29 Now the acts H1697 of David H1732 the king, H4428 first H7223 and last, H314 behold, they are written H3789 in the book H1697 of Samuel H8050 the seer, H7200 and in the book H1697 of Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and in the book H1697 of Gad H1410 the seer, H2374
(Beforetime H6440 in Israel, H3478 when a man H376 went H3212 to enquire H1875 of God, H430 thus he spake, H559 Come, H3212 and let us go H3212 to the seer: H7200 for he that is now H3117 called a Prophet H5030 was beforetime H6440 called H7121 a Seer.) H7200
And the prophet H5030 Gad H1410 said H559 unto David, H1732 Abide H3427 not in the hold; H4686 depart, H3212 and get H935 thee into the land H776 of Judah. H3063 Then David H1732 departed, H3212 and came H935 into the forest H3293 of Hareth. H2802
That the king H4428 said H559 unto Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 See H7200 now, I dwell H3427 in an house H1004 of cedar, H730 but the ark H727 of God H430 dwelleth H3427 within H8432 curtains. H3407 And Nathan H5416 said H559 to the king, H4428 Go, H3212 do H6213 all that is in thine heart; H3824 for the LORD H3068 is with thee. And it came to pass that night, H3915 that the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto Nathan, H5416 saying, H559
And the LORD H3068 sent H7971 Nathan H5416 unto David. H1732 And he came H935 unto him, and said H559 unto him, There were two H8147 men H582 in one H259 city; H5892 the one H259 rich, H6223 and the other H259 poor. H7326 The rich H6223 man had exceeding H3966 many H7235 flocks H6629 and herds: H1241 But the poor H7326 man had nothing, save one H259 little H6996 ewe lamb, H3535 which he had bought H7069 and nourished up: H2421 and it grew up H1431 together H3162 with him, and with his children; H1121 it did eat H398 of his own meat, H6595 and drank H8354 of his own cup, H3563 and lay H7901 in his bosom, H2436 and was unto him as a daughter. H1323 And there came H935 a traveller H1982 unto the rich H6223 man, H376 and he spared H2550 to take H3947 of his own flock H6629 and of his own herd, H1241 to dress H6213 for the wayfaring man H732 that was come H935 unto him; but took H3947 the poor H7326 man's H376 lamb, H3535 and dressed H6213 it for the man H376 that was come H935 to him. And David's H1732 anger H639 was greatly H3966 kindled H2734 against the man; H376 and he said H559 to Nathan, H5416 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 the man H376 that hath done H6213 this thing shall surely H1121 die: H4194 And he shall restore H7999 the lamb H3535 fourfold, H706 because H6118 he did H6213 this thing, H1697 and because H834 he had no pity. H2550 And Nathan H5416 said H559 to David, H1732 Thou art the man. H376 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 I anointed H4886 thee king H4428 over Israel, H3478 and I delivered H5337 thee out of the hand H3027 of Saul; H7586
And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Gad, H1410 David's H1732 seer, H2374 saying, H559 Go H3212 and tell H1696 David, H1732 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 I offer H5186 thee three H7969 things: choose H977 thee one H259 of them, H2007 that I may do H6213 it unto thee. So Gad H1410 came H935 to David, H1732 and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Choose H6901 thee
Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Rehoboam, H7346 and all that he did, H6213 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063
And G2532 what G5101 shall I G3004 more G2089 say? G3004 for G1063 the time G5550 would fail G1952 me G3165 to tell G1334 of G4012 Gedeon, G1066 and G5037 of Barak, G913 and G2532 of Samson, G4546 and G2532 of Jephthae; G2422 of David G1138 also, G2532 and G5037 Samuel, G4545 and G2532 of the prophets: G4396 Who G3739 through G1223 faith G4102 subdued G2610 kingdoms, G932 wrought G2038 righteousness, G1343 obtained G2013 promises, G1860 stopped G5420 the mouths G4750 of lions, G3023
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 29
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 29 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 29
1Ch 29:1-9. David Causes the Princes and People to Offer for the House of God.
1, 2. Solomon … is yet young and tender—Though Solomon was very young when he was raised to the sovereign power, his kingdom escaped the woe pronounced (Ec 10:16). Mere childhood in a prince is not always a misfortune to a nation, as there are instances of the government being wisely administered during a minority. Solomon himself is a most illustrious proof that a young prince may prove a great blessing; for when he was but a mere child, with respect to his age, no nation was happier. His father, however, made this address before Solomon was endowed with the divine gift of wisdom, and David's reference to his son's extreme youth, in connection with the great national undertaking he had been divinely appointed to execute, was to apologize to this assembly of the estates—or, rather, to assign the reason of his elaborate preparations for the work.
3, 4. Moreover … I have of mine own proper good, &c.—In addition to the immense amount of gold and silver treasure which David had already bequeathed for various uses in the service of the temple, he now made an additional contribution destined to a specific purpose—that of overlaying the walls of the house. This voluntary gift was from the private fortune of the royal donor, and had been selected with the greatest care. The gold was "the gold of Ophir," then esteemed the purest and finest in the world (Job 22:24; 28:16; Isa 13:12). The amount was three thousand talents of gold and seven thousand talents of refined silver.
5. who then is willing to consecrate his service—Hebrew, "fill his hand"; that is, make an offering (Ex 32:29; Le 8:33; 1Ki 13:33). The meaning is, that whoever would contribute voluntarily, as he had done, would be offering a freewill offering to the Lord. It was a sacrifice which every one of them could make, and in presenting which the offerer himself would be the priest. David, in asking freewill offerings for the temple, imitated the conduct of Moses in reference to the tabernacle (Ex 25:1-8).
6-8. Then the chief of the fathers—or heads of the fathers (1Ch 24:31; 27:1).
princes of the tribes—(1Ch 27:16-22).
rulers of the king's work—those who had charge of the royal demesnes and other possessions (1Ch 27:25-31).
offered willingly—Influenced by the persuasive address and example of the king, they acted according to their several abilities, and their united contributions amounted to the gross sum—of gold 5,000 talents and 10,000 drams; and of silver, 10,000 talents, besides brass and iron.
7. drams—rather, darics, a Persian coin, with which the Jews from the time of the captivity became familiar, and which was afterwards extensively circulated in the countries of Western Asia. It is estimated as equal in value to 25s. of British currency.
of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron—In Scripture, iron is always referred to as an article of comparatively low value, and of greater abundance and cheaper than bronze [Napier].
8. and they with whom precious stones were found—rather, "whatever was found along with it of precious stones they gave" [Bertheau]. These gifts were deposited in the hands of Jehiel, whose family was charged with the treasures of the house of the Lord (1Ch 26:21).
1Ch 29:10-25. His Thanksgiving.
10-19. Wherefore David blessed the Lord—This beautiful thanksgiving prayer was the effusion overflowing with gratitude and delight at seeing the warm and widespread interest that was now taken in forwarding the favorite project of his life. Its piety is displayed in the fervor of devotional feeling—in the ascription of all worldly wealth and greatness to God as the giver, in tracing the general readiness in contributing to the influence of His grace, in praying for the continuance of this happy disposition among the people, and in solemnly and earnestly commending the young king and his kingdom to the care and blessing of God.
16. all this store that we have prepared—It may be useful to exhibit a tabular view of the treasure laid up and contributions stated by the historian as already made towards the erection of the proposed temple. Omitting the brass and iron, and precious stones, which, though specified partly (1Ch 29:7), are represented in other portions as "without weight" (1Ch 22:3, 14), we shall give in this table only the amount of gold and silver; and taking the talent of gold as worth £5475 (the talent being 125 pounds in weight), the value of the gold will be about 73s. per ounce. The talent of silver is given at £342 3s. 9d., or 4s. 4½d. per ounce. The total amount of the contributions will be:
Though it has been the common practice of Eastern monarchs to hoard vast sums for the accomplishment of any contemplated project, this amount so far exceeds not only every Oriental collection on record, but even the bounds of probability, that it is very generally allowed that either there is a corruption of the text in 1Ch 22:14, or that the reckoning of the historian was by the Babylonian, which was only a half, or the Syrian, which was only a fifth part, of the Hebrew talent. This would bring the Scripture account more into accordance with the statements of Josephus, as well as within the range of credibility.
20. all the congregation … worshipped the Lord, and the king—Though the external attitude might be the same, the sentiments of which it was expressive were very different in the two cases—of divine worship in the one, of civil homage in the other.
21, 22. they sacrificed … And did eat and drink—After the business of the assembly was over, the people, under the exciting influence of the occasion, still remained, and next day engaged in the performance of solemn rites, and afterwards feasted on the remainder of the sacrifices.
22. before the Lord—either in the immediate vicinity of the ark, or, perhaps, rather in a religious and devout spirit, as partaking of a sacrificial meal.
made Solomon … king the second time—in reference to the first time, which was done precipitately on Adonijah's conspiracy (1Ki 1:35).
they … anointed … Zadok—The statement implies that his appointment met the popular approval. His elevation as sole high priest was on the disgrace of Abiathar, one of Adonijah's accomplices.
23. Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord—As king of Israel, he was the Lord's vicegerent.
24. submitted themselves—Hebrew, "put their hands under Solomon," according to the custom still practised in the East of putting a hand under the king's extended hand and kissing the back of it (2Ki 10:15).
1Ch 29:26-30. His Reign and Death.
26. Thus David … reigned—(See 1Ki 2:11).