Bible Commentaries

Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

David said, This is the house. By the miraculous sign of fire from heaven, and perhaps other intimations, David understood it to be the will of God that the national place of worship should be fixed there, and he forthwith proceeded to make preparations for the erection of the temple on that spot.

And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

David commanded to gather together the strangers - partly the descendants of the old Canaanites (2 Chronicles 8:7-10), from whom was exacted a tribute of bond-service, and partly war captives (2 Chronicles 2:7), reserved for the great work he contemplated.

And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.

Then he called for Solomon ... and charged him. The earnestness and solemnity of this address creates an impression that it was given a little before the old king's decease. He unfolded his great and long-cherished plan, enjoined the building of God's house as a sacred duty on him as his son and successor, and described the resources that were at command for carrying on the work. The vast amount of personal property he had accumulated, in the precious metals, must have been spoil taken from the people he had conquered and the cities he had sacked.

And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: No JFB commentary on this verse.

But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

Thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood. An innate feeling of propriety dictates the purification of the worshipper from all defilement when about to engage in the solemn rites of religion. Above all, persons polluted with blood were prohibited even among the pagan, of which many instances are found in the works of classical writers, (see Homer, 'Iliad,' 6:, 335; Euripides, 'Iphigesia, in Tauris,' 5:, 380; Vigil, 'AEneid,' 6:) The same cause prevented the acceptance of the Jews in their sacred services (Isaiah 1:15), and operated as a disqualification to David's building the temple.

Behold, a son shall be born to thee, 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 unto Israel in his days.

Behold, a son shall be born to thee ...

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.

He shall build an house for my name. This divine declaration, which pointed to David's posterity, can be understood only in reference to the erection of the material temple. David here refers the announcement primarily to Solomon, and Solomon applies it to himself, 1 Kings 5:5; 2 Chronicles 6:7; and the Lord applies it also to Solomon, when He appeared to him (2 Chronicles 7:7; 2 Chronicles 7:18).

Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

Keep the law of the Lord thy God.

Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

Then shalt thou prosper ... - (cf. 2 Samuel 8:12-17.)