1 Chronicles

Introduction
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
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13
14
15
16
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18
19
20
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22
23
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26
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28
29

CHAPTER 22

1Thus David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar for burnt offerings for Israel.”^a 2 ^* David then ordered that the resident aliens in the land of Israel should be brought together, and he appointed them stonecutters to hew out stone blocks for building the house of God.^b 3David also laid up large stores of iron to make nails for the doors of the gates, and clamps, together with so much bronze that it could not be weighed,^c 4and cedar trees without number. The Sidonians and Tyrians brought great stores of cedar logs to David.^d 5David said: “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced; but the house that is to be built for the LORD must be made so magnificent that it will be renowned and glorious in all lands. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” Thus before his death David laid up materials in abundance.^e

Charge to Solomon. 6Then he summoned his son Solomon and commanded him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. 7 ^f David said to Solomon: “My son, it was my purpose to build a house myself for the name of the LORD, my God. 8But this word of the LORD came to me: You have shed much blood, and you have waged great wars. You may not build a house for my name, because you have shed too much blood upon the earth in my sight. 9However, a son will be born to you. He will be a peaceful man, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For Solomon shall be his name, and in his time I will bestow peace ^* and tranquility on Israel.^g 10It is he who shall build a house for my name; he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him,^h and I will establish the throne of his kingship over Israel forever.

11“Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has said you shall. 12But may the LORD give you prudence and discernment when he gives you command over Israel, so that you keep the law of the LORD, your God. 13Only then shall you succeed, if you are careful to observe the statutes and ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and steadfast; do not fear or be dismayed.ⁱ 14See, with great effort I have laid up for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold,^* a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron in such great quantities that they cannot be weighed. I have also laid up wood and stones, to which you must add.^j 15Moreover, you have available workers, stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and experts in every craft, 16without number, skilled with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Set to work, therefore, and the LORD be with you!”

Charge to the Officials. 17David also commanded all of the officials of Israel to help his son Solomon: 18“Is not the LORD your God with you? Has he not given you rest on every side? Indeed, he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my power, and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people.^k 19Therefore, devote your hearts and souls to seeking the LORD your God. Proceed to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and God’s sacred vessels may be brought into the house built for the name of the LORD.”^l

* [22:2–4] According to 1 Kgs 5:15–32, Solomon himself made the material preparations for building the Temple, even though David had wished to do so (1 Kgs 5:17–19). The Chronicler, however, seeks to enhance David’s role in the building of the Temple.

* [22:9] The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, is reflected in the name Solomon, in Hebrew, Shelomo. The Chronicler draws a contrast here between Solomon, the “peaceful man,” and David, who “waged great wars” (v. 8). David was prevented from building the Temple, not only because his time was taken up in waging war (1 Kgs 5:17), but also because he shed much blood (1 Chr 22:8), thereby making himself, in the Chronicler’s view, ritually unfit for the task.

* [22:14] A hundred thousand talents of gold: about 3,775 tons of gold. A million talents of silver: about 37,750 tons of silver. These highly exaggerated figures are intended to stress the inestimable value of the Temple as the center of Israelite worship. More modest figures are given in 1 Kgs 9:14, 28; 10:10, 14.

a. [22:1] 1 Chr 21:18, 26, 28; 2 Chr 3:1.

b. [22:2] 1 Kgs 5:31–32; 9:20–21; 2 Chr 2:16–17.

c. [22:3] 1 Chr 18:8; 1 Kgs 7:47.

d. [22:4] Ezr 3:7; 2 Chr 2:9.

e. [22:5] 1 Chr 29:1.

f. [22:7–10] 1 Chr 17:1–14; 28:2–7; 2 Sm 7:1–16; 1 Kgs 5:17–19; 8:17–21.