6 Then the chief H8269 of the fathers H1 and princes H8269 of the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 and the captains H8269 of thousands H505 and of hundreds, H3967 with the rulers H8269 of the king's H4428 work, H4399 offered willingly, H5068
Now the children H1121 of Israel H3478 after their number, H4557 to wit, the chief H7218 fathers H1 and captains H8269 of thousands H505 and hundreds, H3967 and their officers H7860 that served H8334 the king H4428 in any matter H1697 of the courses, H4256 which came in H935 and went out H3318 month H2320 by month H2320 throughout all the months H2320 of the year, H8141 of every H259 course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 Over the first H7223 course H4256 for the first H7223 month H2320 was Jashobeam H3434 the son H1121 of Zabdiel: H2068 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 Of the children H1121 of Perez H6557 was the chief H7218 of all the captains H8269 of the host H6635 for the first H7223 month. H2320 And over the course H4256 of the second H8145 month H2320 was Dodai H1737 an Ahohite, H266 and of his course H4256 was Mikloth H4732 also the ruler: H5057 in his course H4256 likewise were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The third H7992 captain H8269 of the host H6635 for the third H7992 month H2320 was Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 a chief H7218 priest: H3548 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 This is that Benaiah, H1141 who was mighty H1368 among the thirty, H7970 and above the thirty: H7970 and in his course H4256 was Ammizabad H5990 his son. H1121 The fourth H7243 captain for the fourth H7243 month H2320 was Asahel H6214 the brother H251 of Joab, H3097 and Zebadiah H2069 his son H1121 after H310 him: and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The fifth H2549 captain H8269 for the fifth H2549 month H2320 was Shamhuth H8049 the Izrahite: H3155 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The sixth H8345 captain for the sixth H8345 month H2320 was Ira H5896 the son H1121 of Ikkesh H6142 the Tekoite: H8621 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The seventh H7637 captain for the seventh H7637 month H2320 was Helez H2503 the Pelonite, H6397 of the children H1121 of Ephraim: H669 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The eighth H8066 captain for the eighth H8066 month H2320 was Sibbecai H5444 the Hushathite, H2843 of the Zarhites: H2227 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The ninth H8671 captain for the ninth H8671 month H2320 was Abiezer H44 the Anetothite, H6069 of the Benjamites: H1145 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The tenth H6224 captain for the tenth H6224 month H2320 was Maharai H4121 the Netophathite, H5200 of the Zarhites: H2227 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The eleventh H6249 H6240 captain for the eleventh H6249 H6240 month H2320 was Benaiah H1141 the Pirathonite, H6553 of the children H1121 of Ephraim: H669 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 The twelfth H8147 H6240 captain for the twelfth H8147 H6240 month H2320 was Heldai H2469 the Netophathite, H5200 of Othniel: H6274 and in his course H4256 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505
And the Gentiles H1471 shall come H1980 to thy light, H216 and kings H4428 to the brightness H5051 of thy rising. H2225 Lift up H5375 thine eyes H5869 round about, H5439 and see: H7200 all they gather themselves together, H6908 they come H935 to thee: thy sons H1121 shall come H935 from far, H7350 and thy daughters H1323 shall be nursed H539 at thy side. H6654 Then thou shalt see, H7200 H3372 and flow together, H5102 and thine heart H3824 shall fear, H6342 and be enlarged; H7337 because the abundance H1995 of the sea H3220 shall be converted H2015 unto thee, the forces H2428 of the Gentiles H1471 shall come H935 unto thee. The multitude H8229 of camels H1581 shall cover H3680 thee, the dromedaries H1070 of Midian H4080 and Ephah; H5891 all they from Sheba H7614 shall come: H935 they shall bring H5375 gold H2091 and incense; H3828 and they shall shew forth H1319 the praises H8416 of the LORD. H3068 All the flocks H6629 of Kedar H6938 shall be gathered together H6908 unto thee, the rams H352 of Nebaioth H5032 shall minister H8334 unto thee: they shall come up H5927 with acceptance H7522 on mine altar, H4196 and I will glorify H6286 the house H1004 of my glory. H8597 Who are these that fly H5774 as a cloud, H5645 and as the doves H3123 to their windows? H699 Surely the isles H339 shall wait H6960 for me, and the ships H591 of Tarshish H8659 first, H7223 to bring H935 thy sons H1121 from far, H7350 their silver H3701 and their gold H2091 with them, unto the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and to the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 because he hath glorified H6286 thee. And the sons H1121 of strangers H5236 shall build up H1129 thy walls, H2346 and their kings H4428 shall minister H8334 unto thee: for in my wrath H7110 I smote H5221 thee, but in my favour H7522 have I had mercy H7355 on thee.
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).