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1
Chronicles Chapter Twenty-eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 28
David,
having convened the principal men of the nation, declared Solomon his
successor, whom God had chosen both to be king, and to build the temple, 1 Chronicles 28:1,
and exhorted both them and him to serve the Lord, and build an house for him, 1 Chronicles 28:8,
then gave Solomon the pattern of it, and an account of the materials he had
prepared for it, 1 Chronicles 28:11,
and encouraged him to go about the work with alacrity and intrepidity, 1 Chronicles 28:20.
1 Chronicles
28:1 Now David
assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: the officers of the tribes and
the captains of the divisions who served the king, the captains over thousands
and captains over hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and
possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officials, the valiant men,
and all the mighty men of valor.
YLT
1And David assembleth all
the heads of Israel, heads of the tribes, and heads of the courses who are
serving the king, and heads of the thousands, and heads of the hundreds, and
heads of all the substance and possessions of the king, and of his sons, with
the officers and the mighty ones, even to every mighty one of valour -- unto
Jerusalem.
And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the
tribes,.... Whose names are given in 1 Chronicles 27:16.
and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by
course; monthly, each having 24,000 men under him, whose names are
expressed, 1 Chronicles 27:2.
and the captains over the thousands; of which there were
twenty four in a course, at the head of each 1000, under the chief captain:
and captains over the hundreds: centurions under the
second captains:
and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the
king, and of his sons; whose names may be read in 1 Chronicles 27:25.
with the officers: the courtiers:
and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men; both men of
valour, and of wealth and riches: these David
assembled unto Jerusalem; the metropolis of the
kingdoms and where his court and palace were.
1 Chronicles 28:2 2 Then 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 the Lord, and for the
footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it.
YLT
2And David the king riseth
on his feet, and saith, `Hear me, my brethren and my people, I -- with my heart
-- to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and for the
footstool of our God, and I prepared to build,
Then David the king stood up upon his feet,.... Rose from
the bed or couch on which he lay, as Kimchi thinks, being somewhat recovered of
his paralytic disorder, and being willing to exert himself on this occasion; or
he rose up from the seat or throne, on which he before sat, in honour to this
august assembly before him, and that he might be the more easily heard; for
which reason we are toldF18Eustathius in Homer. Iliald. 1. p. 46.
Vid, Iliad. 19. ver. 77, 79. it was a custom with the ancients even for kings
to stand up when they had a number of people about them they spoke to; and if
anyone sat it was reckoned a new and strange thing; so Agamemnon, when wounded,
did not speak sitting, until he had made an excuse for it:
and said, hear me, my brethren, and my people; having
something of moment and importance to say unto them, and which required their
diligent attention; and though they were his subjects, he calls them his
brethren, being of the same nation and religion, and to show his modesty and
humility; in which he was a type of Christ, the King of kings, see Hebrews 2:11.
as for me, I had it in my heart to build an house of rest for the
ark of the covenant of the Lord; where it might abide, and not be removed
from place to place; the same he had told Solomon, 1 Chronicles 22:7.
and for the footstool of our God; or "even for
it", for the ark is meant, which is so called, Psalm 99:5 for as
the Lord sat between the cherubim over the mercy seat, the lid of the ark, it
was, speaking after the manner of men, a footstool to him:
and had made ready for the building; prepared materials for
it; see 1 Chronicles 22:4.
1 Chronicles 28:3 3 But God said to me, ‘You
shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war
and have shed blood.’
YLT
3and God hath said to me,
Thou dost not build a house to My name, for a man of wars thou [art], and blood
thou hast shed.
But God said unto me, thou shalt not build an house for my name,.... This he
said by Nathan the prophet, 2 Samuel 7:5.
because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood: see 1 Chronicles 22:8.
1 Chronicles 28:4 4 However the Lord God of Israel
chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for
He has 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 was pleased with me to
make me king over all Israel.
YLT
4`And Jehovah, God of
Israel, doth fix on me out of all the house of my father to be for king over
Israel to the age, for on Judah He hath fixed for a leader, and in the house of
Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, on me, [me] He
hath been pleased to make king over all Israel;
Howbeit, the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of
my father to be king over Israel for ever,.... Passing by all his
brethren who were elder than he, he pitched upon him, and ordered him to be
anointed king of Israel, see 1 Samuel 16:10, and
that for ever, for a long time, as long as he lived; or rather in his posterity
for many years to come, and best of all in his antitype Christ, the son of
David, see Luke 1:32.
for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; the tribe of
Judah to be the seat of government, and one out of that tribe to be the chief
ruler, see 1 Chronicles 5:2.
and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; out of that
tribe he chose his father's family, to take from thence one to be king of Israel:
and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over
all Israel; though the youngest of them, 1 Samuel 16:11,
this was his will and pleasure.
1 Chronicles 28:5 5 And of all my sons (for
the Lord
has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of
the kingdom of the Lord
over Israel.
YLT
5and out of all my sons --
for many sons hath Jehovah given to me -- He also fixeth on Solomon my son, to
sit on the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah over Israel,
And of all my sons, for the Lord hath given me many sons,.... Whose
names, and the order of their birth, may be read in 1 Chronicles 3:1.
he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the
kingdom of the Lord over Israel; to be his successor in it: this he says to
observe to them, that this was not merely his own will and choice, nor the
fruit and effect of a fond affection to Solomon; nor was it barely in pursuance
of a promise made to Bathsheba, she had obtained of him; but it was according
to the will and appointment of God, and therefore to be the more regarded.
1 Chronicles 28:6 6 Now He said to me, ‘It is
your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have
chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father.
YLT
6and saith to me, Solomon
thy son, he doth build My house, and My courts, for I have fixed on him to Me
for a son, and I -- I am to him for a father,
And he said unto me, Solomon that son, he shall build my house,.... See 2 Samuel 7:13.
and my courts; in the house or temple:
for I have chosen him to be my son; predestinated him to the
adoption of children, Ephesians 1:5.
and I will be his father; see 2 Samuel 7:14.
1 Chronicles 28:7 7 Moreover I will establish
his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My
judgments, as it is this day.’
YLT
7and I have established his
kingdom to the age, if he is strong to do My commands, and My judgments, as at
this day.
Moreover, I will establish his kingdom for ever,.... The same
is said in 2 Samuel 7:13.
if he be constant to do my commandments, and my judgments, as at
this day; if he continued in the observance of them, as he had begun, and
went on in until that day; this is added here, and was not spoken by Nathan,
when what goes before was; for Solomon was not then born, but must be suggested
to David since, and as it should seem at this time.
1 Chronicles 28:8 8 Now therefore, in the
sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of
our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that
you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your
children after you forever.
YLT
8`And now, before the eyes
of all Israel, the assembly of Jehovah, and in the ears of our God, keep and
seek all the commands of Jehovah your God, so that ye possess this good land,
and have caused your sons to inherit after you unto the age.
Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the
Lord,.... Whom this assembly represented:
and in the audience of our God; before him, as Jarchi,
in whose presence they were, and who heard and saw all that passed, and to whom
David appeals as a witness; the Targum is,"before the Word of the Lord.'before
whom all things are naked and open, Hebrews 4:12.
keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God; seek to know
them, search for them in the word of God, and endeavour to keep them:
that ye may possess this good land; continue in the
possession of it, for by their obedience they held it, Isaiah 1:19.
and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for
ever; that so they might not be removed from it, and carried captive
into other lands, as they were for their disobedience.
1 Chronicles 28:9 9 “As for you, my son
Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with
a willing mind; for the Lord
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.
YLT
9`And thou, Solomon, my son,
know the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart, and with a
willing mind, for all hearts is Jehovah seeking, and every imagination of the
thoughts He is understanding; if thou dost seek Him, He is found of thee, and
if thou dost forsake Him, He casteth thee off for ever.
And thou, Solomon my son,.... Who was present in
this assembly, and presented to them by David as his successor, and their
future king: and having addressed them, he turns himself to him, and exhorts
him, saying:
know thou the God of thy father; who was his Father and
covenant God, and whom he served and worshipped, and who had bestowed upon him
many favours, both temporal and spiritual; and having had such an experience of
his goodness, he exhorts his son to seek to know more and more of him, and to
own and acknowledge him as his God, and to love and fear him:
serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; cordially and
sincerely, cheerfully and freely, neither in an hypocritical manner, nor
through force and constraint, nor with loathing and weariness:
for the Lord searcheth all hearts; the hearts of all men,
even of kings, and knows from what principles and with what views and in what
manor they serve him:
and understandeth all the imaginations of the thought; not only the
thoughts of the heart, when regularly formed and ranged in order, hut even the
very beginning of them, the first motions of the mind, and before they are well
formed, see Genesis 6:5.
if thou seek him; by prayer and supplication in his house and
ordinances:
he will be found of thee; grant his presence and
bestow his favours, see Isaiah 4:6.
but if thou forsake him: his word, his ways, his
worship:
he will cast thee off for ever; from being king, or
enjoying that peace, prosperity, and happiness, which otherwise would be
enjoyed.
1 Chronicles 28:10 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you
to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.”
YLT
10See, now, for Jehovah hath
fixed on thee to build a house for a sanctuary; be strong, and do.'
Take heed now,.... Of offending God by forsaking him; or
see, consider, and observe now what he was further about to say to him,
concerning the building of the temple, as follows:
for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary; a temple for
the ark, called the sanctuary, Numbers 7:9 the
Targum is, the Word of the Lord hath chosen thee, &c.
be strong, and do it, be of a good heart and
courage, and set about it with vigour and resolution.
1 Chronicles 28:11 11 Then David gave his son
Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper
chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat;
YLT
11And David giveth to Solomon
his son the pattern of the porch, and of its houses, and of its treasures, and
of its upper chambers, and of its innermost chambers, and of the house of the
atonement;
Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch,.... The
breadth, and length, and height of it, which was to be placed at the east end
of the temple, and was the entrance into it:
and, of the houses thereof; the holy place, and the
most holy, which latter is called the greater house, 2 Chronicles 3:5,
and of the treasures; where things belonging
to the temple were laid up, the priests' vestments, and other things:
and of the upper chambers; where the priests lay or
met for conversation, Jeremiah 35:2.
and of the inner parlours thereof; where the priests ate of
the holy things; all these seem to he buildings against the wall of the temple
round about, 1 Kings 6:5.
and of the place of the mercy seat: the holy of holies,
where that, with the cherubim over it, and the ark under it, were placed.
1 Chronicles 28:12 12 and the plans for all that
he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, of all the
chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the
treasuries for the dedicated things;
YLT
12and the pattern of all that
hath been by the Spirit with him, for the courts of the house of Jehovah, and
for all the chambers round about, for the treasures of the house of God, and
for the treasures of the things sacrificed;
By
the Spirit of God, who gave him the whole form of the temple, and all things
relative to it; just as God showed to Moses the pattern of the tabernacle in
the mount; the Targum is, by the spirit of prophecy that was with him. The Jews
suppose that Samuel the prophet was first made acquainted with it, and he made
it known to David:
of the courts of the house of the Lord: the outward
court, the court of the priests, &c.
and of all the chambers round about: see 1 Kings 6:5.
of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of
the dedicated things; of the difference of which, see 1 Chronicles 26:20.
1 Chronicles 28:13 13 also for the division of
the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of
the Lord,
and for all the articles of service in the house of the Lord.
YLT
13and for the courses of the
priests and of the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of
Jehovah, and for all vessels of service of the house of Jehovah,
And also for the courses of the priests and Levites,.... Where
they should serve, of which, as fixed and ordered by David, see 1 Chronicles 24:1.
and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord; they should
be employed in:
and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord; which they
should use therein.
1 Chronicles 28:14 14 He gave
gold by weight for things of gold, for all articles used in every kind
of service; also silver for all articles of silver by weight, for all
articles used in every kind of service;
YLT
14even gold by weight, for
[things of] gold, for all instruments of service and service; for all
instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of service and service;
He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments
of all manner of service,.... Whatever was to be made of gold, David was directed by the
Spirit of God what weight or quantity of gold should be made use of in making
it, as appears from some following instances: silver also
for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of
every kind of service; so likewise whatever instruments or vessels, for the service of
the temple, were to be made of silver, he had a direction from the Spirit of
God what weight each was to be of, or what quantity of silver was to be used in
it, and this he gave; according to Jacob Jehudah LeonF19Relation of
Memorable Things in the Tabernacle and Temple, ch. 4. p. 19. , the vessels of
gold were 340,000, the vessels of silver 470,000, in all 810,000.
1 Chronicles 28:15 15 the 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 use of each lampstand.
YLT
15and [by] weight for the
candlesticks of gold, and their lamps of gold, by weight [for] candlestick and
candlestick, and its lamps; and for the candlesticks of silver, by weight for a
candlestick and its lamps, according to the service of candlestick and
candlestick;
Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps
of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof,.... These
candlesticks were ten, and each had seven lamps, and were placed five on one
side the Mosaic candlestick, and five on the other, as say the Jews, see 1 Kings 7:49, and
the weight of gold for each candlestick, according to the above writerF20Ibid.
(Relation of Memorial Things in the Tabernacle and the Temple, ch. 4.) p. 20. ,
was one hundred pounds; and for both candlesticks and lamps, David, by the
Spirit of God, was directed to give:
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 weight of silver for them was fixed; of these nowhere else
read. Kimchi thinks these were for the chambers of the priests, to give them
light when they ate and lay there.
1 Chronicles 28:16 16 And by weight he gave
gold for the tables of the showbread, for each table, and silver for the tables
of silver;
YLT
16and the gold [by] weight
for tables of the arrangement, for table and table, and silver for the tables
of silver;
And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every
table,.... For though there were but one table for the shewbread in the
tabernacle of Moses, there were ten in the temple of Solomon, 2 Chronicles 4:8
and each of them contained one hundred pounds in weightF21Jacob
Leon, ibid. (Relation of Memorable Things in the Tabernacle and Temple, ch. 4.
p. 20.) :
and likewise silver for the tables of silver; these were
placed in the court, as Jarchi thinks, on which they flayed the sacrifices; or,
as Kimchi, on which they slew them, and laid the flesh of the burnt offerings
on them, which he gathers from Ezekiel 40:39.
1 Chronicles 28:17 17 also pure gold for the
forks, the basins, the pitchers of pure gold, and the golden bowls—he gave
gold by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls, silver by
weight for every bowl;
YLT
17and the forks, and the
bowls, and the cups of pure gold, and for the basins of gold, by weight for
basin and basin, and for the basins of silver, by weight for basin and basin,
Also pure gold for the flesh hooks,.... To take the pieces
of flesh out of the pots, in which they were boiled:
and the bowls and the cups; and for the golden basins he gave gold
by weight for every basin; which were vessels made use of for the
receiving and sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices: likewise silver
by weight for every basin of silver; for it seems some of
them were of silver, as others were of gold.
1 Chronicles 28:18 18 and 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 the Lord.
YLT
18and for the altar of
perfume refined gold by weight, and for the pattern of the chariot of the
cherubs of gold -- spreading and covering over the ark of the covenant of
Jehovah.
And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight,.... This was
also one hundred pounds weight in gold, with which it was to be overlaidF23Ibid.
(Relation of Memorable Things in the Tabernacle and Temple, ch. 4. p. 20.) :
and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim; which were
two large ones, besides those which Moses made; and these were not made of
gold, as they were, but overlaid with it, see 1 Kings 6:23 which
with them made four; and to which the four living creatures in Ezekiel's vision
allude, and make the "mercavah", or chariot, the Jews so much speak
of, perhaps from this and other like phrases; and the Lord sitting here as in a
chariot, not only denotes the glory and splendour of the Shechinah, or divine
Majesty; but, as some observe, his readiness to ride off and depart, when
displeased and provoked, see Ezekiel 10:18,
that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant
of the Lord; not that spread their wings over the ark, and covered it, that
the Mosaic cherubim did; but these spread their wings before it from wall to
wall, so that it could not be seen by any that turned aside the vail, and even
by the high priest when he entered into the holy of holies: the ark, with the
cherubim, which were on that, weighed two hundred pounds of pure gold,
according to the Jacob LeonF24Ibid. .
1 Chronicles 28:19 19 “All this,” said
David, “the Lord
made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of
these plans.”
YLT
19The whole [is] in writing
from the hand of Jehovah, `He caused me to understand all the work of the
pattern,' [said David.]
All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by
his hand upon me,.... Either by an impulse of his Spirit on him, whereby it was as
it were written on his mind, and as clearly represented to him, as if he had it
in writing before him; though the Jews think that all was first made known to
Samuel, or some other prophet, who delivered it to David in writing, as from
the Lord: but I see not why it may not be understood that David had the pattern
of the temple, and all things relative to it, by an handwriting from the Lord
himself, through the ministry of angels, as Moses received the two tables, the
handwriting of the Lord, from himself; for the words, as they lie in order in
the Hebrew text, are, the whole of this "in writing from the hand of the
Lord, unto me, he made me to understand: even all the works of this
pattern"; the particulars of which are given before.
1 Chronicles 28:20 20 And David said to his son
Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be
dismayed, for the Lord
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 the Lord.
YLT
20And David saith to Solomon
his son, `Be strong, and courageous, and do; do not fear nor be affrighted, for
Jehovah God, my God, [is] with thee; He doth not fail thee, nor forsake thee,
unto the completion of all the work of the service of the house of Jehovah.
And David said to Solomon his son, be strong, and of good courage,
and do it,.... See Gill on 1 Chronicles 28:10.
fear not, nor be dismayed; that thou shalt meet
with any opposition in the work, or not be able to finish it for want of
materials and workmen, or money to pay them:
for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; to guide and
direct, prosper and succeed; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord God, my
God, will be thy help:"
he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee; a promise
made to Joshua, and is applicable to every good man in whatsoever good work he
is concerned, Joshua 1:5,
until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house
of the Lord; built the temple, and all the apartments of it, and courts
belonging to it, and made and provided all the utensils and vessels necessary
for the service and worship of God.
1 Chronicles 28:21 21 Here are
the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house
of God; and every willing craftsman will be with you for all manner of
workmanship, for every kind of service; also the leaders and all the people will
be completely at your command.”
YLT
21`And lo, courses of the
priests and of the Levites [are] for all the service of the house of God; and
with thee in all work [is] every willing one with wisdom, for every service;
and the heads and all the people [are] according to all thy words.'
And, behold, all the courses of the priests and the Levites,.... Which
David had lately fixed to take their turns in the temple, when built: even they
shall be with thee
for all the service of the house of God; to advise and
assist him in everything relating to the service of the sanctuary, which they
might be supposed best to understand:
and there shall be with thee, for all manner of workmanship, every
willing skilful man for any manner of service; men that were not only
well skilled in all manner of curious work that was necessary for the service
of the house, but were willing to employ their skill to the uttermost for it,
and such David had provided, 1 Chronicles 22:15,
also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy
commandment: to do whatever he should order, whether to overlook the workmen,
or to contribute to the expenses of the work.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》