1 Chronicles 28:1-21
1 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 possessiona 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.b
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 constantc 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 ever.
10 Take 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 the pattern of the porch, 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,
12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:
13 Also for the 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.
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:
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: 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 tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:
17 Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, 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 altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.
20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be 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.
21 And, behold, the 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 every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.
1 Chronicles 28:12. The pattern of all that he had by the Spirit. Though the Septuagint read, “the pattern of all that he had in his mind;” yet from 1 Chronicles 28:19, and from Exodus 31:3, it is plain enough that the idea of the temple and its altar was made known to David by revelation, and by him committed to writing and delivered to Solomon. Hence we religiously contemplate the temple as a faint figure of the church of Christ, and of the state of the heavenly kingdom; and we find this idea constantly followed in the book of Revelation. The ritual law is expressly said to have been a shadow of good things to come.
REFLECTIONS.
David, full of days and full of grace, animated with the spirit which inspired Moses, Joshua, and Samuel, convoked the people to receive his dying commands. Hereby he manifested his great piety, and unabating zeal for the glory of God. How lovely to see an old man elevated to God, and full of heaven in his last moments.
In delivering this solemn and religious charge, he for the moment lays aside the regal style, and calls the people his brethren. Yes, for we have all one Father, even God. Humility should therefore distinguish the piety of kings; how much more then the chief of sinners, and the abject worms of the earth?
To this assembly David nominates Solomon to the throne, which has already been considered in 1 Kings 2. But the sublime and solemn charge to this prince claims a more particular notice; and may our children read it with a feeling heart. It was a dying father speaking to a son, yet in his minority. It was an illustrious king raising his son by the hand to fill the throne, and with an equal lustre. It was a king who ascribes all his glory to the unmerited covenant mercies of the Lord, charging his son to keep that covenant. Turning from the elders to the prince, he said, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind.” He wished the heart of Solomon to be right with God, and then his life would be right. He wished him to keep, not to alter, the religion of his father; then the Lord would be with the son, as he had been with the sire. David's faith was now more than theory; he could say with St. Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith. David now engages him to obedience, to an obedience the most unqualified, by all the weight of the endearing appellatives of father and of son. How happy are those children who have the like domestic motives to piety; who have a long line of ancestors, righteous on earth, and glorious in heaven. After hinting at the mercies conferred on Jesse's house, mercies often recited at large, he charges him to retain the family favours, by the sanctifying thought, that this family covenant had its conditions. See 1 Samuel 2:30. ‘If thou seek him, he will be found of thee, and he will even do more for thee than for thy father. But if thou forsake him, become apostate and serve other gods, he will cast thee off for ever. Remember the house of Eli, and of Saul; and be assured that the ultimate object of the promise refers to the Messiah. In case therefore of thy fully turning away from the Lord, the names of Abraham and of David will no more be argument for thy pardon, but reproaches for thy condemnation.' Oh Lord, keep me then from falling; for according to this covenant thou wilt judge the world. See an extract of Saurin's sermon, on 2 Kings 3:4.