Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Chronicles 28:3

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 1 Chronicles 28:3. Thou shalt not build a house — See 2 Samuel 7:6; 2 Samuel 7:13, and the observations at the end of that chapter.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Solomon presented to the people (28:1-29:30)

David had been forced to appoint Solomon as king hastily when he learnt that another son, Adonijah, was plotting to seize the throne for himself (see notes on 1 Kings 1:5-53). That very unceremonious anointing of Solomon was followed soon after by a second anointing, this time with full religious and regal ceremony (see 29:22). This second occasion is the one that the Chronicler refers to here. David presented Solomon to the people as the one who, by God’s choice, would succeed him as king and build the temple (28:1-10). David gave Solomon the plans he had prepared for the temple and its service. He encouraged Solomon to persist in the work till the temple was finished and in use according to the plans he had set out (11-21).

In addition to the money and materials he had already given for the project (see 22:14), David gave a lavish offering from his own personal funds. His example prompted the people to make similarly generous offerings (29:1-9). The joyful response from the people brought from David an outburst of magnificent praise to God. He gladly acknowledged that everything that people possess comes from God; therefore, in making offerings to him, the Israelites had only given back what he had already given them. They had done this joyfully and willingly, and David prayed that they would maintain such devotion to God always (10-20).
Next day the people joined in a great festival and swore allegiance to Solomon as their new king (21-25). The writer will now continue with the story of Solomon, but before doing so he gives a brief summary of the reign of David (26-30).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

DAVID’S PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT THAT
SOLOMON WOULD BUILD THE TEMPLE

“And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that served the king by course, and the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers, and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: as for me, it was in 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 made ready for the building. But God said unto me, “Thou shalt not build a house for my name, because thou art a man of war, and hast shed much blood. Howbeit Jehovah, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever: for he hath chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel; and of all my sons (for Jehovah hath given me many sons) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant to do my commandments and mine ordinances, as at this day. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Jehovah, and in the audience of our God; observe and seek out all the commandments of Jehovah your God; that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.”

“I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father” This and the following verse positively indicate that David was here basing what he said upon his understanding of the prophecy in 2S:7; however, that prophecy said nothing at all resembling what David here declared. Solomon, in no sense whatever, was God’s son, nor did God establish Solomon’s throne for… ever. All that was happening in this chapter was taking place during David’s lifetime, absolutely contrary to the specific declaration in 2 Samuel 7:12 that the promised Great One who would build that house for the name of God would do so, “When thou (David) shalt sleep with thy fathers, and that the Promised One would be SET UP AFTER THEE” (2 Samuel 7:12). Solomon was not set up after David but during David’s reign; and God did not do it, as the prophecy indicated, but David did it! (See our extensive comment on this in 2 Samuel.)

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 27

And then the courses were established in chapter twenty-seven. There were twelve captains for, one for each month to oversee a particular month. And then the princes were established for the twelve tribes. And in verse twenty-three, chapter twenty-seven,

But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of heaven. Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he didn't finish the task, because of the plague that fell upon Israel; and neither was the number put into the account of the chronicles of king David ( 1 Chronicles 27:23-24 ).

And then David's own personal administration of his own personal wealth. It speaks of the man that he set over his own treasury, over the storehouses of the fields, the cities. The men that were in charge of the work in the field, the tilling of the ground and so forth. The man that was over his vineyards. And the man who was over the increase of the vineyards with the wine cellars. The one who was over the olive trees and the fig trees. And the one who was over the cellars of oil, and another one over the herds that fed in the plains of Sharon. Another one that was over the herds that fed in the valleys and over the camels. And so David had all of these vast things to take care of, and he was, no doubt, a super administrator also.

And Ahithophel was the king's counselor: with Hushai the Archite who was the king's companion: and after Ahithophel was Jehoiada and Joab, of course, was the general of the army ( 1 Chronicles 27:33-34 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The public announcement of Solomon’s succession 28:1-10

The earlier Old Testament historical books did not record this announcement. David directed his charge to remain faithful to Yahweh (1 Chronicles 28:7-9) to all the assembled leaders, not just Solomon, as is clear from the plural imperatives in the Hebrew text. David stressed obedience from the heart (1 Chronicles 28:9), not just external conformity to the ritual he had established. Like Solomon, the people also failed here (Isaiah 29:13).

"In a number of passages unique to Chronicles (i.e., not found in the parallel text of Samuel-Kings) the author specifically articulates the theme of an immediate divine response to precipitating events (1 Chronicles 28:8-9; 2 Chronicles 12:5; 2 Chronicles 15:2; 2 Chronicles 20:20)." [Note: Longman and Dillard, p. 199.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.   2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine 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 ready for the building:   3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build a house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.   4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath 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 liked me to make me king over all Israel:   5 And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.   6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.   7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.   8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.   9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.   10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

      A great deal of service David had done in his day, had served his generation according to the will of God,Acts 13:36. But now the time draws night that he must die, and, as a type of the Son of David, the nearer he comes to his end the more busy he is, and does his work with all his might. He is now a little recovered from the indisposition mentioned 1 Kings 1:1, when they covered him with clothes, and he got no heat: but was cure is there for old age? He therefore improves his recovery, as giving him an opportunity of doing God and his country a little more service.

      I. He summoned all the great men to attend him, that he might take leave of them all together, 1 Chronicles 28:1; 1 Chronicles 28:1. Thus Moses did (Deuteronomy 31:28), and Joshua, 1 Chronicles 23:2; 1 Chronicles 24:1. David would not declare the settlement of the crown but in the presence, and to the satisfaction, of those that were the representatives of the people.

      II. He addressed them with a great deal of respect and tenderness. He not only exerted himself to rise from his bed, to give them the meeting (the occasion putting new spirits into him), but he rose out of his chair, and stood up upon his feet (1 Chronicles 28:2; 1 Chronicles 28:2), in reverence to God whose will he was to declare, and in reverence to this solemn assembly of the Israel of God, as if he looked upon himself, though major singulis--greater than any individual among them, yet minor universis--less than the whole of them together. His age and infirmities, as well as his dignity, might well have allowed him to keep his seat; but he would show that he was indeed humbled for the pride of his heart both in the numbers of his people and his dominion over them. It had been too much his pleasure that they were all his servants (1 Chronicles 21:3; 1 Chronicles 21:3), but now he calls them his brethren, whom he loved, his people, whom he took care of, not his servants, whom he had command of: Hear me, my brethren, and my people. It becomes superiors thus to speak with affection and condescension even to their inferiors; they will not be the less honoured for it, but the more beloved. Thus he engages their attention to what he was about to say.

      III. He declared the purpose he had formed to build a temple for God, and God's disallowing that purpose, 1 Chronicles 28:2; 1 Chronicles 28:3. This he had signified to Solomon before, 1 Chronicles 22:7; 1 Chronicles 22:8. A house of rest for the ark is here said to be a house of rest for the footstool of our God; for heaven is his throne of glory; the earth, and the most magnificent temples that can be built upon it, are but his footstool: so much difference is there between the manifestations of the divine glory in the upper and lower world. Angels surround his throne, Isaiah 6:1. We poor worms do but worship at his footstoolPsalms 99:5; Psalms 123:7. As an evidence of the sincerity of his purpose to build the temple, he tells them that he had made ready for it, but that God would not suffer him to proceed because he had appointed other work for him to do, which was enough for one man, namely, the managing of the wars of Israel. He must serve the public with the sword; another must do it with the line and plummet. Times of rest are building times, Acts 9:31.

      IV. He produced his own title first, and then Solomon's, to the crown; both were undoubtedly jure divino--divine. They could make out such a title as no monarch on earth can; the Lord God of Israel chose them both immediately, by prophecy, not providence, 1 Chronicles 28:4; 1 Chronicles 28:5. No right of primogeniture is pretended. Detur digniori, non seniori--It went by worth, not by age. 1. Judah was not the eldest son of Jacob, yet God chose that tribe to be the ruling tribe; Jacob entailed the sceptre upon it, Genesis 49:10. 2. It does not appear that the family of Jesse was the senior house of that tribe; from Judah it is certain that it was not, for Shelah was before Pharez; whether from Nahshon and Salmon is not certain. Ram, the father of Nahshon, had a elder brother, 1 Chronicles 2:9. Perhaps so had Boaz, Obed, and Jesse. Yet "God chose the house of my father." 3. David was the youngest son of Jesse, yet God liked him to make him king; so it seemed good unto him. God takes whom he likes, and likes whom he makes like himself, as he did David, a man after his own heart. 4. Solomon was one of the youngest sons of David, and yet God chose him to sit upon the throne, because he was the likeliest of them all to build the temple, the wisest and best inclined.

      V. He opened to them God's gracious purposes concerning Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:6; 1 Chronicles 28:7): I have chosen him to be my son. Thus he declares the decree, that the Lord had said to Solomon, as a type of Christ, Thou art my son (Psalms 2:7), the son of my love; for he was called Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him, and Christ is his beloved Son. Of him God said, as a figure of him that was to come, 1. He shall build my house. Christ is both the founder and the foundation of the gospel temple. 2. I will establish his kingdom for ever. This must have its accomplishment in the kingdom of the Messiah, which shall continue in his hands through all the ages of time (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33) and shall then be delivered up to God, even the Father, yet perhaps to be delivered back to the Redeemer for ever. As to Solomon, this promise of the establishment of his kingdom is here made conditional: If he be constant to do my commandments, as at this day. Solomon was now very towardly and good: "If he continue so, his kingdom shall continue, otherwise not." Note, If we be constant to our duty, then, and not otherwise, we may expect the continuance of God's favour. Let those that are well taught, and begin well, take notice of this--if they be constant, they are happy; perseverance wears the crown, though it wins it not.

      VI. He charged them to adhere stedfastly to God and their duty, 1 Chronicles 28:8; 1 Chronicles 28:8. Observe, 1. The matter for this charge: Keep, and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God. The Lord was their God; his commandments must be their rule; they must have respect to them all, must make conscience of keeping them, and, in order thereunto, must seek for them, that is, must be inquisitive concerning their duty, search the scriptures, take advice, seek the law at the mouth of those whose lips were to keep this knowledge, and pray to God to teach and direct them. God's commandments will not be kept without great care. 2. The solemnity of it. He charged them in the sight of all Israel, who would all have notice of this public charge, and in the audience of their God. "God is witness, and this congregation is witness, that they have good counsel given them, and fair warning; if they do not take it, it is their fault, and God and man will be witnesses against them." See 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 4:1. Those that profess religion, as they tender the favour of God and their reputation with men, must be faithful to their profession. 3. The motive to observe this charge. It was the way to be happy, to have the peaceable possession of this good land themselves and to preserve the entail of it upon their children.

      VII. He concluded with a charge to Solomon himself, 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Chronicles 28:10. He was much concerned that Solomon should be religious. He was to be a great man, but he must not think religion below him--a wise man, and this would be his wisdom. Observe,

      1. The charge he gives him. He must look upon God and the God of his father, his good father, who had devoted him to God and educated him for God. He was born in God's house and therefore bound in duty to be his, brought up in his house and therefore bound in gratitude. Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not. He must know God and serve him. We cannot serve God aright if we do not know him; and in vain do we know him if we do not serve him, serve him with heart and mind. We make nothing of religion if we do not mind it, and make heart-work of it. Serve him with a perfect, that is, an upright heart (for sincerity is our gospel perfection), and with a willing mind, from a principle of love, and as a willing people, cheerfully and with pleasure.

      2. The arguments to enforce this charge.

      (1.) Two arguments of general inducement:-- [1.] That the secrets of our souls are open before God; he searches all hearts, even the hearts of kings, which to men are unsearchable, Proverbs 25:3. We must therefore be sincere, because, if we deal deceitfully, God sees it, and cannot be imposed upon; we must therefore employ our thoughts, and engage them in God's service, because he fully understands all the imaginations of them, both good and bad. [2.] That we are happy or miserable here, and for ever, according as we do, or do not, serve God. If we seek him diligently, he will be found of us, and that is enough to make us happy, Hebrews 11:6. If we forsake him, desert his service and turn from following him, he will cast us off for ever, and that is enough to make us miserable. Note, God never casts any off till they have first cast him off. Here is,

      (2.) One argument peculiar to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:10; 1 Chronicles 28:10): "Thou art to build a house for the sanctuary; therefore seek and serve God, that that work may be done from a good principle, in a right manner, and may be accepted."

      3. The means prescribed in order hereunto, and they are prescribed to us all. (1.) Caution: Take heed; beware of every thing that looks like, or leads to, that which is evil. (2.) Courage: Be strong, and do it. We cannot do our work as we should unless we put on resolution, and fetch in strength from divine grace.