1 Chronicles 29:1

1 Then David the king addressed the congregation: "My son Solomon was singled out and chosen by God to do this. But he's young and untested and the work is huge - this is not just a place for people to meet each other, but a house for God to meet us.

1 Chronicles 29:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 29:1

Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation,
&c.] Having finished what he had to say to Solomon, he addressed the congregation again:

Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen;
both to be king, and to build the temple

is yet young and tender;
see ( 1 Chronicles 22:5 )

and the work is great;
both of governing so great a people, and of building so magnificent a temple, especially the latter is meant:

for the palace is not for man;
for any mortal king, though ever so great:

but for the Lord God;
the Targum is,

``but for the Word of the Lord God,''

who is the King of kings, and Lord of lords; and therefore is to be built as with the greatest exactness, according to the pattern he himself has given, so with the greatest splendour and magnificence.

1 Chronicles 29:1 In-Context

1 Then David the king addressed the congregation: "My son Solomon was singled out and chosen by God to do this. But he's young and untested and the work is huge - this is not just a place for people to meet each other, but a house for God to meet us.

2 I've done my best to get everything together for building this house for my God, all the materials necessary: gold, silver, bronze, iron, lumber, precious and varicolored stones, and building stones - vast stockpiles.

3 Furthermore, because my heart is in this, in addition to and beyond what I have gathered, I'm turning over my personal fortune of gold and silver for making this place of worship for my God:

4 3,000 talents (about 113 tons) of gold - all from Ophir, the best - and 7,000 talents (214 tons) of silver for covering the walls of the buildings,

5 and for the gold and silver work by craftsmen and artisans. "And now, how about you? Who among you is ready and willing to join in the giving?"