Bible Commentaries

1 Chronicles 28:1 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.

Ver. 1. And David assembled.] Here the holy penman returneth to the history, which he began to set forth. [1 Chronicles 23:1-2] And verily this speech of David’s should be the more set by, because it was one of his last - inter Davidis novissima - wherein he ordereth what he would have done after his death; and taketh care of posterity. Me mortuo terra igne misceatur, ^(a) was a wild speech of a most wicked emperor. I could not but heartily affect the man, said Theodosius concerning Ambrose, because I saw him solicitous of the Church’s welfare after his decease, no less than he was wont to be while alive.

And of his sons.] Or, And his sons; these were a part of the assembly.

1 Chronicles 28:2 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:

Ver. 2. Then David the king stood up upon his feet.] To show his reverence to God, as 3:20, and his good respect to the assembly, which was comitia totius regni, a parliament, wherein he was to be the speaker.

Hear me, my brethren, and my people.] Praemittit exordiolum - not unlike that of Augustus to his soldiers, Audite senem iuvenes, quem iuvenem senes audierunt - wisely insinuating himself into their affections.

As for me, I had in my heart.] See 1 Chronicles 17:1, &o.

And for the foot stool,] i.e., For the ark, which is called God’s footstool, because under the cherubims, where God was said to sit as in a throne. See Psalms 99:5; Psalms 132:7.

1 Chronicles 28:3 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.

Ver. 3. But God said unto me, Thou shalt not.] The best are sometimes crossed in their desires, and must submit to God; going on to do their duty, though they should not have the fruit of it till they come to heaven; howbeit "in the doing" - not only for the doing - of God’s will, "there is great reward." [Psalms 19:11] This, an ancient calleth Praemium ante praemium.

1 Chronicles 28:4 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:

Ver. 4. To be king over Israel for ever.] That is, For a long time; and in regard of Christ, for ever. See Luke 1:32-33.

1 Chronicles 28:5 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.

Ver. 5. For the Lord hath given me many sorts.] Nineteen we read of [1 Chronicles 3:1-9]

1 Chronicles 28:6 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.

Ver. 6. For I have chosen him to be my son.] God saith the same in effect to all Christian princes; but then they must make it their care to build him a spiritual temple, &c.

1 Chronicles 28:7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.

Ver. 7. If he be constant.] Heb., Strong; for he shall be hard put to it. God’s promises are conditional. See on 2 Samuel 7:14.

As at this day.] Solomon had been well instructed in the ways of God, both by father [Proverbs 4:4] and mother, [Proverbs 31:1] and while young he did God’s commandments and judgments, as is hinted in these words, "As at this day"; but he was not so constant.

1 Chronicles 28:8 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.

Ver. 8. And in the audience of our God.] I exhort, or, beseech you.

Keep and seek.] Keep what ye know already; and seek to be yet further instructed. By this latter word "seek," tollit ignorantiam illam crassam, saith Vatablus, he striketh at affected ignorance.

1 Chronicles 28:9 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.

Ver. 9. Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him.] Deum cognoscere et colere. Rightly to know and serve God is the whole duty of man, saith Lactantius; this, therefore, is fitly charged by dying David upon his dearest son Solomon. To any blind obedience God bindeth not his servants; as the Popish padres do their novices.

With a perfect heart.] That there be no halving.

And with a willing mind.] That there be no heaving, hucking, or shucking, as they say.

All the imaginations of the thoughts.] Those very first motions of the mind, the principles of all practice.

But if thou forsake him.] This maketh against those desperadoes who take liberty to live as they list, and then say for defence of their sinful practices, Si sum ex praedestinatis, quicquid faciam, perinde est.

1 Chronicles 28:10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do [it].

Ver. 10. To build a house for the sanctuary.] Or, For sanctification: i.e., where God may sanctify his people in holy ordinances; and be sanctified by them in holy duties. [Leviticus 10:3]

1 Chronicles 28:11 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,

Ver. 11. Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern.] The platform of the temple, with the parts and partitions, the vessels, vestments, &c., all which he had foreframed in his mind, by the help of the Holy Spirit, [1 Chronicles 28:12] and set it down in a model, for Solomon’s use.

1 Chronicles 28:14 [He gave] of gold by weight for [things] of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; [silver also] for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

Ver. 14. He gave of gold by weight.] The vessels for the holy place were of gold, as those for the priests’ court were of silver. ^(a) Now, like as in the temple there were some vessels of gold, and some of silver, and all had their weight, and their use; so in the Church of Christ there are diversity of vessels, and of gifts. [2 Timothy 2:20-21]

1 Chronicles 28:16 And by weight [he gave] gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and [likewise] silver for the tables of silver:

Ver. 16. For the tables of silver.] These, as also the silver candlesticks, were, likely, for the priests’ use in the courts and chambers.

1 Chronicles 28:18 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.

Ver. 18. The chariot of the cherubims.] So called, because God sat between them, [Psalms 99:1] rode upon them; [Psalms 18:10] the angels - represented by those cherubims - are called the chariots of God; [Psalms 68:17] and the Hebrews have a saying, that such as saw God of old saw only Merehavah velo harocheb, the chariot in which God rode, but not the rider in it; some created image and glory testifying his presence they saw, but himself they saw not. It is a good note also that is given here by some expositors - viz., that by this chariot of the cherubims God gave his people to understand that his presence in the ark was not so fixed among them, but that he would leave them, and ride clean away from them, if they should thereunto provoke him by their sins. In the 9th, 10th, and llth chapters of Ezekiel, God maketh various moves: as first, From the cherubims in the oracle to the threshold; [Ezekiel 9:3] secondly, To the cherubims on the right side of the house; [Ezekiel 10:1] thirdly, To the east gate of the house and the first entrance into the temple; [Ezekiel 10:19] fourthly, To Mount Olivet, quite out of the city; - and [Ezekiel 11:23] then followed the fatal calamity of that state.

1 Chronicles 28:19 All [this, said David], the LORD made me understand in writing by [his] hand upon me, [even] all the works of this pattern.

Ver. 19. To understand in writing.] Either of his own setting down, by divine direction; or else of God’s setting down, and sent him by an angel, or by some prophet.

By his hand upon me.] As of old upon Moses. [Exodus 25:40]

1 Chronicles 28:20 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.

Ver. 20. He will not fail thee, &c.] See on Joshua 1:5.

1 Chronicles 28:21 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.

Ver. 21. Every willing and skilful man.] Will and skill are very requisite to the well-affecting of anything men go about.