Bible Commentaries

Said - Thro' the instinct and direction of God's spirit, by which as he is said to have had the pattern of the house, porch, altar, &c. 1 Chronicles 28:11-12 , 1 Chronicles 28:19 , so doubtless he was instructed as to the place where the house should be built. This - This is the place appointed by God for the building of his temple and altar.

Prepared, &c. - And good reason, because it was intended for the honour of the great God, and was to be a type of Christ, in whom all fulness dwells, and in whom are hid all treasures.

Shed blood - Not that wars are simply unlawful, but to teach us that the church (whereof the temple was an illustrious type) should be built by Christ, the prince of peace, Isaiah 9:6 , and that it should be gathered and built up, not by might or power but by God's spirit, Zechariah 4:6 , and by the preaching the Gospel of peace. David therefore was less fit for that service, than one who had not been called to such bloody work. Likewise by setting him aside for this reason, God shewed how precious human life is to him.

Trouble - This he alleges as a reason why he could do no more, because of the many wars, whereby much of his treasures were exhausted. Talents - A talent of Gold in the first constitution was three thousand shekels, as may be gathered from Exodus 38:24-26 , and so this amounts to a vast sum, yet not impossible for David to get, considering how many and great conquests he made, and what vast spoils and presents he got; and that he endeavoured by all honourable ways to get as much as he could, out of zeal for God's house. And whereas some object, that this quantity of gold and silver was sufficient, tho' the whole fabrick of the temple had consisted of massy gold and silver, it is to be considered, that all this treasure was not spent upon the materials of the temple, but a great part of it upon the workmen, who were nigh two hundred thousand, whereof a great number were officers, and what was not employed in the building of the temple, was laid up in the sacred treasures.

Be doing - When thou shalt come to the throne. The sense of God's presence must not slacken our endeavours; because he is with us, we must rise and be doing. Then he will be with us even to the end. Work out your salvation, and God will work in you.