1 Chronicles 22: David prepares for the house and charges Solomon to build it
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What happens?
David says that this is the house of Yahweh God and the altar of burnt offering for Israel, and he gathers workers, stone, iron, bronze and cedar for the house. He tells his son Solomon that Yahweh's word kept him from building it, because he shed much blood and fought great wars, and that Solomon, a man of rest, will build it. David then charges Solomon and all the princes of Israel to rise up and build the sanctuary of Yahweh.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter. David speaks in verses 1, 5 and 7. In verses 8 to 10 David tells Solomon what Yahweh's word said to him, so those are David's words and are not in gold. David goes on speaking to Solomon in verses 11 to 16, and to the princes of Israel in verses 18 and 19. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then David said, “This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
In plain English: Then David said, "This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
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2David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build God’s house.
In plain English: David gave orders to gather the foreigners who were in the land of Israel. He set stone cutters to cut shaped stones to build God's house.
The Hebrew word: "Foreigners" is ger, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner". This Bible says "foreigner" or a longer form in 71 of the 83 verses that use it, and "stranger" or a longer form in 28. The text does not say who these foreigners were or why David gathered them.
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3David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the couplings, and bronze in abundance without weight,
In plain English: David also prepared iron in great amounts for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps (this Bible: couplings), and bronze in such amounts that it could not be weighed (literally: bronze to abundance, there was no weight),
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4and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.
In plain English: and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in great amounts to David.
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5David said, “Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David prepared abundantly before his death.
In plain English: David said, "My son Solomon is young and tender, and the house to be built for Yahweh must be made very great, with fame and glory in all lands. So I will prepare for it." So David prepared in great amounts before his death.
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6Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.
In plain English: Then he called for his son Solomon and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.
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7David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God.
In plain English: David said to Solomon, "My son, it was in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God.
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8But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.
In plain English: But Yahweh's word came to me and said, 'You have shed much blood and have fought great wars. You will not build a house for my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth before me (this Bible: in my sight).
Good to know: David tells Solomon what Yahweh's word said to him, so verses 8 to 10 are David's words and are not in gold. In David says again: "God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'" gives Solomon's words to Hiram: David "could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side".
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9Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.
In plain English: Look, a son is about to be born to you. He will be a man of rest (this Bible: a man of peace). I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.
The Hebrew words: "Rest" in "a man of rest" is menuchah, which the dictionary gives as "repose". This Bible says "a man of peace" here. "I will give him rest" is from nuach, "to rest". "Peace" is shalom, which the dictionary gives as "safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also ... welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace". "Quietness" is sheqet, "tranquillity".
Good to know: The text itself ties the name to these words: "His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days." The name Shelomoh sounds like shalom, "peace". The dictionary gives the name only as "David's successor".
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10He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
In plain English: He will build a house for my name. He will be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'
Good to know: The same promise is in and ("He will build a house for my name" in Samuel, "He will build me a house" in 17:12), and "I will be his father, and he will be my son" is in and . Here David tells Solomon these words.
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11Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you.
In plain English: Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you, and may you succeed (this Bible: prosper) and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken about you.
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12May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.
In plain English: Only, may Yahweh give you insight (this Bible: discretion) and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you keep the law of Yahweh your God.
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13Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid and don’t be dismayed.
In plain English: Then you will succeed, if you take care to do the statutes and the ordinances that Yahweh commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed.
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14Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them.
In plain English: Look, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh's house one hundred thousand talents of gold and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and bronze and iron that cannot be weighed, for there is so much of it. I have also prepared wood and stone, and you may add to them.
The Hebrew word: "Affliction" is oni, which the dictionary gives as "depression, i.e. misery". The text does not say what the affliction was.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers: word for word "gold, one hundred thousand talents, and silver, a thousand thousand talents". and give other amounts of gold and silver. The text does not explain how they fit together.
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15There are also workmen with you in abundance—cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work;
In plain English: You also have many workers with you: stone cutters, workers in stone and wood, and every skilled person in every kind of work.
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16of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may Yahweh be with you.”
In plain English: Of the gold, the silver, the bronze and the iron there is no number. Get up and act, and may Yahweh be with you."
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17David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
In plain English: David also commanded all the officials (this Bible: princes) of Israel to help his son Solomon.
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18“Isn’t Yahweh your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before his people.
In plain English: He said, "Is Yahweh your God not with you? Has he not given you rest on every side? For he has given the people living in the land into my hand, and the land has been subdued before Yahweh and before his people.
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19Now set your heart and your soul to follow Yahweh your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of Yahweh’s covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for Yahweh’s name.”
In plain English: Now set your heart and your being (literally: your soul) to seek (this Bible: follow) Yahweh your God. Get up and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, so that the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy articles (this Bible: holy vessels) of God can be brought into the house that will be built for the name of Yahweh."
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