1 Chronicles28
New American Standard
1Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, all the valiant warriors.
2Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it.
3But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’
4Yet, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from all the household of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
5Of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.
6He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courtyards; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a Father to him.
7I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as is done now.’
8So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the presence of our God, keep and seek after all the commandments of the Lord your God so that you may possess the good land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons after you forever.
9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
10Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”
11Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the room for the atoning cover;
12and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courtyards of the house of the Lord, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things;
13also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord and for all the utensils of service in the house of the Lord;
14for the golden utensils, by weight of gold for all utensils for every service; for all the silver utensils, by weight of silver for all utensils for every service;
15and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand;
16and the gold by weight for the tables of the showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables;
17and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl;
18and for the altar of incense, refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot, and the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
19“All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.”
20Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.
21Now behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man of any skill will be with you in all the work for all kinds of service. The officials also and all the people will be entirely at your command.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 28.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David exhorts the people to the fear of the Lord. (1–10). He gives instructions for the temple. (11–21).
vv1-10
During David's last sickness, many chief priests and Levites were at Jerusalem. Finding himself able, David spoke of his purpose to build a temple for God, and of God's disallowing that purpose. He opened to them God's gracious purposes concerning Solomon. David charged them to cleave stedfastly to God and their duty. We cannot do our work as we should, unless we put on resolution, and fetch in strength from Divine grace. Religion or piety has two distinct parts. The first is knowledge of God, the second is worship of God. David says, Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. God is made known by his works and word. Revelation alone shows the whole character of God, in his providence, his holy law, his condemnation of sinners, his blessed gospel, and the ministration of the Spirit to all true believers. The natural man cannot receive this knowledge of God. But thus we learn the value of the Saviour's atonement, and of the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and are influenced to walk in all his commandments. It brings a sinner to his proper place at the foot of the cross, as a poor, guilty, helpless worm, deserving wrath, yet expecting every thing needful from the free mercy and grace of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Having been forgiven much, the pardoned sinner learns to love much.
vv11-21
The temple must be a sacred thing, and a type of Christ; it must be framed by Divine teaching. Christ is the true temple, the church is the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple; all are framed according to the Divine counsels, and the plan laid in the Divine wisdom, ordained before the world, for God's glory and our good. David gave this pattern to Solomon, that he might go by rule. Materials were provided for the most costly utensils of the temple. Directions were given which way to look for help in this great undertaking. Be not dismayed; God will help thee, and thou must look up to him in the first place. We may be sure that God, who owned our fathers, and carried them through the services of their day, will, in like manner, never leave us, while he has any work to do in us, or by us. Good work is likely to go on, when all concerned are hearty in furthering it. Let us hope in God's mercy; if we seek him, he will be found of us.
Key Words
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
קָהַל: to convoke
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
שַׂר: a head person (of any rank or class)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שֵׁבֶט: a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
מַחֲלֹקֶת: a section (of Levites, people or soldiers)
שָׁרַת: to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively, to contribute to
מֶלֶךְ: a king
Cross References
1 Chronicles 28David was forbidden to build the house because he shed much blood as a man of war.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Specific promise designating Solomon as the son of peace chosen to build the Temple.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfills the prophetic promise that David's seed would build the house and have an established kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels Moses receiving the Tabernacle's divine pattern, just as David received the Temple's design.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Poetic parallel identifying the Ark of the Covenant as the footstool of God's feet.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Traces God's election of Judah, the house of Jesse, and David to rule.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Demonstrates that God searches all hearts and looks at the inward motives.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms the covenant principle: if you seek Him, He is found; if you forsake Him, He casts off.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Describes the cherubim over the mercy seat, forming the chariot of God's presence.
Supported by JFB
Verbal echo of Moses' charge to Joshua, mirroring David's encouragement to Solomon.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Enumerates the captains of the military courses that David assembled in Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
The heavenly reality serves as the pattern for earthly sanctuaries built by divine instruction.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the divine spiritual gifting of artisans to complete holy construction work.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explains why David addresses his subjects as 'my brethren' in accordance with kingly law.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reiterates the conditional promise to establish Solomon's throne if he keeps the commandments.
Supported by JFB