our divine call, are necessary to excite us to his service. Everything in God's church and worship ought to be framed exactly according to his inspired model, without the smallest intermixture of the inventions of men: and in executing designs for his honour, we should be benevolent and cheerful. God's owning our fathers in his work, and especially the promises of his presence with us, should make us to renounce every unbelieving fear, and every degree of insolence. And when princes, priests, and people heartly concur in God's work, the spiritual building rises gloriously.