1 Chronicleschapter 28
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Speaks with:Exodus 25×51 Chronicles 22×51 Chronicles 28×31 Kings 7×31 Chronicles 23×21 Chronicles 17×2
Summary
Chapter summary
David rises to his feet before the whole assembly. He rehearses the divine narrowing of chapter 1: God chose Judah, and within Judah his father's house, and within it David, and now Solomon: 'he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah.' Then the charge generations have taken for their own: 'Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for Jehovah searcheth all hearts… if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.' He hands over the pattern of the house, 'in writing from the hand of Jehovah': be strong, and do it.
Context
History · Ezra — 1 Chronicles overview
- A. 1–8 David stands on his feet to charge the assembly
- B. 9–10 Know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart
- C. 11–19 The pattern given by the Spirit, written by God's hand
- D. 20–21 Be strong and do it; He will not fail you
The outline
A.David stands on his feet to charge the assemblyvv. 1 to 8
Read vv. 1 to 8 →B.Know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heartvv. 9 to 10
Read vv. 9 to 10 →C.The pattern given by the Spirit, written by God's handvv. 11 to 19
Read vv. 11 to 19 →D.Be strong and do it; He will not fail youvv. 20 to 21
Read vv. 20 to 21 →
The world behind this chapter
1 Chronicles 28The history
This is a formal transfer of power staged before witnesses: every official, commander, steward, and warrior summoned, and the aged king standing up on his feet to speak. Standing mattered; a king who could have spoken sitting chose not to.
The heart of the chapter is the handing over of a plan. David gives Solomon 'the pattern' of the porch, the buildings, the treasuries, the upper rooms, the inner rooms, and the place of the mercy seat — along with the courses of the priests and Levites and the work of the service. It is architectural drawing and staffing plan together.
The specifications go down to weights: the weight of gold for each lampstand and its lamps, the weight of silver for each table, the weights of the forks, basins, and cups, and the gold for the chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings over the ark. A builder could commission every fitting from this document.
And David says where it came from: 'all this the LORD made me understand in writing, by his hand upon me, all the works of this pattern.' The same word for pattern is used of the design God showed Moses on the mountain for the tabernacle. Both houses were built to shown plans, not to human taste.
What it meant to them
The second temple was raised on the first one's footprint, from records like these, by men arguing over dimensions and fittings. 'It was in writing' was the most practical sentence in the book for them.
The charge to Solomon was equally practical: know the God of your father, serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every intention of the thoughts. Plans on paper, and a heart God can read.
Sources cited
- Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions
- Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Chronicles
The text of this chapter
This page carries no textual note on 1 Chronicles 28. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.