1 Chronicles 29

David relateth before all the Congregation the great provision of all kind of materials that he had prepared and laid up for the building of the Temple, ver.1. &c. And he exhorteth them, both Princes, and people, to contribute willingly thereto. They contribute liberally, 6. For which David giveth God thanks, 10. And he prayeth unto the Lord for all the people, 18. And for the king, 19. The thanksgiving and offering of the people, 20. Salomon is anointed king, and Zadok high Priest, 22. The Lord maketh Salomon exceeding glorious and great, 25. How long David reigned, 26,27. He dieth, 28.

1. More over king David said unto all the Congregation, [[See above chap.28.v.8.] God hath chosen Salomon my son alone [Heb. one; to wit, of all my sons. Therefore David caused him in his lifetime to be crowned King, and the other sons of David have pledged obedience to Salomon, vers.24.] a youth [Salomon had at that time marrieda wife, as may be gathered from his son Rehabeams age, 2 Chron.12.13. for he reigned fourty years, 2 Chron.9.30. and his son Rehabeam was 41. Years when he came to the Crown after the death of Salomon: whence it appeareth that Rehabeam was a year old when Salomon was crowned King. But David calleth him young and tender for just cause, because at that time (according to the opinion of some) he was but eighteen or nineteen years old, and had brethren that were elder then he] on the contrary this work [To wit, the building of the Temple, which Salomon was to perform] is great; For it is no palace for man, but for God the LORD.

2. Now I have prepared with all my strength, for the house of my God, gold for gold, and silver for silver, and copper for copper, iron, and wood for wooden-(work:) Sardonix-stones, and filling (stones) ornament-stones, and embroidery, [oth. Stones of ornament and embroidery, or, for ornament and embroidery] and all manner of precious stones, and marble-stones in abundance.

3. And moreover out of my delight toward the house of God, [That is, out of my affection to the house of my God] the special gold and silver that I have, [that is, of mine own jewels, and other costly things, which I have gathered and kept for this every end] I give over and above to the house of my God, besides all that I have prepared for the house of the Sanctuary.

4. Three thousand talents of gold, [See Exod.chap.25.on v.39.] of the gold of Opphir; And seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses. [to wit, the gold to overlay the walls of the Temple, and the silver to overlay the walls of the other houses and chambers appertaining to the Temple.]

5. Gold for the golden, and silver for the silver (vessels, and for every) work (to be made) by the hand of artificers: And who is there [To wit, among you] willing to fill his hand this day unto the LORD? [That is, to consecrate his service unto the LORD, and to offer a freewill-offering unto him. See Exod.32.29. Lev.8.33.]

6. Then the chief of the Fathers, and the Princes of the tribes of Israel, and the Commanders of thousands, and of hundreds, and the Rulers of the kings works gave willingly.

7. And they gave to the service of the house of God, [That is, to ward the building of the temple five thousand talents of gold, and ten thousand drams; [a dram weigheth as much as a French crown] and ten thousand talents of silver, and eighteen thousand talents of copper: [Heb. ten thousand, and eight thousand talents of copper] and an hundred thousand talents of iron.

8. And they with whom stones [To wit, costly and precious stones] were found: gave them into the treasury of the house of the LORD, under the hand of Jehiel the Gersonite. [this man was the keeper General of all the treasures of the sanctuary, whom we might call the Receiver-General, but Selomith was placed over the treasures that were gathered for the building of the building of the Temple, 1 Chron.26.26.]

9. And the people rejoiced at their giving willingly, for they gave with a perfect heart willingly unto the LORD: And King David also rejoiced with great joy.

10. Therefore David praised the LORD before the eyes of all the Congregation; and David said; praised be thou LORD God of our Father Israel, from eternity to eternity.

11. 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 on the Earth, (is thine:) thine O LORD, is the Kingdom, and thou hast exalted thy self (as) an head above all.

12. And riches and honor are before thy face, and thou reignest over all (things), and in hand is power and might: it is also in thine hand to make all great, and to make all strong.

13. Now then our God, we thank thee, and praise the name of thy glory. [Or, thy glorious name.]

14. For who am I, and what is my people, that we should have obtained power to give willingly, as this is? [That is, all these things] for all is of thee, and we give it thee of thine (own) hand. [that is, as we first received this of thee, so we now give it to thee again.]

15. For we are strangers and sojourners before thy face, as all our Fathers (were:) [This is Davids argument: Seeing men are but strangers and pilgrims here on Earth, who must assuredly depart from hence, Psa.39.13. and that we cannot keep our goods or estates after our death: therefore we cannot better bestow them then upon the service of God, who will graciously reward it unto all eternity] our days on earth are as a shadow, and there is no expectation. [intimating that there is nothing firm, sure, or stedfast in this life: It is all vanity and like a shadow, and no man can expect that he shall eschew death. Oth. Which (to wit, shadow) is not gathered.]

16. LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build thee an house for name of thy holiness, that is of thine hand, and it is all thine.

17. And know, my God, that thou triest the heart, and thou hast pleasure in uprightness. I have in the uprightness of mine heart given all these things willingly, and I have now with joy seen thy people that are found here, that they have carried themselves willing toward thee.

18. O LORD, thou God of our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this for ever, in the mind [Or, inclination, affection. Heb. frame] of the thoughts of the heart of thy people; and direct their heart unto thee.

19. And gave unto Salomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all things, and to build this palace which I have prepared. [That is, for which I have gathered and made ready all this provision, yea for which I have bought the place it self, 1 Chron.21.25. and 2 Chron.3.1. and have made the model or draught of it.]

20. After that David said unto all the Congregation, praise now the LORD your God: Then all the Congregation praised the LORD the God of their Fathers, and they bowed down the head, and bended themselves down before the LORD, and before the king. [To wit, before the Lord with religious worship, and before the King with civil reverence.]

21. And they offered unto the LORD slay-offerings, they also offered unto the LORD burnt-offerings on the next morning of the day, a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs, with their drink-offerings: And slay-offering in abundance for all Israel.

22. And they did eat and drink the same day before the face of the LORD with great joy: And they made Salomon the son of David king the second time, [This was another anointing then that whereof we read, 1 Kings 1:33. For that first anointing was done in hast, at which those of Jerusalem were only present, to hinder the seditious intent of Adonia: but this second anointing was performed even in Davids life-time, (as appeareth in the beginning of this verse) yea with greater solemnity, in the presence of the princes and Rulers of the people, yea also of the rest of Davids sons] unto the LORD [that is, to the service of the LORD, to the maintaining and defending the two tables of the law] (to be) Leader, and Zadok (to be) Priest. [to wit, to be high Priest; and Abjathar was put out, because he had also been in the sedition of Adonia, 1 Kings 1:7.]

23. So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD, [That is, the vicegerent, he kept the Lords place] as king in stead of David his Father, and he was prosperous: And all Israel hearkened to him.

24. And all the Princes, and Champions, yea also all the sons of king David, gave the hand, that they would be under king Salomon. [That is, they acknowledged and accept of Salomon to be their king and Sovereign. Heb. gave the hand under king Salomon.]

25. And the LORD magnified Salomon exceedingly before the eyes of all Israel? And he gave him a royal Majesty, [Heb. a Majesty of the kingdom, such as had not been on any king of Israel no Judge, nor Ruler among the Israelites] before him. [see 1 Kings 3:13. and 2 Chron.1.12.]

26. Thus David the son of Isai reigned over all Israel.

27. Now the days that he reigned over all Israel, are fourty years: [See 1 Kings 2:11.] he reigned seven years at Hebron, and be reigned three and thirty at Jerusalem. [see 2 Sam.5.5.]

28. And he died in a good old age, [Heb. grayness. Or, hoariness, as Gen.25.8.] full of Days, riches and honor: and Salomon his son reigned in his stead.

29. Now the acts of king David, first and last, behold, they are written in the history, [Heb. words, things] of Samuel the Seer, and in the histories [Heb.words, things] of Nathan the Prophet, and in the histories [Heb. word, things of Gad the Seer, [this may be understood of the two books of Samuel, the chief books whereof were written by the Prophets that are named here, to wit, by Samuel, Nathan, and Gad, who are called Seers here.]

30. With all his kingdom, [That is with all the rule or government of his kingdom] and his might, and the times that passed over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the land. [that is, with that which in his time happened to him, to Israel, and to the kingdoms that lay round about.]