Bible Commentaries

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.

David assembled all the princes of Israel - i:e., 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 (1 Chronicles 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, 1 Chronicles 27:1-15.

The stewards ... (1 Chronicles 27:25-31).

The officers - Hebrew, eunuchs, or attendants on the court (1 Samuel 8:15; 1 Kings 22:9; 2 Kings 22:18); and besides Joab, the commander-in-chief of the army, the heroes who had no particular office, (1 Chronicles 11:1-47; 2 Samuel 23:1.) This assembly, a very mixed and general one, as appears from the parties invited, was more numerous and entirely different from that mentioned, 1 Chronicles 23:2.

Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:

Hear me, my brethren. This was the style of address becoming a constitutional king of Israel (Deuteronomy 17:20; 1 Samuel 30:23; 2 Samuel 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.

But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

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 fifty by David, whose mission had been a preparatory one of battle and conquest, as by his son, who should reign in unbroken peace.

Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:

No JFB commentary on this verse.

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.

He hath chosen Solomon. The spirit of David's statement is this: It was not my ambition, my valour, 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 (Genesis 49:10). 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 (1 Chronicles 17:12; 1 Chronicles 22:9; 2 Samuel 7:12-14; 2 Samuel 12:24-25; 2 Kings 1:13).

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.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.

I will establish his kingdom ... if he be constant. The same condition is set before Solomon by God, 1 Kings 3:14; 1 Kings 9:4.

Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

Now ... in the sight of all Israel ... keep ... 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, Deuteronomy 30:15-20.

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 for ever.

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.

Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

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.

And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

The pattern of all that he had by the Spirit - rather, with him in spirit; i:e., was floating in his mind.

Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.

The candlesticks of silver. Solomon made them all of gold-in this, and in a few minor particulars, departing from the letter of his father's instructions, where he had the menus of executing them in a more splendid style. There was only one candlestick and one table in the tabernacle, but ten in the temple.

And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:

No JFB commentary on these verses.

And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

The chariot of the cherubim. The expanded wings of the cherubim formed what was figuratively called the throne of God; and so they were emblematical of rapid motion, the throne or seat was spoken of as a chariot (Psalms 18:10; Psalms 99:1). It is quite clear that in all these directions David was not guided by his own taste, 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.

All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

Be strong and of good courage. The address begun 1 Chronicles 28:9 is resumed and concluded in the same strain.

And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

Behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites. They were most probably represented in this assembly, though they are not named.

Also the princes and all the people - i:e., as well the skillful, expert, and zealous artisan, as the workman who needs to be directed in all his labours.