1. Chronik 22:8 Kommentar

"Out of the eater comes forth meat." It was upon occasion of the terrible judgment inflicted on Israel for the sin of David that God gave intimation of the setting up of another altar, and of the place where he would have the temple to be built, upon which David was excited with great vigour to make preparation for that great work, wherein, though he had long since designed it, it should seem, he had, of late, grown remiss, till awakened by the alarm of that judgment. The tokens of God's favour he received after those of his displeasure, I. Directed him to the place (Ch1 22:1). II. Encouraged and quickened him to the work. 1. He set himself to prepare for the building (Ch1 22:2-5). 2. He instructed Solomon, and gave him a charge concerning this work (Ch1 22:6-16). 3. He commanded the princes to assist him in it (Ch1 22:17-19). There is a great deal of difference between the frame of David's spirit in the beginning of the former chapter and in the beginning of this. There, in the pride of his heart, he was numbering the people; here, in his humility, preparing for the service of God. There corruption was uppermost (but the well of living water in the soul, though it may be muddied, will work itself clear again); grace here has recovered the upper hand.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 22 In this chapter we read of the place David pitched upon by divine direction for building the temple on, Ch1 22:1, the preparation he made of artificers to build it, and of matter to build it of, as iron, brass, and wood, Ch1 22:2, the charge and instructions he gave to Solomon to set about it, Ch1 22:6 and to the princes of Israel to assist him in it, Ch1 22:7.

But the word of the Lord came to me,.... The word of prophecy, as the Targum, by the mouth of Nathan the prophet: saying; as follows, which though not expressed in the book of Samuel before referred to, is here recorded by divine inspiration: thou hast shed blood abundantly; Kimchi thinks this refers to the blood of Uriah, and those gallant men that were slain with him, and to the priests slain by the order of Saul, which David was the occasion of, or accidental cause of, Sa1 22:22 and to many good men among the Gentiles; though it was the intention of the Lord to consume the wicked among them, that they might not prevail over Israel: and hast made great wars: with the Philistines, Moabites, &c. thou shall not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight; an intimation this, that the church of God, of which this house was a type, was to be built by Christ, the Prince of peace, and to be supported and maintained not by force of arms, and by spilling of blood, as the religion of Mahomet, but by the preaching of the Gospel of peace.

As a man of blood, David was prevented from constructing it; he seems, at least, to have been occupied concerning the gathering of the material of the temple.

Because he was a man of blood—the reference is not, as some think, to his wars, but to the murder [of Uriah]—he was not permitted to build a temple of the Lord.

David makes great preparations for building a temple to the Lord, Ch1 22:1-5; gives the necessary directions to Solomon concerning it, Ch1 22:6-16; and exhorts the princes of Israel to assist in the undertaking, Ch1 22:17-19.

Thou hast shed blood abundantly - Heathens, Jews, and Christians, have all agreed that soldiers of any kind should have nothing to do with Divine offices. Shedding of human blood but ill comports with the benevolence of God or the spirit of the Gospel. Aeneas, overpowered by his enemies, while fighting for his parents, his family, and his country, finding farther resistance hopeless, endeavors to carry off his aged father, his wife, young son, and his household gods; but as he was just come from slaughter, he would not even handle these objects of superstition, but confided them to his father, whom he took on his shoulders, and carried out of the burning of Troy. Tu, genitor, cape sacra manu, patriosque penates: Me bello tanto digressum, et caede recenti, Attrectare nefas; donec me flumine vivo Abluero. Aen. ii., ver. 717. "Our country gods, our relics, and the bands, Hold you, my father, in your guiltless hands: In me 'tis impious holy things to bear, Red as I am with slaughter, new from war; Till, in some living stream, I cleanse the guilt Of dire debate, and blood in battle spilt." Dryden. See the note at the end of Sa2 7:25 (note).

DAVID PREPARES FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (Ch1 22:1-5) David said, This is the home of the Lord God--By the miraculous sign of fire from heaven, and perhaps other intimations, David understood it to be the will of God that the national place of worship should be fixed there, and he forthwith proceeded to make preparations for the erection of the temple on that spot.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 22 In this chapter we read of the place David pitched upon by divine direction for building the temple on, Ch1 22:1, the preparation he made of artificers to build it, and of matter to build it of, as iron, brass, and wood, Ch1 22:2, the charge and instructions he gave to Solomon to set about it, Ch1 22:6 and to the princes of Israel to assist him in it, Ch1 22:7.

But the word of the Lord came to me,.... The word of prophecy, as the Targum, by the mouth of Nathan the prophet: saying; as follows, which though not expressed in the book of Samuel before referred to, is here recorded by divine inspiration: thou hast shed blood abundantly; Kimchi thinks this refers to the blood of Uriah, and those gallant men that were slain with him, and to the priests slain by the order of Saul, which David was the occasion of, or accidental cause of, Sa1 22:22 and to many good men among the Gentiles; though it was the intention of the Lord to consume the wicked among them, that they might not prevail over Israel: and hast made great wars: with the Philistines, Moabites, &c. thou shall not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight; an intimation this, that the church of God, of which this house was a type, was to be built by Christ, the Prince of peace, and to be supported and maintained not by force of arms, and by spilling of blood, as the religion of Mahomet, but by the preaching of the Gospel of peace.