1 Chronicles 29

CHAPTER 29

Gifts for Building the Temple (29:1–9)

1–5 In these verses, the writer lists the personal gifts that David gave for the construction of the temple. These were over and above the resources he had provided as king (see 1 Chronicles 22:14). Naturally, the personal gifts were much less than the resources provided by the state.¹⁸

After announcing the amount of his personal fortune that he was donating, David then challenged the assembled leaders of Israel to give generously also: “Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD?” (verse 5). Notice that David puts the act of giving on the same level of devotion as the act of CONSECRATION. At the heart of consecration and worship is the act of self-giving (Romans 12:1).

6–9 The leaders, in response to David’s example, gave freely and wholeheartedly. In giving first, David displayed an essential principle of leadership: don’t ask others to do what you are not willing to do yourself. David led by example, and the people followed and rejoiced.

David’s Prayer (29:10–20)

10–20 After offering a magnificent hymn of praise to the Lord (verses 1013), David said to the assembled people: “. . . who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?” (verse 14). And then David stated some of the most important principles in the Bible about giving and about stewardship. All we have—every possession, every bit of money, even life itself—belongs to God. When we give, we are only giving back to Him what is His. Therefore, everything we have is to be used for Him; we are only stewards of His possessions.

Furthermore, more important to God than what we give is why we give; God is concerned above all with our hearts, our motives. We must not give out of pride or guilt or a desire to “bribe” God. Instead, we must give out of a true love for God and a desire to please and to serve Him.

Finally, in verse 15, David reminds us that we are aliens and strangers on earth (see Hebrews 11:13); we are just passing through; our days are like a shadow. Soon we will leave this earth and we will not be able to take our riches with us (Luke 12:16–21). Rather than store up treasures here, let us give them away; then we shall have treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21).

Solomon Acknowledged as King (29:21–25)

21–25 In this section, the writer describes the second acknowledgement and anointing of Solomon as king. The first anointing had been hastily arranged by David to prevent Solomon’s older brother Adonijah from seizing the throne (see 1 Kings 1:28–53 and comment).

The Death of David (29:26–30)

(1 Kings 2:10–12)

26–30 See 1 Kings 2:10–12 and comment.

¹ In order to avoid duplication, those events described in 1 and 2 Chronicles that are also described in 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings will not be commented on; instead, the reader will be referred to the corresponding material in those other books.

² 1 and 2 Chronicles were originally written as one book.

³ After Solomon’s death, Israel divided into northern and southern kingdoms: “Israel” in the north, and Judah in the south.

⁴ For a discussion of redemption, see Exodus 13:11–16; Ruth 2:19–20 and comments; Word List: Redemption.

⁵ As with most biblical genealogies, the genealogies in 1 Chronicles Chapters 1–9 have omissions; the writer only includes those names that are important for his purposes. We must also keep in mind that in the Old Testament the word “father” can mean any ancestor, and the word “son” can mean any descendant.

⁶ The writer of 1 Chronicles uses the name Israel in preference to Jacob (see Genesis 32:28).

⁷ Esau was also called Edom (Genesis 36:1). Edom the country was also called the hill country of Seir (Genesis 36:9).

⁸ The writer had two good reasons for focusing on the line of Judah: first, Judah’s line was divinely chosen from among the twelve sons of Israel (Jacob); and second, of the exiles returning from Babylon, most belonged to the tribe of Judah. Incidentally, the word “Jew” is derived from the name “Judah.”

⁹ This Caleb is not the same as the Caleb son of Jephunneh who, together with Joshua, explored the promised land (Numbers 13:6).

¹⁰ Judah’s last king, Zedekiah, was Jehoiachin’s uncle; neither he nor his sons survived (2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 52:11).

¹¹ In verse 16, the Hebrew word for Jehoiachin is Jeconiah (the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew); Matthew uses the Hebrew name in his genealogy (Matthew 1:12).

¹² The firstborn son was traditionally given a double share of the inheritance. In Joseph’s case, his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, each received a full share; thus Joseph, in effect, received a double share.

¹³ For a discussion on the subject of consecration, see Exodus 29:1–9 and comment; Word List: Consecration.

¹⁴ The Name of the Lord refers to God’s own Person and Presence. The temple was being built not just for the Lord’s honor and reputation but for the Lord Himself, whose very presence was going to be manifested in His temple (1 Kings 8:10–13; 2 Chronicles 5:13).

¹⁵ The name Solomon is derived from the Hebrew word for “peace.” Indeed, God kept that promise to grant peace and quiet (verse 9): in his entire reign, Solomon only had to engage in one battle (2 Chronicles 8:3).

¹⁶ The Hebrew word for plans used in verses 11–12 is the same as the word for pattern used in Exodus 25:9,40.

¹⁷ In verse 18, the writer says that David was given the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold. The writer is referring to the two large cherubim that Solomon made to overshadow the ark in the Most Holy Place (1 Kings 6:23–28; 1 Chronicles 3:10–13). The cherubim were winged figures that could be “ridden,” and so the writer calls them a “chariot.”

¹⁸ The state resources were twenty-five times greater than the personal gifts of David and the leaders. In verse 7, darics are mentioned; the daric was a coin of the Persian Empire named after the emperor Darius.