1 Chronicles 29

1 Chronicles 29:1

Ch. 1 Chronicles 29:1-5. David’s Challenge to Liberality

1. Furthermore David] R.V. And David. congregation] or, assembly; the Hebrew word is cognate to the verb translated assembled in 1 Chronicles 28:1. whom alone God hath chosen] Cp. 1 Chronicles 28:5. the palace] Hebrew, bξrβh, a word applied to the Temple only here and 1 Chronicles 29:19. in Nehemiah 2:8 (cp. Ryle in loco) the building which afterwards became the Tower of Antonia (ἡπαρεμβολὴ, the castle, Acts 21:37; Acts 22:24) which overlooked the Temple is called the castle (bξrβh) which appertaineth to the house. In Nehemiah 1:1 Shushan is described as a bξrβh, probably as being a fortress as well as a royal city. The Temple is frequently called hηykβl (palace, great house) in the Old Testament, but the most frequent appellation is simply bayith (house).

1 Chronicles 29:2

2. with all my might] Cp. 1 Chronicles 22:14, in my affliction (R.V.). the gold for things to be made of gold] R.V. the gold for the things of gold. onyx] R.V. mg. beryl. Cp. Genesis 2:12 (R.V. mg. beryl). glistering stones] R.V. stones for inlaid work (Hebrew, “stones of pûch”). Cp. Isaiah 54:11, I will lay thy stones with fair colours (Hebrew, “with pûch”). Glister is an old form of glisten.

1 Chronicles 29:3

3. Moreover] R.V. Moreover also. I have of mine own proper good] R.V. Seeing that I have a treasure of wine own. which I have given] R.V. I give it. The point of 1 Chronicles 29:3-5 is missed in A.V. owing to the unfortunate translation of 1 Chronicles 29:3. David announces that he will give from his private fortune (1 Chronicles 29:3) a heavy contribution (1 Chronicles 29:4), and challenges the chief men to follow his example (1 Chronicles 29:5).

1 Chronicles 29:4

4. gold of Ophir] Solomon brought much gold from Ophir. (2 Chronicles 8:18; 2 Chronicles 9:10 = 1 Kings 9:28; 1 Kings 10:11), which is probably to be identified with some part of the south-east coast of Arabia. LXX. gives Σουφεὶρ, i.e. perhaps India. For the amount see note on 1 Chronicles 22:14. to overlay] Cp. 2 Chronicles 3:4-8. the houses] i.e. the porch, the greater house, and the most holy house; 2 Chronicles 3:4-5; 2 Chronicles 3:8.

1 Chronicles 29:5

5. the gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver] R.V. of gold for the thing of gold, and of silver for the things of silver. And who then is willing to consecrate his service] R.V. Who then offereth willingly to consecrate himself. The phrase to consecrate himself (Hebrew, to fill his hand) means properly to make himself a priest. The offering of gifts is regarded as a priestly act, in the performance of which the layman “makes himself a priest.” Cp. 2 Chronicles 13:9, note.

1 Chronicles 29:6

6–9. The Offerings of the Chiefs of Israel 6. the chief of the fathers] R.V. the princes of the fathers’ houses. over the king’s work] See 1 Chronicles 27:25-31.

1 Chronicles 29:7

7. five thousand talents] i.e. of uncoined gold by weight. ten thousand drams] R.V. ten thousand darics. A daric was a Persian gold coin worth about 22 shillings. The translation of A.V. drams (i.e. drachmæ) may however be right. The value of a gold drachma is about 9s. 5d. The total sum given in this verse sounds impossibly large; cp. 1 Chronicles 22:14, note.

1 Chronicles 29:8

8. by the hand] R.V. under the hand. Jehiel the Gershonite] Cp. 1 Chronicles 23:8; 1 Chronicles 26:21-22.

1 Chronicles 29:9

9. with perfect heart] i.e. with a single heart, ungrudgingly. Cp. 1 Chronicles 28:9, note.

1 Chronicles 29:11

10–19. The Blessing of David 11. thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all] Render, Thine, is the kingdom, O LORD, and thine it is to be exalted as head over all.

1 Chronicles 29:12

12. thou reignest] R.V. thou rulest.

1 Chronicles 29:14

14. be able] Lit. retain strength. David praises God for the great success of the efforts of so transitory a creature as man. of thine own] Lit. out of thine hand.

1 Chronicles 29:15

15. strangers before thee, and sojourners] David describes himself and his people not as strangers to God, but as strangers dwelling before God. In ancient states foreigners were sometimes allowed to reside in the capital under the immediate protection of the king or of the heads of the state; cp. 1 Samuel 22:3-4; 1 Samuel 27:3; 2 Samuel 15:19; cp. also the position of the aliens at Athens. David appeals to God on the ground that Israel is immediately under God’s protection. Cp. Psalms 39:12. none abiding] R.V. no abiding, i.e. no continuance.

1 Chronicles 29:18

18. in the imagination] Render, as the imagination. Imagination here means not the faculty, but the result of the exercise of the faculty, a mental image or impression. prepare] Better R.V. mg., establish. David prays that the people may continue in their present mind.

1 Chronicles 29:19

19. a perfect heart] See 1 Chronicles 28:9, note. the palace] See 1 Chronicles 29:1, note.

1 Chronicles 29:20

20–22. The Great Rejoicing 20. worshipped] i.e. prostrated themselves.

1 Chronicles 29:21

21. And they sacrificed] Cp. 1 Chronicles 16:1-3.

1 Chronicles 29:22

22. the second time] Cp. 1 Chronicles 23:1. The first time is described in 1 Kings 1:39 (Solomon hastily anointed in order to assert his claim to the throne against his brother Adonijah). to be the chief governor] R.V. to be prince. Cp. 1 Chronicles 5:2, note. Zadok] One of Solomon’s earliest acts seems to have been to put an end to the double priesthood by deposing Abiathar; cp. 1 Kings 2:27; 1 Kings 2:35. The Chronicler seems to have this in mind, but he avoids narrating anything so derogatory to the highpriesthood.

1 Chronicles 29:23

23–25. The Beginning of Solomon’s Reign 23. the throne of the Lord] See 1 Chronicles 28:5, note.

1 Chronicles 29:24

24. the mighty men] Cp. 1 Kings 1:10; 1 Kings 1:38, from which it is clear that the faithfulness of Benaiah and the Cherethites and Pelethites was the main factor in the elevation of Solomon. all the sons] The Chronicler glances at the submission of Adonijah (1 Kings 1:53).

1 Chronicles 29:25

25. such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel] The rather awkward Heb. phrase must be translated by rather awkward English; render, Royal majesty which was not on any king more than on him in lsrael; i.e. the majesty of Solomon was not exceeded by that of any other king of Israel. The Heb. word here translated before is sometimes used to express comparison without reference to time; cp. Job 34:19, “nor regardeth [he] the rich more than the poor.” According to A.V. the comparison is between Solomon on the one side, and his three predecessors only (David, Ish-bosheth, and Saul) on the other.

1 Chronicles 29:26

26–30. A Summary of David’s Reign 26. Thus David] R.V. Now David.

1 Chronicles 29:27

27. forty years] Cp. 2 Samuel 5:4-5; 1 Kings 2:11.

1 Chronicles 29:29

29. they are written] See Introduction, § 5, The Sources. in the book] R.V. in the history, lit. words. The Book of Chronicles itself is called in Hebrew, The words (or the acts) of the days. Samuel the seer] Cp. 1 Samuel 9:9; 1 Samuel 9:19. Nathan the prophet] See 2 Samuel 7:2 (= 1 Chronicles 17:1); 2 Samuel 12:1; 1 Kings 1:8-39. Gad the seer] See 2 Samuel 24:11 (= 1 Chronicles 21:9) Gad the prophet, David’s seer. In the Hebrew Samuel is rôeh (seer), Nathan, nâbî (prophet), and Gad ḥ ?ôzeh (seer).

1 Chronicles 29:30

30. the times] i.e. the changes, vicissitudes. Cp. 1 Chronicles 12:32, note.