XXVIII. DAVID’S LAST INSTRUCTIONS AND DEATH (1 Chronicles 28, 29). David charges Solomon before the National Assembly to build the Temple (1 Chronicles 28:1), and delivers to him the plans and materials of the building and its furniture (1 Chronicles 28:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID ASSEMBLED ALL THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL. — As he had called the National Assembly before removing the Ark (1 Chronicles 13:1; 1 Chronicles 15:3). Who the princes (_sârîm_) were is defined in the following clauses. THE PRINCES OF THE TRIBES. — See the list of them in 1 Chronicles 27:16. CAPTA... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN DAVID THE KING STOOD UP UPON HIS FEET. — To address the assembly, the king naturally rose from his throne. HEAR ME. — Calling attention, as in Genesis 23:11. MY BRETHREN, AND MY PEOPLE. — Comp. 1 Samuel 30:23; 2 Samuel 19:12. The words do not so much imply condescension as an acknowledgment o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD SAID UNTO ME. — The emphasis lies on the word _God,_ which is in direct contrast with the “I — in my heart it was,” of 1 Chronicles 28:2. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 22:8, of which this verse is a summary.)... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL CHOSE ME. — Comp. 1 Chronicles 11:2 and Notes. The Divine election of David preludes that of Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:5). FOR HE HATH CHOSEN JUDAH TO BE THE RULER. — Better, _For Judah it was that he chose for prince_ (_nâgîd_)_, and in the house of Judah, my father’s... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY SONS. — See 1 Chronicles 3:1, where nineteen are mentioned by name, “besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.” HE HATH CHOSEN. — Heb., _then he chose,_ the construction being changed after the parenthesis. SOLOMON MY SON. — The son who has the best right to the name. (Comp.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL BUILD. — Better, _he it is that shall build._ The pronoun is emphatic: _he,_ and not _thou._ I HAVE CHOSEN HIM.... HIS FATHER. — Literally, _I have chosen him for myself as a son, and I — I will become to him a father. _... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER I WILL ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM FOR EVER. — So 1 Chronicles 22:10 (at end). IF HE BE CONSTANT TO DO MY COMMANDMENTS AND MY JUDGMENTS. — The same condition is attached to the same promise in 1 Kings 9:4. (Comp. also 1 Kings 3:14, where the promise is length of days.) AS AT THIS DAY. — As we a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE IN THE SIGHT OF ALL ISRAEL. — Literally, _And now to the eyes of all Israel... and in the ears of our God;_ scil. I adjure you. David ends his address to the people by a solemn appeal, like that, of Moses (Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 30:19 : “I call heaven and earth to witness,” &c.)... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU, SOLOMON MY SON. — The king now turns to his heir, urging a whole-hearted service to his father’s God (1 Chronicles 28:9). KNOW THOU. — Regard thou, have care for (Psalms 1:6). THE GOD OF THY FATHER might mean the God of _Israel_ (comp. 1 Chronicles 29:10). But 1 Chronicles 28:20, where Da... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED NOW; FOR THE LORD. — Or, _See now that Jehovah hath chosen thee;_ consider this high commission, weigh it well and realise it thoroughly, then be strong, and act. (See 1 Chronicles 22:13; 1 Chronicles 22:16.) David now, in presence of the Assembly, hands over to his son the plans of the S... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN (and) DAVID GAVE. — The description proceeds from the outer to the inner. THE PATTERN. — Heb., _tahnîth,_ the word used in Exodus 25:9 of the model, plan, or design of the Tabernacle. THE PORCH. — See 1 Kings 6:3. The Syriac has _prûstidê: i.e.,_ παραστάδες, colonnade, portico. THE HOUSES TH... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PATTERN OF ALL THAT HE HAD BY THE SPIRIT. — Rather, _the pattern of all that was_ (or _had come to be_)_ in the spirit with him: i.e.,_ had come into his mind; the whole design as it lay in his mind. (Comp. the phrase in 1 Chronicles 28:2 : “with my heart it was to build.” See 1 Chronicles 2... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO (and) FOR THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES. — This connects immediately with the phrase “all the chambers round about,” in 1 Chronicles 28:12. The chambers or cells round the Temple court were intended not only for the stowage of the treasures, but also for the use of the priests and... [ Continue Reading ]
HE GAVE OF GOLD BY WEIGHT FOR THINGS OF GOLD. — The Hebrew is very concise. Apparently it continues the construction of 1 Chronicles 28:12, so that the sense is: “He gave him a pattern or description for the golden vessels (literally, _for the gold_)_,_ by the weight for the golden vessels (Heb., _f... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE WEIGHT FOR THE CANDLESTICKS OF GOLD. — Rather, _and a_ (specified) _weight for the golden lampstands, and their golden lamps, in the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and_ (a weight) _for the lampstands of silver by weight, for a lampstand and its lamps, according to the service of ea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BY WEIGHT HE GAVE GOLD. — _And the gold he gave_ (assigned in the schedule or written plan) _a certain weight._ FOR THE TABLES OF SHEWBREAD. — Only one table of shewbread is spoken of in the Law. (See Exodus 25:23, and comp. 1 Kings 7:48.) The chronicler was well aware of this, as appears from 2... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO PURE GOLD FOR THE FLESHHOOKS, AND THE BOWLS, AND THE CUPS. — Rather, _and the forks, and the bowls, and the flagons were_ (in the schedule or inventory) _pure gold._ (See Exodus 27:3; 1 Samuel 2:13.) The bowls were used in lustral sprinkling, the golden flagons in libations (Exodus 25:29; Exodu... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THIS SAID DAVID. — The words with which David delivered the plans of the building and the schedule of its vessels to Solomon. The omission of any introductory formula, such as “And David said,” is dramatic. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:8; 1 Chronicles 23:4.) Literally rendered, after the Hebrew punctu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID TO SOLOMON HIS SON. — The conclusion of the speech begun in 1 Chronicles 28:9, and interrupted by the transfer of the plans and designs (1 Chronicles 28:11). BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE. — So 1 Chronicles 22:13. “And do” is added here, because the time for action is imminent. FEAR... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES. — The form of expression suggests that David pointed to them as he spoke. The representatives of religion would hardly be absent from an assembly of “all the princes of Israel” (1 Chronicles 28:1) (Comp. 1 Chronicles 24:5, “princes of God.”) T... [ Continue Reading ]