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1 Chronicles 22:6-11, 17-19

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After having determined that Ornan’s threshing floor was the site that the LORD had accepted for offering burnt sacrifices, David begins collecting and preparing the materials for building the temple there. Since the LORD would not allow him to build the temple, David informs his son Solomon that the LORD has chosen him to be the one who will perform this task.

Verses 1-5: When David saw the dramatic fashion in which the LORD responded to his burnt offering in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (1 Chr. 21:26b “...and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”), he realized that this location had been accepted by the LORD for offering sacrifices (1 Chr. 21:28 “At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there”). David began offering his sacrifices there instead of going to Gibeon where the tabernacle was currently standing (1 Chr. 21:29). He also understood that this site had been chosen by the LORD to be the location of the temple (v. 1) and so he began gathering and preparing the materials needed to build it (vs. 2-4). David also recognized that Solomon, who had been chosen by the LORD to build the temple, was young and inexperienced as a leader. Since the temple was to be an extremely magnificent structure built for the glory of God (v. 5), David decided to make as many preparations as possible for the building of the temple in order to make the project easier for Solomon to complete.

6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.

This verse summarizes vs. 7-11, where the details of what David said to Solomon are given. We don’t know if Solomon was already aware that the LORD had chosen that he would build the temple, but David calls for Solomon and gives him the official assignment to do so after he has become king.

7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:

David begins by stating that he had wanted to build a temple for the LORD (2 Sam. 7:2). He will then go on to explain why he didn’t build the temple himself but is instead passing the responsibility for that task on to Solomon.

8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

The LORD would not allow David to build the temple because of the blood that was on David’s hands. Presumably the LORD did not want the worship of Himself to be associated with the shedding of blood, thus He did not want the temple to be built by a king who might be seen as a warlord.

9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

“Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about” – David had served his purpose as the king who defeated Israel’s enemies and gave the nation a period of peace. This peace, provided by the LORD during David’s reign and extended throughout Solomon’s reign would provide the time needed to be able to build the temple without Solomon needing to get blood on his own hands.

“for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness [tranquility] unto Israel in his days” – The name “Solomon” means “peace” and the LORD emphasizes the promise that He would give Israel “peace and quietness” during Solomon’s reign. Solomon would not need to fight any wars.

10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

“He shall build an house for my name” – David continues quoting the LORD’s promises with the statement that Solomon would be the one chosen to build the temple of the LORD.

“and he shall be my son, and I will be his father” – The LORD had loved Solomon since the day of his birth (2 Sam. 12:24-25 “And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD”). The name that the LORD have him (Jedidiah) means “beloved of the LORD.” David is quoting the LORD’s promise that He would be with Solomon.

“and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever” – The promise that the LORD made to David of an eternal kingdom will be passed on to Solomon. The royal line of David will find its final eternal fulfillment in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

“Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou” – This statement is the prayer of David for his son. His desire for Solomon was that the LORD would be with and prosper Solomon, not only in the building of the temple, but in all that he did, much as the LORD was with David throughout his life.

“and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee” – David is instructing his son to fulfill the assignment that the LORD had given him. David seems to emphasize Solomon’s personal walk with the LORD since he says “the LORD thy God” and not “the LORD my God.” The LORD would only be with and prosper Solomon as long as he walked with the LORD.

Verses 12-16: David stresses the fact that only as the LORD gives Solomon wisdom and understanding would he be able to remain faithful to the LORD and become a capable ruler of Israel. He will only be able to prosper if he faithfully keeps the law that the LORD gave through Moses. David also calls Solomon’s attention to the vast amount of gold, silver, timber and stone that he has collected for building the temple, as well as the abundant number of talented workmen in Israel that were skilled to do the construction work needed to build the temple.

17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.

“David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son” – David commands the princes of Israel to be a help to Solomon and not a hindrance. He wants them to show Solomon the same allegiance as they have shown David. He also recognizes that since Solomon is young and inexperienced (v. 5), he will need their assistance in managing the building project as well as being the king of Israel.

“saying, Is not the LORD your God with you?” – David reminds them that the LORD was with them and had already prospered them, giving them the ability to complete the project of building the temple.

“and hath he not given you rest on every side?” – The LORD had given them a time of peace, so that they would not be distracted from building the temple by the need to defend themselves from enemy incursions.

“for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand” – The LORD had given David such victory over the surrounding nations that had attempted to attack Israel, so that now none of them dared to attempt any further aggression. David may also be referring to any remaining Canaanite people who were still living within Israel’s borders ever since Israel entered the promised land under the leadership of Joshua. For instance, David had to defeat the Jebusites to capture Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:6-9), and the Gibeonites still dwelt in Israel (Josh. 9:3-27; 2 Sam. 21:1-9). David is reminding them that the LORD had enabled David to subdue these Canaanites so that they lived peacefully within Israel and did not pose a threat.

“and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people” – There were no internal threats to Israel’s peace and safety because all foreign people were obedient to the LORD and the laws of the land. There were no external threats to Israel’s peace and safety because the other nations recognized Israel’s strength under David’s leadership and the protection of the LORD. This illustrates the truth of the idea of “peace through strength.”

19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God” – David commands these princes of Israel to dedicate themselves to seeking after the LORD in order to obey Him and be in harmony with Him and His will. Such Godly leadership would bring prosperity to the people and be a good example to them.

“arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God” – Being in proper fellowship with the LORD will enable and motivate them to do all they can to assist Solomon in building the temple of the LORD.

“to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD” – The LORD had given Moses instructions on how to construct the tabernacle so that it could house the ark of the covenant and the other holy vessels of God. David had brought the ark to Jerusalem for it to be near him. This apparently divided the objects of worship between the ark at Jerusalem and the tabernacle, which was still at Gibeon. Once the temple was built, then the ark and the other holy vessels could be reunited under one roof so that the center of worship for Israel would be in one place once again.