Preparation for the temple
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| 1 ¶ Then David said,
This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering
for Israel.
.2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God. 3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight; 4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. |
1 -
Then In the previous chapter David had taken a census which God
had prohibited. He was punished with a plague that killed 70,000. Then
he built an altar and repented.
2 - Strangers We would call them resident aliens. David drafted them into service. Their service was involuntary. In other words, they were slaves. Israelites were exempt from some of this See 1ki0920-22, 2ch0807-9. 3 - Iron The metal was known from ancient times in Mesopotamia and Egypt and became common in the time of David. See ge0422. 3 - Brass Instead "bronze." Brass is fairly recent. |
| .5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death. | 5 - Young and tender He was probably inexperienced in civil matters but it's possible that he was very precious to David as Benjamin was to Joseph. |
| 6 ¶ Then he called for
Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of
Israel.
.7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: .8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. .9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. 10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. |
7 -
In my mind The temple was David's project although we call it "Solomon's
temple." Of course in reality it was God's temple and the glory should
have been only His. We may expect that God also showed David the plan as
He had shown Moses ex2540.
10 - He shall build Solomon was apparently impressed with God's revelation that he should build the temple. See 1ki0505, 2ch0608-10. 10 - Establish the throne This was said of David's throne. Christ was to be the king that rules the world lu0132,33. |
| 11 Now, my son, the LORD be
with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as
he hath said of thee.
12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. 13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. |
11
- Lord ... give the wisdom This Solomon had chosen when offered
anything he wanted 1ki0309-12.
13 - Prosper A natural result of following the ways of righteousness. 13 - Good courage Compare de3106, jos0106,7, is4301-5, je0108, jn1427.. |
| 14 Now, behold, in my trouble
I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of
gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron
without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared;
and thou mayest add thereto.
15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. 16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee. |
14
- Prepared for the house David was not allowed to build the temple
but he gathered the materials.
14-16 - Hundred thousand When calculated, this would be an unrealistic amount of gold and silver. The number was apparently intended to express a very large quantity rather than a precise value or weight. |
| 17 ¶ David also commanded
all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. 19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD. |
17,18
- God with you ... rest "David at this time was not only king of
Judea, but had also subdued most of the surrounding nations.
Thus Solomon came to the Jewish throne with every possible advantage. Had he made a proper use of his state and of his talents, he would have been the greatest as well as the wisest of sovereigns. But alas! how soon did this pure gold become dim! He began with an unlawful matrimonial connection; this led him to a commerce that was positively forbidden by the law of God: he then multiplied his matrimonial connections with heathen women; they turned his heart away from God, and the once wise and holy Solomon died a fool and an idolater.." (Clarke) |
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