1Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the rulers of Israel: the chiefs of the tribes and the leaders of the divisions who served the king, the commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds, and the officials over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the overseers, the mighty men, and all the men of valor. 2And King David rose to his feet and said, Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. 3But God has said to me, You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood. 4However Jehovah the God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah as the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He has been pleased to make me king over all Israel. 5And of all my sons (for Jehovah has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah, over Israel. 6And He said to me, Your son Solomon shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him as My son, and I will be his Father. 7Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he prevails to do My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day. 8Now therefore, in the eyes of all Israel the assembly of Jehovah, and in the ears of our God, take heed to seek out all the commandments of Jehovah your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you always. 9As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Jehovah searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 10Consider now, for Jehovah has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it. 11Then David gave his son Solomon the pattern for the porch, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; 12and the pattern for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of Jehovah, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the consecrated things; 13also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of Jehovah, and for all the vessels of service in the house of Jehovah. 14Gold by weight for the things of gold, for all the vessels used in every kind of service; also silver for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all the vessels used in every kind of service; 15the weight for the lampstands of gold, and their lamps of gold, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps; for the lampstands of silver by weight, for the lampstand and its lamps, according to the service of each lampstand. 16And by weight, the gold for the tables of the Bread in Rows, for each table, and silver for the tables of silver; 17also pure gold for the forks, the bowls, the pitchers of pure gold, and the golden basins; gold by weight for every basin; and for the silver basins, silver by weight for every basin; 18and refined gold by weight for the altar of incense, and for the construction of the chariot, that is, the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of Jehovah. 19All this, said David, Jehovah has given me insight in writing, by His hand upon me, all these patterns of the workmanship. 20And David said to his son Solomon, Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for Jehovah God, my God, will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of Jehovah. 21Behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and every willing man of wisdom will be with you for all manner of workmanship, for every kind of service; also the rulers and all the people are here for whatever you say.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 DAVID EXHORTS THE PEOPLE TO FEAR GOD. (
1Chr 28:1-8)
David assembled all the princes of Israel--that is, the representatives of the people, the leading men of the kingdom, who are enumerated in this verse according to their respective rank or degree of authority.
princes of the tribes-- (
1Chr 27:16-22). Those patriarchal chiefs are mentioned first as being the highest in rank--a sort of hereditary noblesse.
the captains of the companies--the twelve generals mentioned (
1Chr 27:1-15).
the stewards, &c.-- (
1Chr 27:25-31).
the officers--Hebrew, "eunuchs," or attendants on the court (
1Sam 8:15;
1Kgs 22:9;
2Kgs 22:18); and besides Joab, the commander-in-chief of the army, the heroes who had no particular office (1Ch. 11:10-12:40; 2Sa. 23:8-39). This assembly, a very mixed and general one, as appears from the parties invited, was more numerous and entirely different from that mentioned (
1Chr 23:2).
2 Hear me, my brethren, and my people--This was the style of address becoming a constitutional king of Israel (
Deut 17:20;
1Sam 30:23;
2Sam 5:1).
I had in mine heart--I proposed, or designed.
to build an house of rest--a solid and permanent temple.
for the footstool of our God--God seated between the cherubim, at the two extremities of the ark, might be said to be enthroned in His glory, and the coverlet of the ark to be His footstool.
and had made ready for the building--The immense treasures which David had amassed and the elaborate preparations he had made, would have been amply sufficient for the erection of the temple of which he presented the model to Solomon.
3 thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood--The church or spiritual state of the world, of which the temple at Jerusalem was to be a type, would be presided over by One who was to be pre-eminently the Prince of Peace, and therefore would be represented not so fitly by David, whose mission had been a preparatory one of battle and conquest, as by his son, who should reign in unbroken peace.
4 he hath chosen Solomon--The spirit of David's statement is this:--It was not my ambition, my valor, or my merit that led to the enthronement of myself and family; it was the grace of God which chose the tribe, the family, the person--myself in the first instance, and now Solomon, to whom, as the Lord's anointed, you are all bound to submit. Like that of Christ, of whom he was a type, the appointment of Solomon to the kingdom above all his brethren was frequently pre-intimated (
1Chr 17:12;
1Chr 22:9;
2Sam 7:12-14;
2Sam 12:24-25;
1Kgs 1:13).
7 I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments--The same condition is set before Solomon by God (
1Kgs 3:14;
1Kgs 9:4).
8 Now . . . in the sight of all Israel, . . . keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord, &c.--This solemn and earnest exhortation to those present, and to all Israel through their representatives, to continue faithful in observing the divine law as essential to their national prosperity and permanence, is similar to that of Moses (
Deut 30:15-
Deut 30:20).
9 HE ENCOURAGES SOLOMON TO BUILD THE TEMPLE. (
1Chr 28:9-20)
And thou, Solomon my son--The royal speaker now turns to Solomon, and in a most impressive manner presses upon him the importance of sincere and practical piety.
know thou--He did not mean head knowledge, for Solomon possessed that already, but that experimental acquaintance with God which is only to be obtained by loving and serving Him.
11 Then David gave to Solomon . . . the pattern--He now put into the hands of his son and successor the plan or model of the temple, with the elevations, measurements, apartments, and chief articles of furniture, all of which were designed according to the pattern given him by divine revelation (
1Chr 28:19).
12 the pattern of all that he had by the spirit--rather, "with him in spirit"; that is, was floating in his mind.
15 the candlesticks of silver--Solomon made them all of gold--in this and a few minor particulars departing from the letter of his father's instructions, where he had the means of executing them in a more splendid style. There was only one candlestick and one table in the tabernacle, but ten in the temple.
18 the chariot of the cherubim--The expanded wings of the cherubim formed what was figuratively styled the throne of God, and as they were emblematical of rapid motion, the throne or seat was spoken of as a chariot (
Ps 18:10;
Ps 99:1). It is quite clear that in all these directions David was not guided by his own taste, or by a desire for taking any existing model of architecture, but solely by a regard to the express revelation of the divine will. In a vision, or trance, the whole edifice, with its appurtenances, had been placed before his eyes so vividly and permanently, that he had been able to take a sketch of them in the models delivered to Solomon.
20 Be strong and of good courage--The address begun in
1Chr 28:9 is resumed and concluded in the same strain.
21 behold, the courses of the priests and Levites--They were, most probably, represented in this assembly though they are not named.
also the princes and all the people--that is, as well the skilful, expert, and zealous artisan, as the workman who needs to be directed in all his labors.