1 Chronicles 22)
1 Then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God, (the place where grace had been manifested was the place where alone true worship could be offended. This is it that makes "the house of God") and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel."
J S U 22:2-19. Intention to build the Temple.
V 23:1. Solomon. 1st investiture.
T 23:2. Princes, Priests, &c. Assemblage.
T 23:3-27:34. Princes and Priests. Appointments.
S U 28:1-29:22-. Intention to build Temple.
V 29:-22-25. Solomon. 2nd investiture.
U j 2-. David's command about strangers.
k -2. Workmen.
l n 3,4. Preparation.
o 5-. Solomon. Youth.
m -5. The glory of the house.
l o 6-13. Solomon. Charge.
n 14. Preparation.
k 15,16. Workmen.
j 17-19. David's command to princes.
2 And David commanded to gather together the foreigners that were in the land of Israel; (Cp. 20:3. 2 Chron. 2:17. These were the forced laborers David had prepared in 2 Sam. 12:31. Cp. 1 Sam. 8:2. 1 Kings 5:13; 9:15,22; and see Deut. 29:11. Josh. 9:27. The word "tribute" [Judg. 1:28] means forced labor. Cp. 2 Sam. 20:24. 1 Kings 9:21)
and he set masons (see note above) to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.
3 And David prepared iron (none in Tabernacle) in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. (See 2 Sam. 5:11. Cp. 1 Kings 5:1-15)
5 And David said, "Solomon my son is young and tender, (Cp. 29:1)
and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceeding magnificent, of glorious fame for all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it." So David prepared abundantly before his death.
6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the Lord God of Israel.
7 And David said to Solomon, "My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house to the name of the Lord my God:
8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, (see ch. 17; 28:3. 2 Sam. 7:13) "You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars: you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed much blood upon the earth in My sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.
10 He shall build an house for My name; and he shall be My son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.'
11 Now, my son, the Lord be with you; and prosper you, and build the house of the Lord your God, according as He has said of you.
12 Only the Lord give you wisdom (this was Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 3:5-15) and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God.
13 Then shall you prosper, if you take heed to fulfill the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: (the whole Levitical code. Ex. 21:1. Deut. 4:1) be strong, and of good courage; (see Deut. 31:7) dread not, nor be dismayed.
14 Now, behold, in my trouble (i.e. in the unsettled years of his warlike reign; and of the trouble brought on by his sin with Bath-sheba, and by Absalon's rebellion) I have prepared for the house (the Tabernacle was built with the spoils of Egypt; the Temple from the spoils of David's wars [2 Sam. 8:7-12. 1 Chron. 18:7-11.) of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, (about 13 million pounds at today's price, about 130 billion dollars) and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and you may add thereto.
15 Moreover there are workmen (see v.2) with you in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of skillful men for every manner of work. (Cp. Ex. 26:1. One of the words which has been degraded in meaning, through the fall of man. Cunning = knowing; but those who know, generally know too much)
16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee."
17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
18 "Is not the Lord your God with you? and has He not given you rest on every side? for he has given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before His people.
19 Now set your heart and your soul (= you [emph.]) to seek the Lord your God; (hā-'Elohim = the [true] God) arise therefore, and build you the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark (see 13:3) of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy (see Ex. 3:5) vessels of God, into the house that is to be built (and thus supersede the Tabernacle) to the name of the Lord."