1. Chronik 28:11 Kommentar

The account we have of David's exit, in the beginning of the first book of Kings, does not make his sun nearly so bright as that given in this and the following chapter, where we have his solemn farewell both to his son and his subjects, and must own that he finished well. In this chapter we have, I. A general convention of the states summoned to meet (Ch1 28:1). II. A solemn declaration of the divine entail both of the crown and of the honour of building the temple upon Solomon (Ch1 28:2-7). III. An exhortation both to the people and to Solomon to make religion their business (Ch1 28:8-10). IV. The model and materials delivered to Solomon for the building of the temple (Ch1 28:11-19). V. Encouragement given him to undertake it and proceed in it (Ch1 28:20, Ch1 28:21).

As for the general charge that David gave his son to seek God and serve him, the book of the law was, in that, his only rule, and there needed no other; but, in building the temple, David was now to give him three things: - 1. A model of the building, because it was to be such a building as neither he nor his architects ever saw. Moses had a pattern of the tabernacle shown him in the mount (Heb 8:5), so had David of the temple, by the immediate hand of God upon him, Ch1 28:19. It was given him in writing, probably by the ministry of an angel, or as clearly and exactly represented to his mind as if it had been in writing. But it is said (Ch1 28:12), He had this pattern by the Spirit. The contrivance either of David's devotion or of Solomon's wisdom must not be trusted to in an affair of this nature. The temple must be a sacred thing and a type of Christ; there must be in it not only convenience and decency, but significancy: it was a kind of sacrament, and therefore it must not be left to man's art or invention to contrive it, but must be framed by divine institution. Christ the true temple, the church the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine councils, and the plan laid in the divine wisdom, ordained before the world for God's glory and ours. This pattern David gave to Solomon, that he might know what to provide and might go by a certain rule. When Christ left with his disciples a charge to build his gospel church he gave them an exact model of it, ordering them to observe that, and that only, which he commanded. The particular models are here mentioned, of the porch, which was higher than the rest, like a steeple, - then the houses, both the holy place and the most holy, with the rooms adjoining, which were for treasuries, chambers, and parlours, - especially the place of the mercy-seat (Ch1 28:11), - of the courts likewise, and the chambers about them, in which the dedicated things were laid up. Bishop Patrick supposes that, among other things, the tabernacle which Moses reared and all the utensils of it, which there was now no further occasion for, were laid up here, signifying that in the fulness of time all the Mosaic economy, all the rites and ceremonies of that dispensation, should be respectfully laid aside, and something better come in their room. He gave him a table of the courses of the priests, patterns of the vessels of service (Ch1 28:13), and a pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, Ch1 28:18. Besides the two cherubim over the mercy-seat, there were two much larger, whose wings reached from wall to wall (Kg1 6:23, etc.), and of these David here gave Solomon the pattern, called a chariot; for the angels are the chariots of God, Psa 68:17. 2. Materials for the most costly of the utensils of the temple. That they might not be made any less than the patterns, he weighed out the exact quantity for each vessel both of gold and silver, Ch1 28:14. In the tabernacle there was but one golden candlestick; in the temple there were ten (Kg1 7:49), besides silver ones, which, it is supposed, were hand-candlesticks, Ch1 28:15. In the tabernacle there was but one table; but in the temple, besides that on which the show-bread was set, there were ten others for other uses (Ch2 4:8), besides silver tables; for, this house being much larger than that, it would look bare if it had not furniture proportionable. The gold for the altar of incense is particularly said to be refined gold (Ch1 28:18), purer than any of the rest; for that was typical of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing is more pure and perfect. 3. Directions which way to look for help in this great undertaking. "Fear not opposition; fear not the charge, care, and trouble; fear not miscarrying in it, as in the case of Uzza; fear not the reproach of the foolish builder, that began to build and was not able to finish. Be not dismayed. (1.) God will help thee, and thou must look up to him in the first place (Ch1 28:20): The Lord God, even my God, whom I have chosen and served, who has all along been present with me and prospered me, and to whom, from my own experience of his power and goodness, I recommend thee, he will be with thee, to direct, strengthen, and prosper thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee." Note, We may be sure that God, who owned our fathers and carried them through the services of their day, will, in like manner, if we be faithful to him, go along with us in our day, and will never leave us, while he has any work to do in us or by us. The same that was Joshua's encouragement (Jos 1:5), and Solomon's, is given to all believers, Heb 13:5. He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. God never leaves any unless they first leave him. (2.) "Good men will help thee, Ch1 28:21. The priests and Levites will advise thee, and thou mayest consult them. Thou hast good workmen, who are both willing and skilful;" and these are two very good properties in a workman, especially in those that work at the temple. And, lastly, "The princes and the people will be so far from opposing or retarding the work that they will be wholly at thy command, every one in his place ready to further it." Then good work is likely to go on when all parties concerned are hearty in it, and none secretly clog it, but all drive on heartily in it.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 28 David, having convened the principal men of the nation, declared Solomon his successor, whom God had chosen both to be king, and to build the temple, Ch1 28:1, and exhorted both them and him to serve the Lord, and build an house for him, Ch1 28:8, then gave Solomon the pattern of it, and an account of the materials he had prepared for it, Ch1 28:11, and encouraged him to go about the work with alacrity and intrepidity, Ch1 28:20.

Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch,.... The breadth, and length, and height of it, which was to be placed at the east end of the temple, and was the entrance into it: and, of the houses thereof; the holy place, and the most holy, which latter is called the greater house, Ch2 3:5, and of the treasures; where things belonging to the temple were laid up, the priests' vestments, and other things: and of the upper chambers; where the priests lay or met for conversation, Jer 35:2. and of the inner parlours thereof; where the priests ate of the holy things; all these seem to he buildings against the wall of the temple round about, Kg1 6:5. and of the place of the mercy seat: the holy of holies, where that, with the cherubim over it, and the ark under it, were placed.

It is to be noted, of course, that the thirty cubits of height spoken of above reached to the middle story; from there on to the third story another thirty cubits were added until the portico that was around the temple on the south and north and east reached the roof, as we learn from Josephus’s account; from there to the top of the temple roof was another sixty cubits, and so the total height of the house according to the book of Paralipomenon amounted to 120 cubits. Also the portico that was in front of the temple to the east, according to the account of the aforesaid volume, was the same number of cubits in height. That is, the porticoes around the temple of which we have just spoken, this book calls treasuries and inner chambers. David, it says, “gave his son Solomon a plan of the portico, and of the temple, and of the treasuries, and of the upper room, and of the inner chambers and of the room for the mercy seat”; here too he refers to the outer houses that were outside the courtyard of the priests surrounding the temple, when he adds, “As also of all the courts that he had in mind, and of the surrounding chambers for the treasuries of the house of the Lord and for the treasuries for dedicated objects.” The fact that the entire height of the temple was 120 cubits refers to the same mystery as when the primitive church in Jerusalem after the passion and resurrection and ascension of the Lord into heaven received the grace of the Holy Spirit in the same number of men. For fifteen, which is the sum of seven and eight, is sometimes taken to signify the life that is now lived in the sabbath rest of the souls of the faithful but will be brought to perfection at the end of the world by the resurrection of their immortal bodies. Now this fifteen arranged in a triangle, that is, numbered with all its parts, makes 120. Hence by the number 120 the great happiness of the elect in the life to come is aptly represented, and by it the third story of the Lord’s house is aptly completed because after the present hardships of the faithful and after their souls receive their rest in the life to come, the complete happiness of the whole church will be achieved in the glory of the resurrection. To this mystery likewise refers, as we have said, the fact that the Lord on rising from the dead and ascending into heaven sent to this number of men in tongues of fire the Holy Spirit, who enabled them, though differing from each other on account of the diversity of their languages, suddenly to speak in his praise in a common tongue by giving them a knowledge of all languages. For the church too in its own turn rising from the dead and ascending to heaven in incorruptible flesh will be fully and perfectly enlightened by the gift of the Holy Spirit when, according to the promise of the apostle, “God” will be “all in all.” Then there will be complete unity of languages universally for the preaching of the wonderful works of God because all join with one mind and voice in praising the glory of the divine majesty that they see before them.

David assembles the princes of Israel, and informs them that the temple was to be built by Solomon; to whom God had given the most gracious promises, Ch1 28:1-7. He exhorts them and him to be obedient to God, that they might continue to prosper, Ch1 28:8-10. He gives Solomon a pattern of the work, Ch1 28:11, Ch1 28:12; directs him concerning the courses of the priests and Levites, Ch1 28:13; gives also gold, by weight, for the different utensils of the temple, as God had directed him, Ch1 28:14-19; encourages Solomon to undertake the work, Ch1 28:20, Ch1 28:21.

David gave to Solomon - the pattern - He gave him an ichnograph of the building, with elevations, sections, and specifications of every part; and all this he received by inspiration from God himself, (see Ch1 28:12, Ch1 28:19), just as Moses had received the plan of the tabernacle. The treasuries thereof - גנזכיו ganzaccaiv. The word גנזך ganzach is not Hebrew, but is supposed to be Persian, the same word being found in Ezr 3:1-13 :19. In this tongue we have the word ganj, a granary, a hidden treasure, and gunjoor, and gunjineh, a treasure, treasury, or barn. Parkhurst supposes that it is compounded of גנז ganaz, to treasure up, and זך zach, pure; a treasury for the most precious things.

DAVID EXHORTS THE PEOPLE TO FEAR GOD. (Ch1 28:1-8) David assembled all the princes of Israel--that is, the representatives of the people, the leading men of the kingdom, who are enumerated in this verse according to their respective rank or degree of authority. princes of the tribes-- (Ch1 27:16-22). Those patriarchal chiefs are mentioned first as being the highest in rank--a sort of hereditary noblesse. the captains of the companies--the twelve generals mentioned (Ch1 27:1-15). the stewards, &c.-- (Ch1 27:25-31). the officers--Hebrew, "eunuchs," or attendants on the court (Sa1 8:15; Kg1 22:9; Kg2 22:18); and besides Joab, the commander-in-chief of the army, the heroes who had no particular office (1Ch. 11:10-12:40; 2Sa. 23:8-39). This assembly, a very mixed and general one, as appears from the parties invited, was more numerous and entirely different from that mentioned (Ch1 23:2).

Then David gave to Solomon . . . the pattern--He now put into the hands of his son and successor the plan or model of the temple, with the elevations, measurements, apartments, and chief articles of furniture, all of which were designed according to the pattern given him by divine revelation (Ch1 28:19).

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 28 David, having convened the principal men of the nation, declared Solomon his successor, whom God had chosen both to be king, and to build the temple, Ch1 28:1, and exhorted both them and him to serve the Lord, and build an house for him, Ch1 28:8, then gave Solomon the pattern of it, and an account of the materials he had prepared for it, Ch1 28:11, and encouraged him to go about the work with alacrity and intrepidity, Ch1 28:20.

Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch,.... The breadth, and length, and height of it, which was to be placed at the east end of the temple, and was the entrance into it: and, of the houses thereof; the holy place, and the most holy, which latter is called the greater house, Ch2 3:5, and of the treasures; where things belonging to the temple were laid up, the priests' vestments, and other things: and of the upper chambers; where the priests lay or met for conversation, Jer 35:2. and of the inner parlours thereof; where the priests ate of the holy things; all these seem to he buildings against the wall of the temple round about, Kg1 6:5. and of the place of the mercy seat: the holy of holies, where that, with the cherubim over it, and the ark under it, were placed.