1 Chronicles 29:1-20

Offerings for the Temple

1 Then David the king said to all the assembly, "God has chosen Solomon my son alone, a young man and inexperienced, and the work [is] great, for the citadel [is] not for humankind, but for Yahweh God.

2 So I have provided for the house of my God according to all my strength, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and the wood for the things of wood, [along with] an abundance of onyx stones, stones for settings, stones of turquoise, and variegated stones, and all [kinds of] precious stones and alabaster stones.

3 And moreover, with respect to my provisions for the house of my God I have a treasure of gold and silver that I have given to the house of my God above all that I have provided for the holy house:

4 three thousand talents of gold from the gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the walls of the houses,

5 gold for the golden things and silver for the silver things, for all the work by the hand of skilled craftsmen. Now who will offer willingly, {consecrating himself} today to Yahweh?"

6 Then the commanders of the {families}, the commanders of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the work of the king offered themselves willingly.

7 And they gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

8 And whoever had [precious] stones gave [them] to the treasury of the house of Yahweh under the authority of Jehiel the Gershonite.

9 And the people rejoiced over their freewill offering, for with a whole heart they had willingly offered to Yahweh, and King David also rejoiced with great joy.

10 Then David blessed Yahweh in the sight of all the assembly, and David said, "Blessed [are] you, O Yahweh, God of Israel, our father forever and ever!

11 To you, O Yahweh, [is] the greatness and the power and the splendor and the glory and the strength, for everything in the heavens and in the earth. Yours, O Yahweh, [is] the kingdom and exaltation over all as head!

12 And wealth and glory [are] from you, and you rule over all. And in your hand [is] power and might. And in your hand [is power] to make great and to give strength to all.

13 And now, our God, we give thanks to you and offer praise to the name of your splendor.

14 And indeed, who [am] I, and who [are] my people that we retain power to offer according to these [offerings] willingly? For everything [is] from you, and from your hand we have given to you.

15 For we [are] strangers before you and sojourners like all our ancestors. Our days [are] like the shadow upon earth, and there is no hope [of abiding].

16 O Yahweh our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build for you a house for your holy name is from your hand, and all [of it] is yours.

17 And I know, my God, that you yourself test the heart and are pleased with uprightness. I, in the uprightness of my heart, have willingly offered all these [things], and now I have seen your people who are found here willingly offer to you.

18 O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep this forever as a plan [and] thoughts of the heart of your people, and establish their heart toward you.

19 Grant to Solomon my son a heart of peace to keep your commands, your statutes, and your regulations to do everything, and to build the citadel for which I have provided."

20 And David said to all the assembly, "Bless Yahweh your God!" And all the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. And they bowed down and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king.

1 Chronicles 29:1-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 29

This chapter relates how largely and liberally David, besides what he had before done, and his princes, offered towards defraying the expenses of building the temple, 1Ch 29:1-8 and the joy and thankfulness that he and his people expressed on that account, attended with prayers for Solomon, and offering sacrifices unto the Lord, 1Ch 29:9-21 and the chapter is closed, and so the book, with an account of the second unction of Solomon, the placing him on the throne, and the submission of all ranks of men unto him, and of the death of David, 1Ch 29:22-30.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "to consecrate his hand"
• [b]. Literally "fathers"
• [c]. Or "hand"
• [d]. Or "fathers"
• [e]. Or "fathers"
• [f]. Or "fathers"