1 Chronicles 22

1. Chron. 28 :** 1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that served the king by course, and the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers, and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people : as for me, it was in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the foot-stool of our God ; and I had made ready for the building. But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou art a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever : for he hath chosen Judah to be prince ; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father ; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel : and of all my sons (for the LORD hath given me many sons), he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts : for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God : that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind : for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts : if thou seek him, he will be found of thee ; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever. Take heed now ; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary : be strong, and do it.22 17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, Is not the LORD your God with you ? and hath he not given you rest on every side ? for he hath delivered the inhabitants of the land into mine hand ; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek after 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.29 1 And 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. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood ; onyx stones, and stones to be set, stones for inlaid work, and of divers colors, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. Moreover also, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, seeing that I have a treasure of mine own of gold and silver, I give it unto the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house ; even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay 5 the walls of the houses withal : of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. Who then offereth 6 willingly to consecrate himself this day unto the LORD? Then the princes of the fathers’ houses, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, 7 with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly ; and they gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics, and of silver ten thousand 8 talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and of iron a hundred thousand talents. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the 9 LORD, under the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD : and David 10 the king also rejoiced with great joy. Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congre- gation : and David said, Blessed be thou, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and 11 ever. Thine, 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, 12 and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou raltest over all ; and in thine hand is power and might ; and in thine hand it is to make great, and 13 to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious 14 name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly 15 after this sort ? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were : our days on the earth are as a 16 shadow, and there is no abiding. O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to 17 build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I 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 18 joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the 19 thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee : and give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to 20 do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision. And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, 21 an I the king. And 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 22 thousand lambs, with their drink-offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel ; and 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 prince, and Zadok to be priest.

The sudden inauguration of Solomon little comported with the aged king’s conception of the dignity due such an occasion. Solomon had only been made king in Jerusalem, and it was not only fitting, but essential, that the nation should participate and consent in the compact. There were grave matters, also, intrusted to the future reign which should be well advanced by public solemnities before the assembled nation. Solomon was a young man to be a king over such a people—ten years younger than David when he began at Hebron. The kingdom need- ed to be compacted about him before the aged monarch should sleep. The king therefore de- termined on a grand national occasion in which God and his house should be honored and in which Solomon should be formally anointed and acknowledged as king. Knox.

This was David’s last public appearance and his last kingly act. The chief theme of this farewell address was that which had been so long upon his heart, the building of the sanctuary of Jehovah. B.

David did more for the temple than merely to heap up gold, brass, and cedars. He charged his noblest son with the responsibility of push- ing the enterprise to its completion. More than this, he breathed the lofty enthusiasm of his own great soul into his officers and princes. To Solomon he said (in substance) : My son, it was an object dear to my heart to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God. But the Lord said to me : “Thou hast been a man of war and blood, and mayest not build it ; I will give thee a son, a man of peace and rest ; he shall build the house.” Now, my son, the Lord has given thee this high honor; be strong and of good courage; arise, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee. His words to his princes, exhorting them to aid Solomon, are full of vigorous inspiration: “Is not the Lord your God with you? Hath he not given you rest on every side? 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 Chron. 22: 17-19). And, as we here read, 1 Chron. 28 and 29 are full of this inspiring theme. David convenes his princes and officers, military and civil; declares to them his own strong desire to build a temple for God; rehearses the words of the Lord to him denying him this privilege, but not debarring him from the honor and joy of making immense provisions for it. He commits the work to his son Solomon. Then turning to Solomon, he exhorts him in their presence to seek the will of God with all diligence; to know the God of his fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. In commending his son to the sympathy and aid of his numerous officers, he takes occasion to refer to the immense stores which he had accumulated and consecrated to this great work of which much had been drawn from his own private fortune (29: 2-5); and then makes his warm appeal to them for their benefactions: “Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?” The chief officers, the princes, captains, and men in authority, responded promptly and nobly. As the record has it, “they offered willingly;” and more than this, they gave till the joy of giving became a thrilling luxury: “Then the people rejoiced for that they offered willingly to the Lord; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy” (verse 9). Such an inspiration of giving brought God very near both to David and to his people, so that David’s soul poured itself forth spontaneously in one of the most remarkable thanksgiving prayers on record. Then a response from the people was in place. 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. Giving careful attention to this thanksgiving prayer, we shall readily note the deep sense it expresses of God’s greatness and excellent glory; the transition from this to the littleness of men and of themselves; their appreciation of the high honor granted them to have and to know such a God and to feel that all their good comes from him; the joy of their hearts in giving back so much of their treasure to build an house for his name—all they have being truly his own; and coupled with this a rich, refreshing sense of having consecrated this wealth to God with an honest and willing mind. Noticeably it did not abate from the joy of this consecration and thanksgiving prayer to think that this God to whom they offer both their gold and their prayer knows all hearts and will witness to their sincerity. The climax of their joy seems to lie in this deep consciousness of being whole-hearted and thoroughly sincere in this entire service. Fifty this prayer closed with the petition—May God’s grace perpetuate this spirit of consecration forever! “O Lord, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and hold their hearts steadfast to thyself, and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart to keep thy commandments and to build the palace for which I have made provision” (verses 18, 19). This was one of the last great efforts of the aged king, before he should lay down his earthly work to die, and one of the noblest. A grander example of munificent benefaction—of giving with the whole heart, when has the world ever seen? H. C.

1. Chron. 28: 1.** The grand assembling of Israel for the public investiture of Solomon with the throne of the Kingdom. Previously, at Gihon, by David’s command, he had been anointed and proclaimed ruler over Israel and Judah. But that was only David’s act, although guided by the specific directions of Jehovah. In accordance with God’s own plan of governing the nation, the choice and act of the people by their representatives were essential to confirm and establish a ruler in the kingdom. So had it been with Saul, and with David at Hebron and at Jerusalem. David therefore summons a supreme assembly of authorized representatives from the whole kingdom: priests, prophets, princes, and military leaders; men of all high offices, and of renown for valor. He gathers them in grand and solemn convocation not only that they may ratify and personally accept the Divine appointment of Solomon as King, but that they may receive his farewell words of counsel. The event was one of intense and mingled feeling, as the old monarch, “full of days, riches, and honor,” rose from his resting-couch to utter his parting exhortation! B.

2. It may appear singular that David at the first anointing of Solomon should be in his chamber, and on his bed, and exceedingly decrepit; and yet, at this second anointing, should be in the midst of his princes and counsellors, and standing on his feet. But David’s present infirmity was not sickness, but the coldness and numbness of old age. He was heart-whole and head-whole. Therefore upon such an occasion as the crowning of Solomon again before all Israel, he was able to come forth and stand upon his feet, and give his advice respecting future proceedings. Dr. Lightfoot.

2, 3. David speaks first of the House of God. This was uppermost in his mind, as the thought of it had occupied his heart and hand for a long period of years. He says nothing of what he had done in constructing a compact, powerful nation out of feeble, separated tribes, and organizing all departments of a healthy, vigorous national life. He has no thought for all the splendid victories he had achieved in leading Israel; for the magnificence of the capital he had created; for any personal successes or trials. Nor speaks he of those matchless songs of praise and penitence, of trust and hope and prayer, which God had inspired his heart to conceive and his pen to express. Himself, his work of every sort, utterly forgotten, even as he faces that work in the retrospect of that solemn hour before the gathered nation; his only thoughts are of God and His House, of God’s choices and plans, of the people’s future and of Solomon’s, as related to obedience and trust toward God. God and His House he speaks of first. Addressing them in touching terms of affection, as my brethren, my people, he declares his own longing, for years upon years, to build a place of rest, whereupon, as upon a footstool, the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God’s presence, might rest. But God had declined his service, because it was not fitting that a man of war should build the Temple of the Prince of Peace. There is no question or complaint concerning this in David’s heart. On the contrary, he instantly goes on to declare how the sovereign grace of God had wrought everything concerning himself.

4-7. David honors God’s sovereignty in his own kingship and in Solomon’s succession and buildership of the Temple. In the beautiful humility which characterized him as a youth, and which never left him, he utterly forgets every consideration of personal merit, while averring that God had chosen his tribe, his family, himself, and Solomon for the throne. And with an equally beautiful simplicity he refers to God’s choice of Solomon as the builder, and gladly surrenders to him all the plans and material upon which he has spent the labor of years. He further testifies to the promise of God to give perpermanence to Solomon’s kingdom, if King and people are constant in their fidelity to the Divine commandments and judgments. Then very naturally follows a solemn charge to people and King.

8. David charges the people to keep and seek God’s commands. Formally appealing to the present listening God, and to the great assembly representing all Israel, as witnesses against the whole people if they despise his counsel, he exhorts them to obey the voice of Jehovah. His counsel is broad and full. Not only keep all known commands, but seek by earnest inquiry to know, that you may do, all His yet unrevealed will. And upon this cordial, steadfast obedience to God, he declares, will depend their continuance, and their children’s inheritance, in the goodly land of their fathers. This is the single condition, be it noted, that runs through the entire series of Jehovah’s promises from the call of Abraham onward. And this condition is as personal as it is national. To Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to Moses, to Saul, and David, it had been spoken and fulfilled. B.—Keep and seek for, all the commandments of the Lord your God. The Lord was their God, his commandments must be their rule, they must have respect to them all, must make conscience of keeping them, and, in order thereunto, must seek for them—that is, must be inquisitive concerning their duty; search the Scriptures, take advice, seek the law at their mouth whose lips were to keep this knowledge, and pray to God to teach and direct them. He charges them in the sight of all Israel, who would all have notice of this public charge, and in the audience of their God. God is witness, and this congregation is witness, that they have good counsel given them, and fair warning; if they do not take it, it is their fault, and God and man will be witnesses against them. H.

9, 10. Charge to Solomon. Next, in Jehovah’s name, the royal father solemnly utters a charge to his youthful son. In the presence of this august assembly of the nation he declares that the obligation of loyalty to God rests mutually upon king and people, and that the disobedience of either will bring the forfeiture of promised blessing. Other words of parting counsel, of similar import, the aged father had spoken in private. These included all that was vital to success and continuance. Although strictly personal, David uttered them in the audience of the people, that the impression upon Solomon might thus be deepened. As Solomon was witness to the charge they had received, so they were witnesses to these solemn words addressed to him. The charge, or counsel, is twofold, as are the reasons by which it is enforced. Know thou God? The meaning is, acquaint thyself with Him through all the methods by which He has declared himself and invited communion with Him. Recognize Him in all that He is, acknowledge Him in all that He does, gratefully accept all that He bestows, and with reverent filial spirit respond to His proffered fellowship. And to this knowledge of God, by personal recognition and intercourse, add a complete and gladly obedient service! Wholeness, singleness, sincerity, and heartiness are here indicated as the qualities of loyal and acceptable service to God. Half-effort, divided purpose, a half-truth, and a half-heart will not suffice for that loyalty and obedience which God justly demands. Note now the order as well as the substance of the reasons or arguments by which the charge is enforced. First, God is always searching the heart, discerning the secret motive and character of every purpose, word, and deed, measuring and testing each with the standard qualities upon which His approval and acceptance is based. This ceaseless minute inspection of God is the foremost consideration by which David impresses the obligation to that singleness and entireness of heart obedience which produces loyal service. Next, he enforces his counsel by the consequences of thus seeking or of forsaking God. Seeking God, He will be found, and His blessing will insure all needed guidance and favor and success. Forsaking God, He will cast off forever. All His promises will be forfeited and annulled, His aid and blessing will be withdrawn. In this whole charge of David to Solomon, including the counsel to know and serve God, with the reasons assigned, how evidently does he speak out of his own long and deep experience! His charge is more than mere wise counsel to the son who succeeds to the cares and responsibilities of the government. It is a testimony also, enforcing the counsel by the intense concentration of memory and feeling upon all the happy and sad results of his own checkered life. With all the force of his own experience he urges upon this beloved son to take heed to these sure tried truths, and to be strong in doing the work assigned him by the choice and direction of Israel’s covenant God. Never was this injunction fully and heartily obeyed. After a brief period, it was deliberately disobeyed. Hence the consequences, of which he was so frequently and solemnly forewarned, came upon him. Forgetting, deserting, contemning God, he was abandoned of God. If saved in the end, it was from God’s regard for His covenant with David.

A great practical truth lies in this counsel and charge to Solomon. No force of emphasis too strong or earnest can be used in its application. It expresses the single comprehensive duty of man, and the supreme motives to human conduct which God himself assigns throughout His word. It speaks alike to young and old. Of each God demands acknowledgment, acquaintance, the search for a deeper knowledge of Him, and the practice of a closer communion with Him. Of each He asks a service that is wholehearted and thoroughly unselfish, a life that is pure and true coming out of a spirit that is supremely loyal and beneficent as His own. To one thus seeking to know Him, to be like Him, and to conform the whole life to His will, His promises are inexpressibly full and precious. But, let it be ever remembered, God’s promises are invariably conditioned upon our loyalty in heart and life. To the end it is so. The filial spirit must continue filial. Trust in Christ must remain unbroken. The worship of prayer, and praise, and devout meditation, and the consecration of all we have and are, must be continuous throughout the life. Then the promises are verified in augmenting blessings. Otherwise they are forfeited and annulled.

1. Chron. 22: 17-19. Charge to the people to help Solomon in building the sanctuary of the Lord God. Since the Lord your God has given you rest in the undisturbed possession of the land, “Now set your heart to seek after Him, arise and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord your God.” Here, as everywhere, the command is based upon the single supreme consideration and motive, the abounding undeserved goodness of God in the complete fulfilment of oft-repeated promises to their fathers.

1. Chron. 29: 1-5. David refers to his own preparation and offering for the Temple Building, and solicits their generous contributions. Note especially the touching expression in which he refers to his own personal and most kingly gift (verse 3). Because I have set my affection unto the house of my God, seeing that I have a treasure of mine own of gold and silver, I give it unto the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house. The vast store of material, useful and costly metals and precious stones, referred to in verse 2, comprised spoils of warfare as well as profits from public revenues, which he had accumulated for long years; for ultimate use in the Temple structure. In announcing to them his own personal offering of his private estate, his manifest purpose is, not to boast (for he gives from “affection,” not ostentation), but to incite the princes and leaders of the people, men of influence and wealth, to give liberally in their offerings. For immediately he puts the emphatic, stirring appeal, Who then offereth willingly to consecrate himself this day unto the Lord? Literally, “to fill his hands,” to come with full hands unto Jehovah. He asks not only a free-will but an abundant and generous offering. B.

We must, each of us, in our several places, serve the Lord, and consecrate our service to him, separate it from other things that are foreign, and interfere with it, and direct and design it for the honor and glory of God. We must make the service of God our business; must fill our hands to the Lord, so the Hebrew phrase is. They who engage themselves in the service of God will have their hands full; there is work enough for the whole man in that service. The filling of our hands with the service of God intimates that we must serve him only, serve him liberally, and serve him in the strength of grace derived from him. We must be free herein, do it willingly and speedily, do it this day, when we are in a good mind. Who is willing? Let him show it, now and always.

6-9. How handsomely they all contributed toward the building of the temple, when they were thus stirred up to it. Though they were persuaded to it; yet it is said, They offered willingly (verse 6). So He said, who knew their hearts. Nay, they offered with a perfect heart, from a good principle, and with a sincere respect to the glory of God (verse 9). How generous they were, appears by the sum total of the contributions (verses 7, 8). They gave like princes, the princes of Israel. H.

10-19. David’s sublime ascription of thankful praise to Jehovah. The joy of the people, because of their felt and conscious liberality, and the reflex joy of the king in the observation of it, are both most natural; and the outpouring of the monarch’s soul is in perfect keeping with the sentiments by which he was actuated, and which are here ascribed to him. It is a very clear and substantial prayer; and such as would be uttered in the same circumstances by the most advanced and enlightened Christians of the present day. There is in it a noble strain of adoration—the ascription of all might and supremacy to God—the expression both of entire gratitude and of entire dependence—not the elation, but the humility awakened by what they had done and rendered in the cause of the Divine Being, because endowed from on high with the ability and the willingness thus to acquit themselves— the recognition of God as the spring and fountain-head of all their wealth, whereof they were only the temporary holders, so that they had but given to God that which was His own—the joyful sympathy which he felt in the kindred dispositions and offerings of the people—and, finally, his prayer both for them and for Solomon his son. Altogether, it is a most precious and heart-stirring composition. T. C.

He adores God, and ascribes glory to him, as the God of Israel, blessed forever and ever. This is properly praising God, with holy awe and reverence, and agreeable affection, acknowledging not only that he is great, powerful, glorious, but that his is the greatness, power, and glory—that is, he has them in and of himself; he is the Fountain and Centre of everything that is bright and blessed. All that we can, in our most exalted praises, attribute to him, he has an unquestionable title to. He acknowledges with thankfulness the grace of God enabling them to contribute so cheerfully toward the building of the temple (verse 13): Now therefore, our God, we thank thee. The more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him for the honor of being employed in his service, and for grace enabling us, in any measure, to serve him. He thanks God that they were able to offer so willingly. It is a great instance of the power of God’s grace in us to be able to do the work of God willingly. We must give God all the glory of all the good that is at any time done by ourselves or others. Our own good works must not be the matter of our pride, nor the good works of others the matter of our flattery, but both the matter of our praise. He speaks very humbly of himself, and his people, and the offerings they had now presented to God. For himself, and those that joined with him, though they were princes, he wondered that God should take such notice of them, and do so much for them (verse 14): Who am I, and what is my people? David was the most honorable person, and Israel the most honorable people then in the world; yet thus does he speak of himself and them, as unworthy the Divine cognizance and favor. H.

“We have given thee of thine own,” says David. So, Christian, do thou say, “Lord, the love with which I love thee is thine own; and the faith by which I hang upon thee is thine own; and the fear by which I fear before thee is thine own; and the joy with which I rejoice before thee is thine own; and the patience with which I wait upon thee is thine own.” T. Brooks.

15. We are strangers before thee, and sojourners: our days are as a**

shadow, and there is no abiding. David intimates that our life is a vain life, a dark life, a transient life, and a life that will have its period either in perfect light or perfect darkness. The next words explain it, There is no abiding, Heb. no expectation. We cannot expect any great matters from it, nor can we expect any long continuance of it. This is mentioned here, as that which forbids us to boast of the service we do to God: alas! it is confined to a scantling of time, it is the service of a frail and short life, and therefore what can we pretend to merit by it? H.—Never did the Jewish nation appear to be more at home than at that time. As for David, his happiness was so complete, that, instead of asking any additional favors, he could hardly find words to express his gratitude for those he had already received. Yet, amid all his affluence, when he possessed every outward comfort his heart could wish, still he called himself a stranger and a sogourner before God. In his most prosperous condition, he did not look upon this earth as his home, but extended his views to the heavenly world, that glorious and permanent inheritance of the saints, which is “incorruptible and undefiled, and which fadeth not away.” R. Walker.

16. It cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.** “We have it from thee as a free gift, and therefore are bound to use it for thee; and what we present to thee is but rent or interest from thine own.” “In like manner” (says Bishop Patrick), “we ought to acknowledge God in all spiritual things, referring every good thought, good purpose, good work, to his grace, from whom we receive it.”

17. He appeals to God concerning his own sincerity in what he did. It is a great satisfaction to a good man to think that God tries the heart, and has pleasure in uprightness; that whoever misinterpret or condemn it, he is acquainted with, and approves of, the way of the righteous. It was David’s comfort that God knew with what pleasure he both offered his own, and saw the people’s offering. He was neither proud of his own good work nor envious of the good works of others.

18. He prays to God both for the people and for Solomon, that both might hold on as they began. In this prayer he addresses himself to God, as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a God in covenant with them, and with us for their sakes. Lord, give us grace to make good our part of the covenant, that we may not forfeit the benefit of it. They were kept in their integrity by the grace of God establishing their way; let the same grace that was sufficient for them be so for us. For the people he prays that what good God had put into their minds he would always keep there, that they might be faithful to him and continue to enjoy his favor. H.

20. Then, at David’s bidding, the vast congregation “blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and worshipped the LORD.” B.

21. The next day they offered abundance of sacrifices to God, both burnt-offerings which were wholly consumed, and peace-offerings which the offerer had the greatest part of to himself. Hereby they testified a generous gratitude to God for the good posture their public affairs were in, though David was going the way of all the earth. 22. They feasted, and rejoiced, before God. In token of their joy in God and communion with him, they feasted upon their peace offerings before the Lord. What had been offered to God they feasted upon; by which was intimated to them that they should be never the poorer for their late liberal contributions to the service of the temple; they themselves should feast upon the comfort of it. H.—After the sacrifice the portions of the offerings reserved for feasting were distributed for the open air feast and eaten in the presence of the Lord, and the sacred festivities passed into social and domestic enjoyment. For the two full days sacrifices were kept up in sanctuary and outer altar, in uncounted numbers, the people bearing their meats from the sacrifices to their houses, tents and booths, the rulers and princes completing the arrangements for their gifts to the temple. Knox.

22. They made Solomon king, the second time. He having been before anointed in haste, upon occasion of Adonijah’s rebellion, it was thought fit to repeat it, for the greater satisfaction of the people. They anointed him to the Lord. Magistrates must look upon themselves as set apart for God, to be his ministers, and must rule accordingly in the fear of God. Zadok also was anointed to be priest, in the room of Abiathar, who had lately forfeited this honor. H.

A constant memorial of this solemnity is preserved in that most magnificent of the Psalms of David, the seventy-second, in which the blessings predicted for the reign of Solomon form a transparent veil for the transcendent glories prophesied for Christ’s kingdom, and which is marked as the crowning contribution of its author to the service of the sanctuary by its concluding words, “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended!” P. S.