1 Chronicles 29:4

4 (namely) three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand of talents of silver most proved (and seven thousand talents of most proved silver), to overgild the walls of the temple;

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.

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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 Soothly I in all my mights have made ready the costs of the house of my God; gold to golden vessels, silver to silveren vessels, brass to brazen vessels, iron to iron vessels, and tree to treen vessels, onyx stones, and stones as of the colour of women's ointment, and each precious stone of diverse colours, and marble of diverse colours, most plenteously. (And with all my power I have prepared the expenses and the materials for the House of my God; gold for the gold vessels, silver for the silver vessels, bronze for the bronze vessels, iron for the iron vessels, and wood for the wooden vessels, and onyx stones, and stones the colour of women's ointment, and each precious stone of diverse colour, and most plentiful marble of diverse colours.)

3 And over these things, I give gold and silver into the temple of my God, which I have offered of my proper chattel into the house of my God, besides these things which I have made ready into the holy house, (And in addition to these things, I have given gold and silver for the Temple of my God, which I have offered out of my own substance, or possessions, for the House of my God, besides these things which I have prepared for the Holy House,)

4 (namely) three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand of talents of silver most proved (and seven thousand talents of most proved silver), to overgild the walls of the temple;

5 and (for the) works (which) be made by the hands of craftsmen, wherever gold is needful, of gold, and wherever silver is needful, of silver; and if any man offereth by his free will, [full-]fill he his hand today, and offer he that that he will to the Lord. (and for the works which be made by the hands of craftsmen, yea, the gold, wherever gold is needed, and the silver, wherever silver is needed; and if anyone else will offer by his free will, open he his hand today, and offer he what he will to the Lord.)

6 Therefore the princes of [the] families, and the dukes of the lineages of Israel, and the tribunes, and the centurions, and the princes of the possessions of the king, promised to give thereto/promised to give gifts to the temple; (And so the leaders of the families, and the leaders of the tribes of Israel, and the tribunes, and the centurions, and the overseers of the king's possessions, promised to give gifts for the Temple;)