1 Crônicas 28
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Crônicas 28
NJB (LXX versing) David's Address About the Temple Solomon Instructed to Build the Temple David Transmits the Final Plans for the Temple to Solomon David's Instructions for the Temple David's Instructions for the Temple 28:1-8 28:1-8 28:1-8 28:1 28:1-2a 28:2-5 28:2b-3 28:4-7 28:6-7 28:8 28:8 28:9-10 28:9-10 28:9-10 28:9-10 28:9-10 28:11-18 28:11-19 28:11-18 28:11-19 28:11-19 28:19 28:19 28:20-21 28:20-21 28:20-21 28:20-21 28:20-21 Etc.
1 Crônicas 28:1-8
28:1 This verse lists the same leaders as chapter 27 (the assembling is mentioned in 1 Chr. 23:2): tribal leaders military leaders stewards two general terms all the officials of Israel the mighty men, even all the valiant men Surprisingly the role of the priests and Levites is not emphasized here, as in other places in 1 Chronicles. ▣ NASB, NKJV "the officials" NRSV, TEV "palace officials" REB, NET, JPSOA "the eunuchs" "rulers" "princes" The MT has "eunuchs" (BDB 710). The term originally referred to castrated males who guarded and administrated the king's harem. Later it became the common designation for a royal attendant (i.e., Potiphar, who was married, Gen. 39:1 or Pharaoh's two servants in Gen. 40:2,7). For a good brief discussion see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 288-294. 28:2 "David rose to his feet" In the 1 King's parallel, David is old and in bed. He sent others to anoint Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs. 1:32-35). In many ways the Chronicler removes all the negative aspects of succession and idealizes David's involvement. ▣ "Listen to me" David addresses the covenant people (Qal IMPERATIVE). my brethren my people all Israel, 1 Chr. 28:4,8 the assembly of the Lord, 1 Chr. 28:8 ▣ NASB, TEV "permanent home" NKJV, NRSV, LXX, Peshitta "a house of rest" "a settled home" "a resting-place" "a house as a resting-place" This imagery goes back to ancient promises. Num. 10:33; 2 Chr. 6:41 ‒ a place for the ark to rest Deut. 12:9; Ps. 95:11 ‒ the Promised Land 1 Kgs. 8:56 ‒ Solomon's Temple as a place of rest for all nations (i.e., 1 Kgs. 8:43) Isa. 11:10 ‒ eschatological hope for rest for Israel and the nations David did not simply want a temple but the actuality of the ancient promises, not only for Abraham's seed but for the world. This context is obviously a word play on 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17, "house" Hebrews 3-4, "rest" SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN ▣ "the ark of the covenant" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT. ▣ "the footstool of God" See Special Topic above, I. A. (cf. Ps. 99:5; 132:7; Isa. 66;1; Lam. 2:1; Ezek. 43:7). The Mercy Seat was the place where heaven and earth met; the invisible and visible, the fallen, sinful, and sacred. SPECIAL TOPIC: MERCY SEAT ▣ "I had made preparations to build it" David was not allowed to build the temple because he was a man of war (cf. 1 Chr. 28:8; 22:8). David prepared the plans (1 Chr. 28:11) the precious metals the timber securing of artisans 28:3 "a house for My name" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH (OT). 28:4 "chose me" Notice the number of times God's choice is emphasized by this special theological VERB (BDB 103, KB 119). God chose David, 1 Chr. 28:4 (cf. 2 Samuel 7) God chose Judah, 1 Chr. 28:4 (cf. Gen. 49:10) God chose Solomon to succeed David, 1 Chr. 28:5,6 (cf. 1 Kgs. 2:15; 1 Chr. 22:9,10) God chose Solomon to build the temple, 1 Chr. 28:10 God has a wider theological agenda (cf. 1 Kings 8). SPECIAL TOPIC: HE CHOSE US SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN ▣ "forever" This word must be interpreted in context. Notice that this is a conditional covenant in 1 Chr. 28:7,8,9. SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam) SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT ▣ "over all Israel" This is a repeated theme in Chronicles. 28:5 "the kingdom of the Lord" YHWH was the true King of Israel, cf 1 Sam. 8:7; 10:19; 1 Chr. 29:23). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD 28:6-7 These are God's words to David regarding Solomon (cf. 1 Chr. 28:19). 28:6 "to be a son to Me" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF GOD. ▣ "I will be a father to him" This phrase reflects 2 Sam. 7:14; 1 Chr. 17:13; 22:10; 28:6; Ps. 89:27; from Ps. 2:7 the imagery was used of theological adoption. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD 28:7 "if" This marks the conditional nature of God's promises (cf. 1 Chr. 28:8,9; 1 Kgs. 2:2-4). The conditional nature of the covenant is the focus of 1 Chr. 28:7-9. This conditional aspect was certainly known by the post-exilic leaders. Ezra 7:26; 9:10-15 Nehemiah 1:7-9; 9:33-37 Obedience was crucial to the Mosaic covenant (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30; Joshua 23:6-13; 1 Chr. 22:12-13). Thank God there is a new covenant based on God's performance (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-38; the NT). The OT focused on the temple but the NT focuses on the new temple (i.e., Jesus' own body, cf. John 2:21). SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT ▣ "My commandments and My ordinances" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION. 28:8-10 David addresses several commands to Solomon. observe (lit. keep) ‒ BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal IMPERATIVE, 1 Chr. 28:8 seek ‒ BDB 205, KB 233, Qal IMPERATIVE; 1 Chr. 28:8 know ‒ BDB 393, KB 390, Qal IMPERATIVE, 1 Chr. 28:9 serve ‒ BDB 712, KB 773, Qal IMPERATIVE, 1 Chr. 28:9 consider now ‒ BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal IMPERATIVE, 1 Chr. 28:10 be courageous ‒ BDB 304, KB 302, Qal IMPERATIVE, 1 Chr. 28:10; cf. Deut. 31:7; Jos. 1:6,7,9,18; 1 Chr. 22:13 act ‒ BDB 793, 889, Qal IMPERATIVE, 1 Chr. 28:10 SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW 28:8 "forever" See note at 1 Chr. 28:4.
1 Crônicas 28:9-10
28:9 "with a whole heart and a willing mind" This is imagery of full and complete devotion and obedience (cf. Deut. 18:13; 1 Kgs. 8:61; 15:14; 2 Kgs. 20:3; 1 Chr. 29:9,17-19; Isa. 38:3). Solomon was this kind of faithful follower at first but in his old age his young non-Israelite wives turned his heart away from YHWH (cf. 1 Kings 11); also note 2 Chr. 19:9; 25:2,14. ▣ "the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts" This is imagery of God's sovereign knowledge of all things (cf. 1 Sam. 2:3; 16:7; 1 Kgs. 8:29; 2 Chr. 6:30; Ps. 7:9; 33:15; 44:21; 139:1-4; Pro. 15:11; 21:2; 24:12; Jer. 11:20; 17:9-10; 20:12; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; 15:8; Rom. 8:27). No one informs YHWH about anything! ▣ "If you seek Him, He will let you find Him" What a wonderful combination of free will and Divine sovereignty (cf. Deut. 4:29; 2 Chr. 7:14; 15:2,4,15; Jer. 29:13). For the Chronicler "seek" (BDB 205, KB 233) is a way to denote faithful followers (cf. 1 Chr. 16:10-11; Zeph. 2:3; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 997). SPECIAL TOPIC: PREDESTINATION (CALVINISM) VS. HUMAN FREE WILL (ARMINIANISM) SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE ▣ "but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever" What a scary verse! SPECIAL TOPIC: APOSTASY (aphistēmi)
1 Crônicas 28:11-18
28:11 God had revealed a plan for the temple (i.e., stated specifically in the Vulgate [Latin] and Peshitta [Syriac] but not so in the MT [Hebrew]) to David (cf. 2 Chronicles 2-4), as He did the tabernacle to Moses (cf. Exod. 25:9). It is surprising that the Jewish temple looked like temples of the same period (i.e., using Hiram's artisans). For a good brief discussion with pictures, see James M. Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, pp. 151-155. ▣ "buildings" NKJV, NRSV, Pehsitta "treasuries" "storehouses" JPSOA, REB "storerooms" "zakcho" This word (BDB 170) is found only here in the OT. The basic root means "to hide," "to cover." It is very similar to "treasury" of Esther 3:9; 4:7. ▣ "mercy seat" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MERCY SEAT. 28:12 NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB, REB "in mind" "by the Spirit" "by the spirit" "in his spirit" The AB, p. 190, suggests that ruah (BDB 924) is used exclusively by the Chronicler for God's Spirit (NKJV), not man's spirit (JPSOA, LXX). These plans were YHWH's design (cf. 1 Chr. 28:19), not David's. This special revelation of the worship site also fits YHWH's instructions to Moses in Exod. 25:9,40; 26:30; 1 Kgs. 6:38; 2 Chr. 4:7; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:2,5. SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE 28:13 "the divisions of the priests and Levites" This is recorded in 1 Chronicles 24. 28:15 "lampstand" In Moses' tabernacle there was just one (cf. Exod. 25:31-40) in the Holy Place but Solomon (i.e., possibly David) expanded the number (cf 1 Kgs. 7:49; 2 Chr. 4:7). SPECIAL TOPIC: LAMPSTAND 28:16 "showbread" The plans for the temple were on a grander scale than the tabernacle. It had one table of showbread but the temple had 10 (cf. 2 Chr. 4:8); the same thing for the one lampstand. SPECIAL TOPIC: SHOW BREAD or BREAD OF THE PRESENCE 28:18 "the altar of incense" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ALTAR OF INCENSE. ▣ "the chariot, even the cherubim" NKJV, REB "the chariot, that is, the gold cherubim" NRSV, LXX "the golden chariot of the cherubim" "making the chariot for the winged creatures" "the chariot and the great winged creatures" "the figure of the chariot ‒ the cherubs ‒" As is obvious from the above translations, the Hebrew is ambiguous. It seems that the ark is called a "chariot," which fits Ezekiels' vision of Ezekiel 1:10, but not the ark as a throne (i.e., footstool) for YHWH. The NET Bible, p. 666, #22, suggests that the final letter of "chariot" should go with the following word, thereby spelling "seat," not "chariot." ▣ "the cherubim" There were two on the lid of the ark, but the temple had two large ones in the Holy of Holies (cf. 2 Chr. 3:10-13). SPECIAL TOPIC: CHERUBIM ▣ "covered" This is a Qal PRESENT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE (BDB 696, KB, 754), which denotes shelter or protective covering (cf. Exod. 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs. 6:27; 8:7; 2 Chr. 3:13). SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW AS A METAPHOR FOR PROTECTION AND CARE ▣ "the ark of the covenant" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT.
1 Crônicas 28:19
28:19 This verse emphasizes inspiration. SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION
1 Crônicas 28:20-21
28:20 These commands are repeats of 1 Chr. 29:10 with two added JUSSIVES. do not fear ‒ BDB 431, KB 432, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense nor be dismayed ‒ BDB369, KB 365, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense This reflects Moses' words to Joshua, Deut. 31:6; Jos. 1:9. Solomon should act without fear because YHWH is with him and has promised not to forsake him (i.e., Deut. 31:6; Jos. 1:5). What a great word of encouragement! 28:21 David assures Solomon that he will have complete cooperation in building the temple.