Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Chronicles 22:1

Clarke's Commentary

CHAPTER XXII

David makes great preparations for building a temple to the

Lord, 1-5;

gives the necessary directions to Solomon concerning it, 6-16;

and exhorts the princes of Israel to assist in the undertaking,

17-19.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXII

Verse 1 Chronicles 22:1. David said, This is the house of the Lord — Till a temple is built for his name, this place shall be considered the temple of God; and on this altar, and not on that at Gibeon, shall the burnt-offerings of Israel be made. David probably thought that this was the place on which God designed that his house should be built; and perhaps it was this that induced him to buy, not only the threshing-floor, but probably some adjacent ground also, as Calmet supposes, that there might be sufficient room for such a building.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

David’s fame (18:1-22:1)

Before speaking further of the temple, the writer lists a number of David’s victories in war. These records show how God was strengthening David’s kingdom according to his promise, but they show also why God would not allow David to build the temple. One who had caused so much bloodshed was not a suitable person to build the nation’s sacred place of worship (see 22:7-10).

The writer records victories over miscellaneous enemies (18:1-17; see notes on 2 Samuel 8:1-18); victory over a combined Ammonite-Syrian attack (19:1-19; see notes on 2 Samuel 10:1-19); victory over Ammon at Rabbah (20:1-3; see notes on 2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 12:26-31); and various victories over the Philistines (4-8; see notes on 2 Samuel 21:18-22).

In bringing these battle stories together, the writer has omitted a number of passages from the parallel section of 2 Samuel. He is concerned with God’s plan for establishing the kingdom of David, not with the fate of Saul’s survivors (2 Samuel 9:1-13; 2 Samuel 21:1-17), nor with David’s personal sins and family troubles (2 Samuel 11:2-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-26).

There is, however, one sin of David’s that the Chronicler does record, and that is his numbering of the people. Yet even this story is recorded not to point out a personal weakness, but to show how David bought the piece of ground on which the temple was to be built (21:1-22:1; see notes on 2 Samuel 24:1-25). The writer now moves on to show how David, having bought the site, began preparations for the temple’s construction.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

DAVID’S PREPARATION TO BUILD THE TEMPLE

“Then David said, This is the house of Jehovah God, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.”

Practically all of the rest of First Chronicles is devoted to a discussion of David’s extensive preparations to build the temple. There is no parallel elsewhere for what is given in this chapter, aside from obvious references to the Law of Moses, to Joshua and to Nathan’s prophecy delivered to David in 2 Samuel 7. This verse indicates David’s decision to have the temple built in Jerusalem, on the site purchased from Ornan the Jebusite.

This was that very place called, “one of the mountains of Moriah,” upon which Abraham prepared to offer Isaac as a burnt-offering (Genesis 22:22), as confirmed by our Chronicler in 2 Chronicles 3:1. “Today it is occupied by the Dome of the Rock Mosque.”Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 346.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

This is the house of the Lord God - The double miracle - that of the angelic appearance and that of the fire from heaven - had convinced David that here he had found the destined site of that “house” which it had been told him that his son should build 1 Chronicles 22:10. Hence, this public announcement.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 22

Now as we get into chapter twenty-two,

He then called for Solomon his son ( 1 Chronicles 22:6 ),

He had gathered together the men of Israel and he called Solomon his son.

and he charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. And David said to Solomon [verse seven], My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God: But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and you've made great wars: and thou shall not build a house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all of the enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. And he shall build a 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. 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. Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Then shalt thou prosper, if you take heed to fulfil the statutes and the judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, be of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed ( 1 Chronicles 22:6-13 ).

Now David had his admirable points, but David also had his weak points. And David, for the most part, was a poor father. And as the result of the fact that he was a poor father, he had problems with his children. Now Solomon, in observing this and later writing the Proverbs, had many things to say about correcting children. That's one thing that David was very lax in, that was the correction of his sons.

One of his sons that rebelled against him and it said, "And David never at any time said anything to correct the son." Never even challenged him. "Why did you do this?" And he never challenged. He just let the kid go. And he ended up rebelling against his dad. So Solomon, in observing David as a poor disciplinarian and seeing the result of David's laxity in this particular area, speaks about "if you spare the rod, you'll spoil the child." "The foolishness of the world is bound up in the heart of the child but the rod of instruction driveth it far from him" ( Proverbs 22:15 ). A child left to himself will bring a reproach unto his mother. And so Solomon had a lot to say concerning the discipline of children because he saw where David lacked in the discipline. But where David, for the most part, was a poor father in his failure in the disciplining of his sons, yet in this particular case, David shines as he is now instructing his son Solomon in the ways of the Lord.

Now David did not take enough time with his children. But now in his old age as he has got to turn the reins of the government over to his son and this tremendous task of building this temple unto the Lord, he gives to Solomon the best advice that any father could ever pass on to his son, marvelous advice. David encouraged Solomon to seek wisdom and understanding. And I think that it is significant that when Solomon began his reign and God said to Solomon, "What do you want Me to give to you?" No doubt remembering the advice of his father David, "Seek wisdom and understanding," Solomon said, "Grant unto thy servant that I might have wisdom and understanding that I might be able to rule over this thy great people."

That's exactly what David told Solomon to seek. And when Solomon prayed unto the Lord and desired that he might receive the wisdom and understanding, God was pleased with the request of Solomon and said, "Because you did not ask for fame or riches but for wisdom and understanding, I will not only give you what you ask, but I'm going to give you what you didn't ask for. I'm going to give you great wealth and fame and so forth so that your fame will spread throughout all the world." So Solomon was no doubt remembering these sagacious words of his father to seek wisdom and understanding. And then David said, "And walk in the statutes and the judgments and the commandments of the Lord in order that you may be prosperous."

Now in the first Psalm, David links prosperity with the keeping of the law of God. And many places in the Scriptures these things are linked together. When Moses turned over the reins to Joshua, he commanded him to meditate in the law and in the commandments. "And thus shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and thus shalt thou have good success" ( Joshua 1:8 ). Now David is again linking a prosperous reign to obedience to the law, the statutes, the judgments, the commandments of God. In other words, the law is God's rules for a happy, prosperous life.

You see, there are spiritual rules that govern in the universe or spiritual laws even as there are physical laws that govern in the universe in which we live. Now, we are very conscious of the physical laws. You're all sitting in your chairs instead of floating in the room because there is a law of gravity. And it's the attraction of masses. And thus we know that the law of gravity exists. Now, just why masses attract we may not know. I don't know why there is a attraction of masses and a pull of masses according to the size of the mass. I don't understand Mark 2:1-28 but I know that it's there. I know that it exists, and I live by the law.

Now I don't, knowing and understanding the law, I don't go out and defy the law of gravity because I know that that will bring problems, too. I don't test to see if the law is still working day by day. Nor do I defy it because I can't understand how it works. I don't understand how gravity works. I'm going to jump off this building because I just don't understand how it works. I don't see why I have to obey it; why I have to do it if I can't understand it. If I defy the law, I'm going to suffer. Whether I understand it or not, it's still going to operate. There is a law of magnetism. There is a law of electricity. And there are certain natural laws that govern our universe and we are aware of them. We learn to use them. We learn to abide by them and respect them.

Now, in the same token there are certain spiritual laws that govern in the spiritual world and in the spiritual universe, and though you still may not understand them, how they operate, yet they do operate, and it's wise that you learn to live by them. Respect them. And of course, you can use them for great advantage.

Now God has set forth these spiritual laws. There are laws for happiness. There are laws for prosperity. There are laws for many things that do govern our lives and God has set them forth. Now I can't understand how they work; that doesn't keep them from working. And many times because we can't understand, and in fact, we almost defy the law, we say, "Well, that isn't true in my case. My case is different." And we sometimes violate the law of God thinking that we have some kind of a special case that the law doesn't apply to us, or we don't understand it and so we defy it. And then we wonder why we're hurting. We wonder why we're in such sorrow and such misery. We wonder why we're having so many problems. Well, I've defied the laws of God, the spiritual laws of God is set.

Now, how in the world can it be that the more I give, the more I'm going to receive. That doesn't make sense to me. And yet, that's what the Bible declares. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; measured out, pressed down, running over, shall men give in your bosom. And whatsoever measure you mete it's going to be measured to you again" ( Luke 6:38 ). "If you sow abundantly you're going to reap abundantly; if you sow sparingly you're going to reap sparingly" ( 2 Corinthians 9:6 ). Oh, I'm beginning to understand a little bit now. I have a field out here. And I take five kernels of corn and I go out and plant those five kernels of corn. Chances are, I'll get four stalks of corn. But I'm not going to get much of a return. But if I take a bushel of corn and out in that field and plant a bushel, the more I sow the more I'm going to reap come harvest time.

Oh yeah, I can understand that. Well, it's a principle and it works. I don't know how it works but it does work. The more you give to God the more God returns to you, measured out, pressed down, running over. It's a spiritual law. I can't explain how it operates. All I can do is affirm that it does operate; it does work. There are spiritual laws that govern the universe, and many people, because they can't understand them, fail to use them. And thus lack the benefits. Now, what if you said I am not going to use any electrical appliance until I fully understand the laws of electricity? I want to know why these positive charged currents and so forth can bring power and, you know, the alternating currents and so forth, and I want to know whether or not electricity runs through the wire or around the wire or how it's transmitted and... Think of all the benefits you would be missing out on if you had to understand completely the law of electricity before you attempted to use it for your benefit.

And yet, there are people that do say that concerning spiritual laws. "Well, I don't understand how it works." And thus they don't use. And thus they don't advantage from the spiritual laws that God has set. Now basically, the law that God gave was a law of prosperity. A law of happiness. "Blessed or happy is the man who meditates in the law day and night. For he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" ( Psalms 1:1-3 ). And so David relates it in the first Psalm, and he relates it here with Solomon. "Now keep the law and the statutes and the judgments of the Lord that you might be prosperous, that your reign might be prosperous over these people. And thou shalt prosper if you take heed to fulfill the commandments, the statutes, the judgments."

Now "be of good courage; dread not, don't be dismayed."

Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a million talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; the timbers. Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, the hewers and the workers with stone and timber, all manner of skillful men for every manner of work. Of the gold, and silver, the brass, the iron, there is no measuring of it. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee ( 1 Chronicles 22:14-16 ).

That's usually the way the work of God is done. "Arise and get going, and the Lord be with thee."

David also commanded all of the princes of Israel to help Solomon, saying, 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 in mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD ( 1 Chronicles 22:17-19 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Preparations for temple construction ch. 22

This chapter is unique to Chronicles. It records David’s plans to assemble building materials and workers for the construction of the temple. He instructed Solomon carefully in what God had promised so his son would carry out the work as God wanted it done (1 Chronicles 22:5-13). This is the first of three speeches by David that the Chronicler recorded: 1 Chronicles 22:2-19; 1 Chronicles 28:1-21; and 1 Chronicles 29:1-9.

The writer provided another reason God did not permit David to build the temple himself. God wanted a man characterized by peace to build His house (1 Chronicles 22:8). David not only shed blood in obedience to God (1 Chronicles 14:10; 1 Chronicles 19:13), but he had also been guilty of excessive violence (cf. 2 Samuel 8:2; 2 Samuel 11:4; 2 Samuel 11:15). Solomon not only ruled in peaceful times, after David had subdued Israel’s enemies, but his name even relates to the Hebrew word for peace (shalom). "Shalom" does not just mean the absence of war, however. It includes the fullness of Yahweh’s blessing that Israel enjoyed because of David’s reign.

If God’s revelation to David (1 Chronicles 22:8) took place at the same time as the one mentioned in 2 Samuel 7:2, Solomon’s birth appears to have followed the giving of the Davidic Covenant (cf. 1 Chronicles 22:9). However, it seems probable that God gave the revelation in 1 Chronicles 22:8 to David before Solomon was born (1 Chronicles 22:9). He evidently repeated it after Solomon’s birth when He gave David the covenant (2 Samuel 7:2). Such a repetition is very probable in view of David’s great desire to build a house for the Lord. This was the passion of his life at the time he became king and from then on.

David also mentioned a qualification on God’s promise: obedience to God’s will (1 Chronicles 22:13). Solomon would only prosper as he submitted obediently to God’s authority. Solomon and all who followed him failed God. Consequently, the original readers of Chronicles anticipated a Son of David who would yet come and complete what Solomon and the other kings of Judah could not. These promises were still unfulfilled in the returned exiles’ day, as they are in ours.

"David is here to Solomon much like Moses was to Joshua. David could do all the preparations for the temple but could not build it, just as Moses could not lead Israel into Canaan." [Note: Thompson, p. 165.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Then David said,.... Within himself, or to some principal persons about him:

this is the house of the Lord God; the place where the temple was to be built, hinted at in Deuteronomy 12:5 and elsewhere; the meaning is, here, or in "this" place, shall be the house of God, so Noldius o, for as yet there were none; but it was now made known to David that here it should be built, and so the words in 2 Chronicles 3:1 should be rendered,

then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, which was shown to David his father, which he prepared in the place of David, that which he bought in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite: and this is the altar for the burnt offering for Israel; not which he had built here; but this is the place where one should be built for the people of Israel to bring their offerings to, and to be here offered for them by the priests: this he said by a divine impulse upon his mind, or which he concluded from the acceptance of his sacrifice here, signified by fire that came down from heaven and consumed it; and this being in the threshingfloor of the Jebusites, might prefigure the church of God to be built up among the Gentiles.

o Ebr. Concord. Part. p. 352. No. 1257.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      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.   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.

      Here is, I. The place fixed for the building of the temple (1 Chronicles 22:1; 1 Chronicles 22:1): Then David said, by inspiration of God, and as a declaration of his mind, This is the house of the Lord God. If a temple must be built for God, it is fit that it be left to him to choose the ground, for all the earth is his; and this is the ground he makes choice of-ground that pertained to a Jebusite, and perhaps there was not a spot of ground besides, in or about Jerusalem, that did so--a happy presage of the setting up of the gospel temple among the Gentiles. See Acts 15:16; Acts 15:17. The ground was a threshing-floor; for the church of the living God is his floor, his threshing, and the corn of his floor,Isaiah 21:10. Christ's fan is in his hand, thoroughly to purge his floor. This is to be the house because this is the altar. The temple was built for the sake of the altar. There were altars long before there were temples.

      II. Preparation made for that building. David must not build it, but he would do all he could towards it: He prepared abundantly before his death,1 Chronicles 22:5; 1 Chronicles 22:5. This intimates that the consideration of his age and growing infirmities, which showed him his death approaching, quickened him, towards his latter end, to be very diligent in making this preparation. What our hands find to do for God, and our souls, and our generation, let us do it with all our might before our death, because, after death, there is no device nor working. Now we are here told,

      1. What induced him to make such preparation. Two things he considered:-- (1.) That Solomon was young and tender, and not likely to apply with any great vigour to this business at first; so that, unless he found the wheels set a-going, he would be in danger of losing a great deal of time at first, the rather because, being young, he would be tempted to put it off; whereas, if he found the materials got ready to his hand, the most difficult part of the work would be over, and this would excite and encourage him to go about it in the beginnings of his reign. Note, Those that are aged and experienced should consider those that are young and tender, and provide them what help they can, that they may make the work of God as easy to them as possible. (2.) That the house must be exceedingly magnificent, very stately and sumptuous, strong and beautiful, every thing about it the best in its kind, and for a good reason, since it was intended for the honour of the great God, the Lord of the whole earth, and was to be a type of Christ, in whom all fulness dwells and in whom are hid all treasures. Men were then to be taught by sensible methods. The grandeur of the house would help to affect the worshippers with a holy awe and reverence of God, and would invite strangers to come to see it, and the wonder of the world, who thereby would be brought acquainted with the true God. Therefore it is here designed to be of fame and glory throughout all countries. David foretold this good effect of its being magnificent, Psalms 68:29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

      2. What preparation he made. In general, he prepared abundantly, as we shall find afterwards; cedar and stones, iron and brass, are here specified, 1 Chronicles 22:2-4; 1 Chronicles 22:2-4. Cedar he had from the Tyrians and the Zidonians. The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift,Psalms 45:12. He also got workmen together, the strangers that were in the land of Israel. Some think that he employed them because they were generally better artists, and more ingenious in manual operations, than the Israelites; or, rather, because he would not employ the free-born Israelites in any thing that looked mean and servile. They were delivered from the bondage of making bricks in Egypt, and must not return to hew stone. These strangers were proselytes to the Jewish religion, but, though not enslaved, they were not of equal dignity with Israelites.