1 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.
3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.
5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.
7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.
11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.
12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.
16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.
17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.
19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.
1 Then David H1732 said, H559 This is the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 God, H430 and this is the altar H4196 of the burnt offering H5930 for Israel. H3478
2 And David H1732 commanded H559 to gather together H3664 the strangers H1616 that were in the land H776 of Israel; H3478 and he set H5975 masons H2672 to hew H2672 wrought H1496 stones H68 to build H1129 the house H1004 of God. H430
3 And David H1732 prepared H3559 iron H1270 in abundance H7230 for the nails H4548 for the doors H1817 of the gates, H8179 and for the joinings; H4226 and brass H5178 in abundance H7230 without weight; H4948
4 Also cedar H730 trees H6086 in abundance: H369 H4557 for the Zidonians H6722 and they of Tyre H6876 brought H935 much H7230 cedar H730 wood H6086 to David. H1732
5 And David H1732 said, H559 Solomon H8010 my son H1121 is young H5288 and tender, H7390 and the house H1004 that is to be builded H1129 for the LORD H3068 must be exceeding H4605 magnifical, H1431 of fame H8034 and of glory H8597 throughout all countries: H776 I will therefore now make preparation H3559 for it. So David H1732 prepared H3559 abundantly H7230 before H6440 his death. H4194
6 Then he called H7121 for Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 and charged H6680 him to build H1129 an house H1004 for the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
7 And David H1732 said H559 to Solomon, H8010 My son, H1121 as for me, it was in my mind H3824 to build H1129 an house H1004 unto the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 my God: H430
8 But the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to me, saying, H559 Thou hast shed H8210 blood H1818 abundantly, H7230 and hast made H6213 great H1419 wars: H4421 thou shalt not build H1129 an house H1004 unto my name, H8034 because thou hast shed H8210 much H7227 blood H1818 upon the earth H776 in my sight. H6440
9 Behold, a son H1121 shall be born H3205 to thee, who shall be a man H376 of rest; H4496 and I will give him rest H5117 from all his enemies H341 round about: H5439 for his name H8034 shall be Solomon, H8010 and I will give H5414 peace H7965 and quietness H8253 unto Israel H3478 in his days. H3117
10 He shall build H1129 an house H1004 for my name; H8034 and he shall be my son, H1121 and I will be his father; H1 and I will establish H3559 the throne H3678 of his kingdom H4438 over Israel H3478 for H5704 ever. H5769
11 Now, my son, H1121 the LORD H3068 be with thee; and prosper H6743 thou, and build H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 as he hath said H1696 of thee.
12 Only the LORD H3068 give H5414 thee wisdom H7922 and understanding, H998 and give thee charge H6680 concerning Israel, H3478 that thou mayest keep H8104 the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
13 Then shalt thou prosper, H6743 if thou takest heed H8104 to fulfil H6213 the statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 which the LORD H3068 charged H6680 Moses H4872 with concerning Israel: H3478 be strong, H2388 and of good courage; H553 dread H3372 not, nor be dismayed. H2865
14 Now, behold, in my trouble H6040 I have prepared H3559 for the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 an hundred H3967 thousand H505 talents H3603 of gold, H2091 and a thousand H505 thousand H505 talents H3603 of silver; H3701 and of brass H5178 and iron H1270 without weight; H4948 for it is in abundance: H7230 timber H6086 also and stone H68 have I prepared; H3559 and thou mayest add H3254 thereto.
15 Moreover there are workmen H6213 H4399 with thee in abundance, H7230 hewers H2672 and workers H2796 of stone H68 and timber, H6086 and all manner of cunning men H2450 for every manner of work. H4399
16 Of the gold, H2091 the silver, H3701 and the brass, H5178 and the iron, H1270 there is no number. H4557 Arise H6965 therefore, and be doing, H6213 and the LORD H3068 be with thee.
17 David H1732 also commanded H6680 all the princes H8269 of Israel H3478 to help H5826 Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 saying,
18 Is not the LORD H3068 your God H430 with you? and hath he not given you rest H5117 on every side? H5439 for he hath given H5414 the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 into mine hand; H3027 and the land H776 is subdued H3533 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and before H6440 his people. H5971
19 Now set H5414 your heart H3824 and your soul H5315 to seek H1875 the LORD H3068 your God; H430 arise H6965 therefore, and build H1129 ye the sanctuary H4720 of the LORD H3068 God, H430 to bring H935 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and the holy H6944 vessels H3627 of God, H430 into the house H1004 that is to be built H1129 to the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068
1 Then David said, This is the house of Jehovah God, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.
2 And David commanded to gather together the sojourners that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.
3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and brass in abundance without weight;
4 and cedar-trees without number: for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar-trees in abundance to David.
5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for Jehovah must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Jehovah, the God of Israel.
7 And David said to Solomon his son, As for me, it was in my heart to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God.
8 But the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build a house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days:
10 he shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.
11 Now, my son, Jehovah be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of Jehovah thy God, as he hath spoken concerning thee.
12 Only Jehovah give thee discretion and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel; that so thou mayest keep the law of Jehovah thy God.
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Jehovah charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; fear not, neither be dismayed.
14 Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Jehovah a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all men that are skilful in every manner of work:
16 of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and Jehovah be with thee.
17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, `saying',
18 Is not Jehovah your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Jehovah, and before his people.
19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Jehovah your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of Jehovah God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Jehovah.
1 And David saith, `This is the house of Jehovah God, and this the altar for burnt-offering for Israel.'
2 And David saith to gather the sojourners who `are' in the land of Israel, and appointeth hewers to hew hewn-stones to build a house of God.
3 And iron in abundance for nails for leaves of the gates, and for couplings, hath David prepared, and brass in abundance -- there is no weighing.
4 And cedar-trees even without number, for the Zidonians and the Tyrians brought in cedar-trees in abundance to David.
5 And David saith, `Solomon my son `is' a youth and tender, and the house to be built to Jehovah `is' to be made exceedingly great, for name and for beauty to all the lands; let me prepare, I pray Thee, for it;' and David prepareth in abundance before his death.
6 And he calleth for Solomon his son, and chargeth him to build a house to Jehovah, God of Israel,
7 and David saith to Solomon his son, `As for me, it hath been with my heart to build a house to the name of Jehovah my God,
8 and the word of Jehovah `is' against me, saying, Blood in abundance thou hast shed, and great wars thou hast made: thou dost not build a house to My name, for much blood thou hast shed to the earth before Me.
9 `Lo, a son is born to thee; he is a man of rest, and I have given rest to him from all his enemies round about, for Solomon is his name, and peace and quietness I give unto Israel in his days;
10 he doth build a house to My name, and he is to Me for a son, and I `am' to him for a father, and I have established the throne of his kingdom over Israel unto the age.
11 `Now, my son, Jehovah is with thee, and thou hast prospered, and hast built the house of Jehovah thy God, as He spake concerning thee.
12 Only, Jehovah give to thee wisdom and understanding, and charge thee concerning Israel, even to keep the law of Jehovah thy God;
13 then thou dost prosper, if thou dost observe to do the statutes and the judgments that Jehovah charged Moses with concerning Israel; be strong and courageous; do not fear, nor be cast down.
14 `And lo, in mine affliction, I have prepared for the house of Jehovah of gold talents a hundred thousand, and of silver a thousand thousand talents; and of brass and of iron there is no weighing, for in abundance it hath been, and wood and stones I have prepared, and to them thou dost add.
15 `And with thee in abundance `are' workmen, hewers and artificers of stone and of wood, and every skilful man for every work.
16 To the gold, to the silver, and to the brass, and to the iron, there is no number; arise and do, and Jehovah is with thee.'
17 And David giveth charge to all heads of Israel to give help to Solomon his son,
18 `Is not Jehovah your God with you? yea, He hath given rest to you round about, for He hath given into my hand the inhabitants of the land, and subdued hath been the land before His people.
19 `Now, give your heart and your soul to seek to Jehovah your God, and rise and build the sanctuary of Jehovah God, to bring in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the holy vessels of God, to the house that is built to the name of Jehovah.'
1 And David said, This is the house of Jehovah Elohim, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.
2 And David commanded to collect the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.
3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joists, and brass in abundance without weight;
4 and cedar-trees innumerable; for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar-wood in abundance to David.
5 For David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Jehovah must be exceeding great in fame and in beauty in all lands: I will therefore make preparation for it. And David prepared abundantly before his death.
6 And he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Jehovah the God of Israel.
7 And David said to Solomon, As for me, my son, I was minded to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God.
8 But the word of Jehovah came to me saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build a house unto my name, for thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and in his days I will give peace and quietness unto Israel.
10 He shall build a house unto my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.
11 Now, my son, Jehovah be with thee, that thou mayest prosper, and build the house of Jehovah thy God, as he has said of thee.
12 Only, Jehovah give thee wisdom and understanding, and place thee over Israel, and to keep the law of Jehovah thy God.
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to perform the statutes and ordinances which Jehovah commanded Moses for Israel: be strong and courageous; fear not, neither be dismayed.
14 And behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Jehovah a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance; and timber and stone have I prepared; and thou shalt add to it.
15 And there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of skilful men for every kind of work.
16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing and Jehovah be with thee.
17 And David commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, [saying,]
18 Is not Jehovah your God with you? and has he [not] given you rest on every side? for he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Jehovah, and before his people.
19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek Jehovah your God; and arise and build the sanctuary of Jehovah Elohim, to bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the vessels of the sanctuary of God into the house that is to be built unto the name of Jehovah.
1 Then David said, This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.
2 David commanded to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew worked stones to build the house of God.
3 David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and brass in abundance without weight;
4 and cedar trees without number: for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.
5 David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.
7 David said to Solomon his son, As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God.
8 But the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars: you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days:
10 he shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.
11 Now, my son, Yahweh be with you; and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you.
12 May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.
13 Then shall you prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong, and of good courage. Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed.
14 Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Yahweh one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one thousand thousand talents of silver, and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and you may add to them.
15 There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work:
16 of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and Yahweh be with you.
17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, [saying],
18 Isn't Yahweh your God with you? Hasn't he given you rest on every side? for he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Yahweh, and before his people.
19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Yahweh your God; arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Yahweh.
1 Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar for Israel's burned offerings.
2 And David gave orders to get together all the men from strange lands who were in the land of Israel; and he put stone-cutters to work, cutting stones for building the house of God.
3 And he got together a great store of iron, for the nails for the doors and for the joins; and brass, more in weight than might be measured;
4 And cedar-trees without number, for the Zidonians and the men of Tyre came with a great amount of cedar-trees for David.
5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and untested, and the house which is to be put up for the Lord is to be very great, a thing of wonder and glory through all countries; so I will make ready what is needed for it. So David got ready a great store of material before his death.
6 Then he sent for his son Solomon, and gave him orders for the building of a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.
7 And David said to Solomon, My son, it was my desire to put up a house for the name of the Lord my God.
8 But the word of the Lord came to me saying, You have taken lives without number and made great wars; I will not let you be the builder of a house for my name, because of the lives you have taken on the earth before my eyes.
9 But you will have a son who will be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from wars on every side. His name will be Solomon, and in his time I will give Israel peace and quiet;
10 He will be the builder of a house for my name; he will be to me a son, and I will be to him a father; and I will make the seat of his rule over Israel certain for ever.
11 Now, my son, may the Lord be with you; and may you do well, and put up the house of the Lord your God, as he has said of you.
12 Only may the Lord give you wisdom, and knowledge of his orders for Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God.
13 And all will go well for you, if you take care to keep the laws and the rules which the Lord gave to Moses for Israel: be strong and take heart; have no fear and do not be troubled.
14 Now see, poor though I am, I have got ready for the house of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold and a million talents of silver; and a weight of brass and iron greater than may be measured; and wood and stone have I made ready, and you may put more to it.
15 And you have a great number of workmen, cutters and workers of stone and wood, and experts in every sort of work,
16 In gold and silver and brass and iron more than may be numbered. Up! then, and to work; and may the Lord be with you.
17 Then David gave orders to all the chiefs of Israel to give their help to Solomon his son, saying,
18 Is not the Lord your God with you? and has he not given you rest on every side? for the Lord has given the people of the land into my hands, and the land is overcome before the Lord and before his people.
19 Now give your heart and soul to the worship of the Lord your God; and get to work on the building of the holy place of the Lord God, so that you may put the ark of the Lord's agreement and the holy vessels of God in the house which is to be made for the name of the Lord.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 22
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 22 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
With this chapter commences the second section of the history of David's kingship, viz., the account of the preparations, dispositions, and arrangements which he made in the last years of his reign for the establishment of his kingdom in the future under his successors. All these preparations and dispositions had reference to the firm establishment of the public worship of the Lord, in which Israel, as the people and congregation of Jahve, might show its faithfulness to the covenant, so as to become partakers of the divine protection, and the blessing which was promised. To build the temple-this desire the Lord had not indeed granted the fulfilment of to David, but He had given him the promise that his son should carry out that work. The grey-haired king accordingly made preparations, after the site of the house of God which should be built had been pointed out to him, such as would facilitate the execution of the work by his successor. Of these preparations our chapter treats, and in it we have an account how David provided the necessary labour and materials for the building of the temple (1 Chronicles 22:2-5), committed the execution of the work in a solemn way to his son Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:6-16), and called upon the chiefs of the people to give him their support in the work (1 Chronicles 22:17-19).
Workmen and materials for the building of the temple . - 1 Chronicles 22:2. In order to procure the necessary workmen, David commanded that the strangers in the land of Israel should be gathered together, and, as we learn from 2 Chronicles 2:16, also numbered. הגּרים , the strangers, are the descendants of the Canaanites whom the Israelites had not destroyed when they took possession of the land, but had reduced to bondage ( 2 Chronicles 8:7-9; 1 Kings 9:20-22). This number was so considerable, that Solomon was able to employ 150,000 of them as labourers and stone-cutters (1 Kings 5:15.; 2 Chronicles 2:16.). These strangers David appointed to be stone-cutters, to hew squared stones, גזית אבני (see on 1 Kings 5:18).
1 Chronicles 22:3
Iron and brass he prepared in abundance: the iron for the nails of the doors, i.e., for the folding-doors of the gates, i.e., partly for the pivots ( Zapfen ) on which the folding-doors turned, partly to strengthen the boards of which doors were made; as also for the מחבּרות , literally, things to connect, i.e., properly iron cramps.
1 Chronicles 22:4
The Tyrians sent him cedar trees or beams in abundance, probably in exchange for grain, wine, and fruit of various sorts, which the Phoenicians obtained from the Israelites; cf. Movers, Phönizier, iii. 1, S. 88ff. Sidonians and Tyrians are named to denote the Phoenicians generally, as in Ezra 3:7. When Solomon began to build the temple, he made a regular treaty with Hiram king of Tyre about the delivery of the necessary cedar wood, 1 Kings 5:15.
1 Chronicles 22:5
1 Chronicles 22:5 gives in substance the reason of what precedes, although it is connected with it only by ו consec. Because his son Solomon was still in tender youth, and the building to be executed was an exceedingly great work, David determined to make considerable preparation before his death. ורך נער ור , puer et tener , repeated in 1 Chronicles 29:1, indicates a very early age. Solomon could not then be quite twenty years old, as he was born only after the Syro-Ammonite war (see on 2 Samuel 12:24), and calls himself at the commencement of his reign still קטן נער (1 Kings 3:7). The word נער may of itself denote not merely a boy, but also a grown youth; but here it is limited to the boyish age by the addition of ורך . Berth. wrongly compares Exodus 33:11, where נער denotes not a boy, but a lad, i.e., a servant. In the succeeding clause ליהוה לבנות is to be taken relatively: and the house which is to be built to the Lord is to be made great exceedingly ( למעלה , see on 1 Chronicles 14:2), for a name and glory for all lands, i.e., that it might be to the Lord for whom it should be built for an honour and glory in all lands. לו נא אכינה , I will (= therefore will I) prepare for him (Solomon), scil. whatever I can prepare to forward this great work.
Solomon commissioned to build the temple . - 1 Chronicles 22:6. Before his death (1 Chronicles 22:5) David called his son Solomon, in order to commit to him the building of the temple, and to press it strongly upon him, 1 Chronicles 22:7-10. With this design, he informs him that it had been his intention to build a temple to the Lord, but the Lord had not permitted him to carry out this resolve, but had committed it to his son. The Keri בּני (1 Chronicles 22:7) is, notwithstanding the general worthlessness of the corrections in the Keri , probably to be preferred here to the Keth. בּנו , for בּנו might have easily arisen by the copyist's eye having wandered to בּנו לשׁלמה , 1 Chronicles 22:6. David's addressing him as בּני is very fitting, nay, even necessary, and not contrary to the following אני . לבבי עם , it was with my heart, i.e., I had intended, occurs indeed very often in the Chronicle, e.g., 1 Chronicles 28:2; 2 Chronicles 1:11; 2 Chronicles 6:7., 1 Chronicles 9:1; 1 Chronicles 24:4; 1 Chronicles 29:10, but is also found in other books where the sense demands it, e.g., Joshua 14:7; 1 Kings 8:17., 1 Chronicles 10:2. In עלי ויהי , There came to me the word of Jahve (1 Chronicles 22:8), it is implied that the divine word was given to him as a command. The reason which David gives why the Lord did not allow him to build the temple is not stated in 1 Chron 17 (2 Sam 7), to which David here refers; instead of the reason, only the promise is there communicated, that the Lord would first build him a house, and enduringly establish his throne. This promise does not exclude the reason stated here and in 1 Chronicles 28:3, but rather implies it. As the temple was only to be built when God had enduringly established the throne of David, David could not execute this work, for he still had to conduct wars - wars, too, of the Lord - for the establishment of his kingdom, as Solomon also states it in his embassy to Hiram. Wars and bloodshed, however, are unavoidable and necessary in this earth for the establishment of the kingdom of God in opposition to its enemies, but are not consonant with its nature, as it was to receive a visible embodiment and expression in the temple. For the kingdom of God is in its essence a kingdom of peace; and battle, or war, or struggle, are only means for the restoration of peace, the reconciliation of mankind with God after the conquest of sin and all that is hostile to God in this world. See on 2 Samuel 7:11. David, therefore, the man of war, is not to build the temple, but (1 Chronicles 22:9.) his son; and to him the Lord will give peace from all his enemies, so that he shall be מנוּחה אישׁ , a man of rest, and shall rightly bear the name Shelomo (Solomon), i.e., Friederich (rich in peace, Eng. Frederick), for God would give to Israel in his days, i.e., in his reign, peace and rest ( שׁקט ). The participle נולד after הנּה has the signification of the future, shall be born; cf. 1 Kings 13:2. מנוּחה אישׁ , not a man who procures peace (Jeremiah 51:59), but one who enjoys peace, as the following לו והניחותי shows. As to the name שׁלמה , see on 2 Samuel 12:24. Into 1 Chronicles 22:10 David compresses the promise contained in 1 Chronicles 17:12 and 1 Chronicles 17:13.
After David had so committed to his son Solomon the building of the temple, as task reserved and destined for him by the divine counsel, he wishes him, in 1 Chronicles 22:11, the help of the Lord to carry out the work. והצלחתּ , ut prospere agas et felici successu utaris (J. M. Mich.), cf. Joshua 1:8. על דּבּר of a command from on high; cf. עלי .f , 1 Chronicles 22:8. Above all, however, he wishes (1 Chronicles 22:12) him right understanding and insight from God ( וּבינה שׂכל , so connected in 2 Chronicles 2:11 also), and that God may establish him over Israel, i.e., furnish him with might and wisdom to rule over the people Israel; cf. 2 Samuel 7:11. ולשׁמור , “to observe” = and mayest thou observe the law of Jahve; not thou must keep (Berth.), for ולשׁמור is to be regarded as a continuation of the verb. finit. ; cf. Ew. §351, c, S. 840.
The condition of obtaining the result is the faithful observing of the commands of the Lord. The speech is filled with reminiscences of the law, cf. Deuteronomy 7:11; Deuteronomy 11:32; and for the exhortation to be strong and of good courage, cf. Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:7, Joshua 1:9, etc.
In conclusion (1 Chronicles 22:14-16), David mentions what materials he has prepared for the building of the temple. בּעניי , not, in my poverty (lxx, Vulg., Luth.), but, by my painful labour ( magna molestia et labore , Lavat.); cf. Genesis 31:42, and the corresponding בּכל־כּוחי , 1 Chronicles 29:2. Gold 100,000 talents, and silver 1,000,000 talents. As the talent was 3000 shekels, and the silver shekel coined by the Maccabees, according to the Mosaic weight, was worth about 2s. 6d., the talent of silver would be about £375, and 1,000,000 talents £375,000,000. If we suppose the relative value of the gold and silver to be as 10 to 1,100,000 talents of gold will be about the same amount, or even more, viz., about £450,000,000, i.e., if we take the gold shekel at thirty shillings, according to Thenius' calculation. Such sums as eight hundred or eight hundred and twenty-five millions of pounds are incredible. The statements, indeed, are not founded upon exact calculation or weighing, but, as the round numbers show, only upon a general valuation of those masses of the precious metals, which we must not think of as bars of silver and gold, or as coined money; for they were in great part vessels of gold and silver, partly booty captured in war, partly tribute derived from the subject peoples. Making all these allowances, however, the sums mentioned are incredibly great, since we must suppose that even a valuation in round numbers will have more or less correspondence to the actual weight, and a subtraction of some thousands of talents from the sums mentioned would make no very considerable diminution. On the other hand, it is a much more important circumstance that the above estimate of the value in our money of these talents of silver rests upon a presumption, the correctness of which is open to well-founded doubts. For in that calculation the weight of the Mosaic or holy shekel is taken as the standard, and it is presumed that the talents weighed 3000 Mosaic shekels. But we find in 2 Samuel 14:26 mention made in David's time of another shekel, “according to the kings' weight,” whence we may with certainty conclude that in common life another shekel than the Mosaic or holy shekel was in use. This shekel according to the king's weight was in all probability only half as heavy as the shekel of the sanctuary, i.e., was equal in weight to a Mosaic beka or half-shekel. This is proved by a comparison of 1 Kings 10:17 with 2 Chronicles 9:16, for here three golden minae are reckoned equal to 300 shekels-a mina containing 100 shekels, while it contained only 50 holy or Mosaic shekels. With this view, too, the statements of the Rabbins agree, e.g., R. Mosis Maimonidis constitutiones de Siclis, quas - illustravit Joa. Esgers. , Lugd. Bat. 1718, p. 19, according to which the שלחול שקל or המדינה שׁקל , i.e., the common or civil shekel, is the half of the הקדשׁ שׁקל . That this is the true relation, is confirmed by the fact that, according to Exodus 38:26, in the time of Moses there existed silver coins weighing ten gera (half a holy shekel) called beka, while the name beka is found only in the Pentateuch, and disappears at a later time, probably because it was mainly such silver coins of ten gera which were in circulation, and to them the name shekel, which denotes no definite weight, was transferred. Now, if the amounts stated in our verse are reckoned in such common shekels (as in 2 Chronicles 9:16), the mass of gold and silver collected by David for the building of the temple would only be worth half the amount above calculated, i.e., about £375,000,000 or £400,000,000. But even this sum seems enormously large, for it is five times the annual expenditure of the greatest European states in our day.
(Note: According to Otto Hübner, Statistical Table of all Lands of the Earth , 18th edition, Frankf. a M. 1869, the yearly expenditure of Great Britain and Ireland (exclusive of the extra-European possessions) amounts to a little over £70,000,000; of the French Empire, to £85,000,000; of Russia, to about £78,000,000; of Austria and Hungary, to £48,500,000.)
Yet the calculation of the income or expenditure of modern states is no proper standard for judging of the correctness of probability of the statements here made, for we cannot estimate the accumulation of gold and silver in the states and chief cities of Asia in antiquity by the budgets of the modern European nations. In the capitals of the Asiatic kingdoms of antiquity, enormous quantities of the precious metals were accumulated. Not to mention the accounts of Ktesias, Diodor. Sic., and others, which sound so fabulous to us now, as to the immense booty in gold and silver vessels which was accumulated in Nineveh and Babylon (see the table in Movers, die Phönizier, ii. 3, S. 40ff.), according to Varro, in Pliny, Hist. Nat. xxxii. 15, Cyrus obtained by the conquest of Asia a booty of 34,000 pounds of gold, besides that which was wrought into vessels and ornaments, and 500,000 talents of silver; and in this statement, as Movers rightly remarks, it does not seem probable that there is any exaggeration. In Susa, Alexander plundered the royal treasury of 40,000, according to other accounts 50,000 talents, or, as it is more accurately stated, 40,000 talents of uncoined gold and silver, and 9000 talents in coined darics. These he caused to be brought to Ecbatana, where he accumulated in all 180,000 talents. In Persepolis he captured a booty of 120,000 talents, and in Pasargada 6000 talents (see Mov. loc cit. S. 43). Now David, it is true, had not conquered Asia, but only the tribes and kingdoms bordering on Canaan, including the kingdom of Syria, and made them tributary, and had consecrated all the gold and silver taken as booty from the conquered peoples, from the Syrians, Moabites, Ammonites, Philistines, Amalekites, and Hadadezer the king of Zobah (2 Samuel 8:11.), to Jahve. Now, in consequence of the ancient connection between Syria and the rich commercial countries of the neighbourhood, great treasures of silver and gold had very early flowed in thither. According to 2 Samuel 8:7, the servants (i.e., generals) of King Hadadezer had golden shields, which David captured; and the ambassadors of King Toi of Hamath brought him vessels of silver, gold, and copper, to purchase his friendship.
(Note: Apropos of the riches of Syria even in later times, Movers reminds us, S. 45, of the rich temple treasures - of the statue of Jupiter in Antioch, which was of pure gold and fifteen yards high, and of the golden statues in the temple at Hierapolis - and adds: “ Even Antiochus the Great had immense treasures in his possession. The private soldiers in his army had their half-boots studded with gold nails, and their cooking utensils were of silver. ” See the proofs, loc cit .)
The other peoples whom David overcame are not to be regarded as poor in the precious metals. For the Israelites under Moses had captured so large a booty in gold rings, bracelets, and other ornaments from the nomadic Midianites, that the commanders of the army alone were able to give 16,750 shekels (i.e., over 5 1/2 talents of gold, according to the Mosaic weight) to the sanctuary as a consecrating offering (Numbers 31:48.).
We cannot therefore regard the sums mentioned in our verse either as incredible or very much exaggerated,
(Note: As Berth. for example does, expressing himself as follows: “ In our verse, 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, - a sum with which the debts of the European nations might almost be paid! It is absolutely inadmissible to take these at their literal value, and to consider them as a repetition, though perhaps a somewhat exaggerated one, of actual historical statements. They can have been originally nothing else than the freest periphrasis for much, an extraordinary quantity, such as may even yet be heard from the mouths of those who have not reflected on the value and importance of numbers, and consequently launch out into thousands and hundreds of thousands, in an extremely unprejudiced way. ” On this we remark: (1) The assertion that with the sums named in our verse the debts of the European nations could be paid, is an enormous exaggeration. According to O. Hübner ' s tables, the national debt of Great Britain and Ireland alone amounts to £809,000,000, that of France to £564,000,000, that of Russia to £400,000,000, that of Austria to £354,000,000, and that of the kingdom of Italy to £258,000,000; David ' s treasures, consequently, if the weight be taken in sacred shekels, would only have sufficed to pay the national debt of Great Britain and Ireland. (2) The hypothesis that the chronicler, without reflecting on the value and importance of numbers, has launched out into thousands and hundreds of thousands, presupposes such a measure of intellectual poverty as is irreconcilable with evidences of intellect and careful planning such as are everywhere else observable in his writing.)
nor hold the round sums which correspond to the rhetorical character of the passage with certainty to be mistakes.
(Note: As proof of the incorrectness of the above numbers, it cannot be adduced “ that, according to 1 Kings 10:14, Solomon ' s yearly revenue amounted to 666 talents of gold, i.e., to about £3,000,000 in gold; that the queen of Sheba presented Solomon with 120 talents of gold, 1 Kings 10:10; 2 Chronicles 9:9; and King Hiram also gave him a similar amount, 1 Kings 9:14; all of which sums the context shows are to be considered extraordinarily great ” (Berth.). For the 666 talents of gold are not the entire annual income of Solomon, but, according to the distinct statement of the Biblical historian, are only the annual income in gold, exclusive of the receipts from the customs, and the tributes of the subject kings and tribes, which were probably more valuable. The 120 talents of the queen of Sheba are certainly a very large present, but Solomon would give in return not inconsiderable presents also. But the quantities of silver and gold which David had collected for the building of the temple had not been saved out of his yearly income, but had been in great part captured as booty in war, and laid up out of the tribute of the subject peoples. A question which would more readily occur than this is, Whether such enormous sums were actually necessary for the temple? But the materials necessary to enable us to arrive at even a proximate estimate of this building are entirely wanting. The building of a stone temple from 60 to 70 yards long, 20 yards broad, and 30 yards high, would certainly not have cost so much, notwithstanding that, as we read in 2 Chronicles 3:8., 650 talents of gold were required to gild the inner walls of the Holy Place, and at the same rate 2000 talents must have been required to gild the inside of the Sanctuary, which was three times as large; and notwithstanding the great number of massive gold vessels, e.g., the ten golden candlesticks, for which alone, even if they were no larger and heavier than the candlesticks in the tabernacle, ten talents of gold must have been required. But there belonged to the temple many subordinate buildings, which are not further described; as also the colossal foundation structures and the walls enclosing the temple area, the building of which must have swallowed up millions, since Solomon sent 70,000 porters and 80,000 stone-hewers to Lebanon to procure the necessary materials. Consul Rosen has recently indeed attempted to show, in das Haram von Jerusalem und der Tempelplatz des Moria, Botha (1866), that there is reason to suppose that the temple area was enlarged to the size it is known to have had, and surrounded by a wall only by Herod; but he has been refuted by Himpel in the Tübinger theol. Quartalschr . 1867, S. 515f., who advances very weighty reasons against his hypothesis. Finally, we must have regard to the statement in 1 Kings 7:51 and 2 Chronicles 5:1, that Solomon, after the building was finished, deposited the consecrated silver and gold collected by his father David among the temple treasures. Whence we learn that the treasures collected by David were not intended merely for the building of the House of God.)
Brass and iron were not weighed for abundance; cf. 1 Chronicles 22:3. Beams of timber also, and stones - that is, stones hewed and squared - David had prepared; and to this store Solomon was to add. That he did so is narrated in 2 Chr. 2.
1 Chronicles 22:15-16
David then turns to the workmen, the carpenters and stone-cutters, whom he had appointed (1 Chronicles 22:2) for the building. חצבים , properly hewers, in 1 Chronicles 22:2 limited to stone-hewers, is here, with the addition ועץ אבן חרשׁי , used of the workers in stone and wood, stonemasons and carpenters. כּל־חכם , all manner of understanding persons in each work, in contradistinction to מלעכה עשׁי , includes the idea of thorough mastery and skill in the kind of labour. These workmen, whom David had levied for the building of the temple, are mentioned by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 2:6. - In 1 Chronicles 22:16 all the metals, as being the main thing, are again grouped together, in order that the exhortation to proceed with the erection of the building may be introduced. The ל before each word serves to bring the thing once more into prominence; cf. Ew. §310, a . “As for the gold, it cannot be numbered.” “Arise and be doing! and Jahve be with thee” (1 Chronicles 22:17-19).
Exhortation to the princes of Israel to assist in the building of the temple. - David supports his exhortation by calling to remembrance the proofs of his favour which the Lord had showed His people. The speech in 1 Chronicles 22:18 is introduced without לאמר , because it is clear from the preceding דויד ויצו that the words are spoken by David: “The Lord has given you peace round about; for He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subdued before Jahve and before His people.” The subdued land is Canaan: the inhabitants of the land are, however, not the Israelites over whom the Lord had set David as king, for the words בּידי נתן cannot apply to them, cf. 1 Chronicles 14:10., Joshua 2:24; it is the Canaanites still left in the land in the time of David, and other enemies, who, like the Philistines, possessed parts of the land, and had been subdued by David. On הארץ נככּשׁה , cf. Joshua 18:1; Numbers 32:22, Numbers 32:29. This safety which the Lord had granted them binds them in duty to seek Him with all their heart, and to build the sanctuary, that the ark and the sacred vessels may be brought into it. The ל in לבּית is not a sign of the accusative (Berth.), for הביא is not construed with accus. loci , but generally with אל , for which, however, so early as Joshua 4:5, ל is used, or it is construed with the acc . and ה locale - הבּיתה , Genesis 19:10; Genesis 43:17.