1 Chronicles29
King James Version · Public Domain
1Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.
2Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
3Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,
4Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:
5The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?
6Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,
7And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
8And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
10Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
12Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
13Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
14But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
15For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
16O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
17I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
18O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
19And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.
20And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.
21And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:
22And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.
23Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.
24And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.
25And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
26Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
27And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
28And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
29Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
30With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 29.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David induces the princes and people to offer willingly. (1–9). His thanksgiving and prayer. (10–19). Solomon enthroned. (20–25). David's reign and death. (26–30).
vv1-9
What is done in works of piety and charity, should be done willingly, not by constraint; for God loves a cheerful giver. David set a good example. This David offered, not from constraint, or for show; but because he had set his affection to the house of God, and thought he could never do enough towards promoting that good work. Those who would draw others to good, must lead the way themselves.
vv10-19
We cannot form a right idea of the magnificence of the temple, and the buildings around it, about which such quantities of gold and silver were employed. But the unsearchable riches of Christ exceed the splendour of the temple, infinitely more than that surpassed the meanest cottage on earth. Instead of boasting of these large oblations, David gave solemn thanks to the Lord. All they gave for the Lord's temple was his own; if they attempted to keep it, death would soon have removed them from it. The only use they could make of it to their real advantage, was, to consecrate it to the service of Him who gave it.
vv20-25
This great assembly joined with David in adoring God. Whoever is the mouth of the congregation, those only have the benefit who join him, not by bowing down the head, so much as by lifting up the soul. Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. Solomon's kingdom typified the kingdom of the Messiah, whose throne is the throne of the Lord.
Key Words
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
מֶלֶךְ: a king
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
קָהָל: assemblage (usually concretely)
שְׁלֹמֹה: Shelomah, David's successor
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
בָּחַר: properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select
נַעַר: (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)
Cross References
1 Chronicles 29David models his appeal for freewill temple contributions after Moses' collection for the tabernacle.
Supported by JFB
Solomon sitting on 'the throne of the Lord' as chosen successor, fulfilling the divine kingdom's direct representation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct parallel to David's vast public preparations of gold, silver, brass, and iron.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Scriptural reference to the superior purity of 'the gold of Ophir' used in sacred construction.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Echoes Jacob's confession of being a stranger and pilgrim, highlighting humanity's fleeting existence.
Supported by Matthew Poole
David's poetic prayer confessing that he and his people are but strangers and sojourners.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Jehiel the Gershonite's family as the designated keepers of the house treasures.
Supported by JFB
Echoes David's magnificent doxology of kingdom, power, and glory in the Lord's Prayer.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reiterates David's charge that the Lord searches all hearts and understands every imagination.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms the exact timeline of David's forty-year reign over Hebron and Jerusalem.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The literal Hebrew phrase 'fill his hand' used for consecrating service to the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament theological exposition of the Old Testament confession of being strangers and pilgrims.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Provides a historical parallel to the massive scale of sacrifices offered at the temple.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details the historic event of Solomon's public anointing to secure the royal succession.
Supported by Matthew Henry