1 Chronicles 29:4

4 I'm giving 110 tons of gold and 260 tons of pure silver. Cover the walls of the buildings with it.

1 Chronicles 29:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 29:4

Even three thousand talents of gold
Which, according to Scheuchzer F3, amount to 36,660,000 ducats of gold; and, according to Brerewood F4, to 13,500,000 pounds of our money:

of the gold of Ophir;
which was reckoned the best gold; not Ophir in India, which was not known till Solomon's time, but in Arabia, as Bochart F5 has shown; so Eupolemus F6, an Heathen writer, says, that David having built ships at Achan, a city of Arabia, sent miners to Urphe (supposed to be the same with Ophir) in the island of the Red sea,(See Gill on :) and that he was able to give so great a sum out of his own substance, Dr. Prideaux F7 thinks, can only be accounted for by his great returns from this traffic; since these 3000 talents, according to him, amounted to 21,600,000 pounds sterling:

and seven thousand talents of refined silver;
amounting, according to Scheuchzer F8, to 31,500,000 imperials, or rix dollars; and, according to Brerewood F9, to 2,625,000 pounds of our money:

to overlay the walls of the houses withal;
the gold was to overlay the walls of the holy and most holy place, the silver to overlay the walls of the chambers built around the temple.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Physica Sacra, vol. 4. p. 631.
F4 De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 5.
F5 Phaleg. l. 2. c. 27. col. 140.
F6 Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 30. p. 447.
F7 Connection, par. 1. p. 5, 6.
F8 Ut supra. (Physica Sacra, vol. 4. p. 631.)
F9 Ut supra. (De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 5.)

1 Chronicles 29:4 In-Context

2 "With all of my riches I've done everything I could for the temple of my God. I've provided gold for the gold work and silver for the silver work. I've provided bronze for the bronze work and iron for the iron work. I've given wood for the things that will be made out of wood. I've given onyx and turquoise for the settings. I've given stones of different colors and all kinds of fine stone and marble. I've provided everything in huge amounts.
3 "With all my heart I want the temple of my God to be built. So I'm giving my personal treasures of gold and silver for it. I'm adding them to everything else I've provided for the holy temple.
4 I'm giving 110 tons of gold and 260 tons of pure silver. Cover the walls of the buildings with it.
5 Use it for the gold work and the silver work. Use it for everything the skilled workers will do. How many of you are willing to set yourselves apart to the LORD today?"
6 Many people were willing to give. They included the leaders of families and the officers of the tribes of Israel. They included the commanders of thousands of men and commanders of hundreds. They also included the officials who were in charge of the king's work.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica.   All rights reserved worldwide.