1 Crônicas 22

1 Crônicas 22

Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Hinneh is translated in the Septuagint with the interjection idou (strictly speaking a command in the second person aorist imperative, middle voice) a demonstrative particle (used 1377 times in the Septuagint and NT) which is found especially in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke "and giving a peculiar vivacity to the style by bidding the reader or hearer to attend to what is said: Behold! See! Lo!" (Thayer) The command is calling for urgent attention. Do this now! Don't delay! It could be loosely paraphrased "Pay attention!" or "Listen up!" to arouse attention and introduce a new and extraordinary fact of considerable importance. 1 Chronicles 22:10 'He shall build a 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 forever.' he shall build: 1Ch 17:12-13 1Ch 28:5-7 2Sa 7:12-16 1Ki 5:5 1Ki 8:19,20 Zec 6:12,13 he shall be: Ps 89:26 Heb 1:5 I will establish: 1Ch 17:14 28:7 Ps 89:36,37 Isa 9:7 Related Passages: 2 Samuel 7:12-16+ “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom FOREVER. 14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me FOREVER; your throne shall be established FOREVER.”’” Schematic of the Near and Far fulfillment of Prophecy DAVIDIC COVENANT REITERATED He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father Note more "will" and "shall" statements clearly in context pointing to future prophecy, prophecy which would have a near and far fulfillment, ultimately filled in David's greatest "Son" the Messiah. David was Solomon's earthly father but God says He will be his heavenly Father. In the diagram above, the near fulfillment was Solomon building the Temple and God establishing his kingdom but the far fulfillment was in the prophecy I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever which speaks of course of Messiah's rule and reign in the Millennial Kingdom. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever (olam) - Hebrew = “and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel permanently.” This is a succinct description of the Davidic Covenant. Note this great prophecy begins with behold to get our attention and then has 9 will/shall promises from Yahweh, these future tense phrases signifying divine prophecy. David has heard these great truths before, but such wonderful truth is always bears repeating and in this case would be additional motivation for David to complete his part of the building of God's house! THOUGHT - Prophecy is not to make you a smarter sinner or to help you win arguments over one interpretation versus another, but is given to motivate godly, holy living in this present age as we look for our blessed Hope, the Lord Jesus Christ (see motivating power of the prophecy in Titus 2:12+ as it relates to godly living in Titus 2:11+ - Here's the point - What/Who you are looking for will/should radically impact what/who you are living for, either for this present life or the life to come (see also 1Ti 4:7-8+)! Are you looking for Jesus' return [which is prophecy] and living life with a Maranatha Mindset?). Forever (everlasting, eternal) (05769) olam translated “eternal,” originally meant that which was secret, hidden, concealed, or unknown. The Jews used the word when they wanted to refer to an unknown or indefinite time.(2Ki 4:27, Ps 10:1). (others say the origin is uncertain) From the idea of an indefinite past or future, the Jews soon developed the idea of “eternity,” which referred to the incalculable and unknown past and to the incalculable and unknown future. Olam came to mean “everlasting” and is generally so translated in our Bibles. Olam means a very long time, an indefinite continuance into the distant future. Time immemorial. Olam may cover a given person’s lifetime (Ex. 21:6; 1Sa 1:22); a period of many generations (Josh. 24:2; Pr. 22:28); the time of the present created order (Dt. 33:15; Ps. 73:12); time beyond this temporal sphere, especially when used regarding God (Gen. 21:33; Ps. 90:2; Da 12:2, 7). QUESTION - What is the Davidic covenant? ANSWER - The Davidic Covenant refers to God’s promises to David through Nathan the prophet and is found in 2 Samuel 7 and later summarized in 1 Chronicles 17:11–14 and 2 Chronicles 6:16. This is an unconditional covenant made between God and David through which God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever. The Davidic Covenant is unconditional because God does not place any conditions of obedience upon its fulfillment. The surety of the promises made rests solely on God’s faithfulness and does not depend at all on David or Israel’s obedience. The Davidic Covenant centers on several key promises that are made to David. First, God reaffirms the promise of the land that He made in the first two covenants with Israel (the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants). This promise is seen in 2 Samuel 7:10, “I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore.” God then promises that David’s son will succeed him as king of Israel and that this son (Solomon) would build the temple. This promise is seen in 2 Samuel 7:12–13, " I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name.” But then the promise continues and expands: “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (verse 13), and “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (verse 16). What began as a promise that David’s son Solomon would be blessed and build the temple turns into something different—the promise of an everlasting kingdom. Another Son of David would rule forever and build a lasting House. This is a reference to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, called the Son of David in Matthew 21:9. The promise that David’s “house,” “kingdom,” and “throne” will be established forever is significant because it shows that the Messiah will come from the lineage of David and that He will establish a kingdom from which He will reign. The covenant is summarized by the words “house,” promising a dynasty in the lineage of David; “kingdom,” referring to a people who are governed by a king; “throne,” emphasizing the authority of the king’s rule; and “forever,” emphasizing the eternal and unconditional nature of this promise to David and Israel. Other references to the Davidic Covenant are found in Jeremiah 23:5; 30:9; Isaiah 9:7; 11:1; Luke 1:32, 69; Acts 13:34; and Revelation 3:7. GotQuestions.org 1 Chronicles 22:11 "Now, my son, the LORD be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you. the Lord: 1Ch 22:16 28:20 Isa 26:12 Mt 1:23 28:20 Ro 15:33 2Ti 4:22 Related Passages: 1 Chronicles 22:16 “Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no limit. Arise and work, and may the LORD be with you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20 Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. 1 Chronicles 29:18-19 (DAVID'S PRAYER) “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You; 19 and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made provision.” SOLOMON WILL BUILD TEMPLE WITH LORD'S HELP Now, my son, the LORD be with you - This is a prayer by his earthly father that His heavenly Father would be his sufficiency in this grand task before him of building the Temple. It is notable that David's great charge to Solomon begins (1Ch 22:11) and ends (1Ch 22:16) with prayer "the LORD be with you." That - this introduces a purpose clause - what is the purpose of the prayer? You may be successful (tsalach; Lxx - euodoo) and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you - David in essence prays a blessing upon Solomon. As noted above the word That introduces a purpose. What is it? David prayed for the LORD's presence (and power) to be with Solomon. Now he says the purpose of His presence (be with you) is to assure success in building the house of the LORD, Yahweh's temple (often called "Solomon's" but in truth it is Yahweh's). Yahweh's personal presence was the assurance Solomon needed to rely on. It was not his great wisdom (which God had given him) or building skills, but the presence of the LORD. THOUGHT - Is this same principle not applicable to our spiritual life? After all we are now the "Temple" of the living God (1Co 6:19-20+) and so it is fitting that our beginning and our ending be bathed with the prayer "My the LORD be with you." Indeed if the promise of His presence and His power are not with us as we seek to build his "Temple" our bodies (via progressive sanctification), as Solomon says we labor in vain! (Ps 127:1+). "God’s promise and presence form the basis for the future." -- Iain Duguid We need to remember that David's prayer was accompanied by a call for Solomon's obedience to maintain fellowship (presence) with Yahweh. It always does beloved, whether in the Old or New Testament! To obey is always the best (1Sa 15:22+). This vital, foundational principle is elaborated on in the following passages (1Ch 22:12-13). Compare a similar passage (see above 1Ch 29:18-19) and note that in that prayer by David for Solomon, he places heart obedience before building of the Temple. It is that repeated pattern of "being" before "doing!" Be successful (06743)(tsalach or tsalach/salah) means to advance, to prosper (succeed, flourish), to make steady, favorable progress and thus it conveys the root idea of accomplishing satisfactorily what is intended. This Hebrew word generally expresses idea of a successful venture, as contrasted with failure. It is fascinating to observe the positive and negative aspects of this verb in Ps 1:3+ and Joshua 1:8+ to convey the idea of prospering and in Pr 28:13+ of not prospering. What's the determining factor whether one experiences spiritual prosperity or poverty? In the context of these verses, meditation (Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2+) is clearly associated with prosperity and failure to confess and repent of our sins is just as clearly associated with failure to prosper (Pr 28:13+) And you might ask, well this is OT, but does the NT say anything similar? And the answer is yes, for Paul commands Timothy to "discipline () himself for godliness and clearly one of the disciplines that "feeds and fertilizes" godliness is meditation on the Word of God! (1Ti 4:7+) Paul goes on to explain the spiritual prosperity that accrues from disciplining ourselves, writing that "bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1Ti 4:8+) While meditation, like all spiritual disciplines, calls for us to exert some effort (as enabled by the Spirit - e.g., we need to die to our selfish interests and our right to "our time" and give some of "our time" to God's interest), Paul says the "benefits" are literally "out of this world!" While I don't know exactly what this eternal profit/prosperity entails, rest assure it is going to be good and perfect for that is the character of our Great Father of lights (James 1:17+). Tsalach has conveys another meaning which is to rush or rush upon, to break forth, to come mightily. As discussed below this verb describes the Holy Spirit’s affect on persons, making them powerful (Jdg. 14:6, 9; 15:14; 1 Sa 16:13); or causing persons to prophesy (1 Sam. 10:6, 10; 11:6). It indicates the effect of an evil spirit as well (1 Sa 18:10). It has the sense of persons breaking out, rushing forward in battle (2 Sam. 19:17); and of God breaking out in acts of judgment (Amos 5:6). Tsalach - 64v - Gen. 24:21; Gen. 24:40; Gen. 24:42; Gen. 24:56; Gen. 39:2; Gen. 39:3; Gen. 39:23; Num. 14:41; Deut. 28:29; Jos. 1:8; Jdg. 14:6; Jdg. 14:19; Jdg. 15:14; Jdg. 18:5; 1 Sam. 10:6; 1 Sam. 10:10; 1 Sam. 11:6; 1 Sam. 16:13; 1 Sam. 18:10; 2 Sam. 19:17; 1 Ki. 22:12; 1 Ki. 22:15; 1 Chr. 22:11; 1 Chr. 22:13; 1 Chr. 29:23; 2 Chr. 7:11; 2 Chr. 13:12; 2 Chr. 14:7; 2 Chr. 18:11; 2 Chr. 18:14; 2 Chr. 20:20; 2 Chr. 24:20; 2 Chr. 26:5; 2 Chr. 31:21; 2 Chr. 32:30; Neh. 1:11; Neh. 2:20; Ps. 1:3; Ps. 37:7; Ps. 45:4; Ps. 118:25; Prov. 28:13; Isa. 48:15; Isa. 53:10; Isa. 54:17; Isa. 55:11; Jer. 2:37; Jer. 5:28; Jer. 12:1; Jer. 13:7; Jer. 13:10; Jer. 22:30; Jer. 32:5; Ezek. 15:4; Ezek. 16:13; Ezek. 17:9; Ezek. 17:10; Ezek. 17:15; Dan. 8:12; Dan. 8:24; Dan. 8:25; Dan. 11:27; Dan. 11:36; Amos 5:6 1 Chronicles 22:12 "Only the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and give you charge over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Only the: 1Ki 3:9-12 2Ch 1:10 Ps 72:1 Pr 2:6,7 Lu 21:15 Jas 1:5 so that you may keep De 4:6 1Ki 11:1-10 Pr 14:8 1Jn 2:3 PRAYER FOR SOLOMON THAT HE MIGHT OBEY Only the LORD give you discretion (sekel; Lxx - sophia - wisdom) and understanding (binah; Lxx - sunesis), and give you charge over Israel, so that (introduce purpose - what is it?) you may keep the law of the LORD your God - David has two prayer requests (in addition to the above request that the LORD be with him) which express the purpose (note the "so that") that God (by His Spirit) would enable Solomon to be obedient and rule well. He did not want Solomon to be a smarter sinner but to be more like the Savior (Who obeyed perfectly)! Ultimately God's desire was that Solomon be a ruler of such godly character, that the pagans would see and be drawn to the One God Who by His Spirit and Word enabled Solomon to have such godly character. True wisdom is linked to keeping the Lord’s law! Discretion (07922)(sekel) describes the trait of judging wisely and objectively. Prudence - the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason, the skill and good judgment in the management of affairs. Insight which is the the capacity to gain an accurate and deep intuitive understanding. Intelligence that is accompanied by insight and understanding. In 1Ch 22:12 sekel is a gift from God and God can remove it whenever He chooses (Job 17:4). The result of sekel is patience (Pr 19:11). Sekel wins praise from others for "A man will be praised according to his insight." (Pr 12:8). "Good understanding produces favor." (Pr 13:15). "Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it." (Pr 16:22). "A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger." (Pr 19:11). Fools "will despise the wisdom of your words." (Pr 23:9) "A good understanding have all those who do His commandments." (Ps 111:10) Sekel - 16v - discretion(3), insight(4), intelligent*(1), repute(1), sense(1), shrewdness(1), understanding(4), wisdom(1). 1 Sam. 25:3; 1 Chr. 22:12; 1 Chr. 26:14; 2 Chr. 2:12; 2 Chr. 30:22; Ezr. 8:18; Neh. 8:8; Job 17:4; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 3:4; Prov. 12:8; Prov. 13:15; Prov. 16:22; Prov. 19:11; Prov. 23:9; Dan. 8:25 Understanding (0998) binah means understanding (ability to comprehend), insight, discernment, i.e., a good sense or wisdom to respond properly to the LORD and his Torah (Dt 4:6), (2) understand, i.e., to be given a revelation as well as its meaning (Da 10:1); (3) understand, i.e., skillfully react to life situations (1Ch 12:32 = "sons of Issachar, men who understood the times"). Binah "carries strong moral and religious connotations. In Job 28:28, the act of turning away from evil was said to be understanding and was based on a prior proper discernment of what was evil. A lack of this kind of understanding was morally culpable and resulted in sin and even drove away God’s compassion for persons who did not have it (Isa. 27:11). Happily, understanding as a moral or religious entity can be (SHOULD BE) acquired (Pr 4:5, 7) and even increased (Isa. 29:24) by seeking after it diligently. The understanding that God desires has a cognitive dimension, therefore, as further illustrated when the author of Proverbs spoke of words of “understanding” (Pr 1:2). The understanding and discernment that is the object of all knowing is the knowledge of the Holy One (Pr 9:10). Understanding is to mark God’s people. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that by means of understanding, God made all His created order (cf. Ps. 136:5). God has graciously endowed human beings with the ability of understanding and comprehension, but this faculty is not infallible, and, therefore, we are to ask God for guidance at all times ("do not lean on your own understanding" Pr 3:5). Our own ability of understanding should, however, function to give us discernment, for instance, in showing a proper attitude toward seeking the riches of this world (Pr 23:4). Our understanding is also the ability that enables us to understand languages (Isa. 33:19), literature, visions, and dreams (Da 1:20) (The Complete Word Study Old Testament) Binah - 38v - clearly(1), consideration(1), discernment(3), truth(1), understand(1), understanding(29), understands(1), understood(1). Deut. 4:6; 1 Chr. 12:32; 1 Chr. 22:12; 2 Chr. 2:12; 2 Chr. 2:13; Job 20:3; Job 28:12; Job 28:20; Job 28:28; Job 34:16; Job 38:4; Job 38:36; Job 39:17; Job 39:26; Prov. 1:2; Prov. 2:3; Prov. 3:5; Prov. 4:1; Prov. 4:5; Prov. 4:7; Prov. 7:4; Prov. 8:14; Prov. 9:6; Prov. 9:10; Prov. 16:16; Prov. 23:4; Prov. 23:23; Prov. 30:2; Isa. 11:2; Isa. 27:11; Isa. 29:14; Isa. 29:24; Isa. 33:19; Jer. 23:20; Dan. 1:20; Dan. 8:15; Dan. 9:22; Dan. 10:1 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. BGT 1 Chronicles 22:13 τότε εὐοδώσει ἐὰν φυλάξῃς τοῦ ποιεῖν τὰ προστάγματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα ἃ ἐνετείλατο κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ ἐπὶ Ισραηλ ἀνδρίζου καὶ ἴσχυε μὴ φοβοῦ μηδὲ πτοηθῇς LXE 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then will he prosper thee, if thou take heed to do the commandments and judgments which the Lord commanded Moses for Israel: be courageous and strong; fear not, nor be terrified. KJV 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. NET 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the rules and regulations which the LORD ordered Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and brave! Don't be afraid and don't panic! CSB 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will succeed if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or discouraged. ESV 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. NIV 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. NLT 1 Chronicles 22:13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart! NRS 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed. NJB 1 Chronicles 22:13 Success will be yours, only if you observe the statutes and ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses as regulations for Israel. Be strong and stand fast, be fearless, be dauntless. NAB 1 Chronicles 22:13 Only then shall you succeed, if you are careful to observe the precepts and decrees which the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be brave and steadfast; do not fear or lose heart. YLT 1 Chronicles 22:13 then thou dost prosper, if thou dost observe to do the statutes and the judgments that Jehovah charged Moses with concerning Israel; be strong and courageous; do not fear, nor be cast down. GWN 1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will succeed if you will carefully obey the laws and decrees the LORD commanded Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or terrified. BBE 1 Chronicles 22:13 And all will go well for you, if you take care to keep the laws and the rules which the Lord gave to Moses for Israel: be strong and take heart; have no fear and do not be troubled. Then: 1Ch 28:7 Jos 1:7,8 *marg: 1Ki 2:3 2Ch 20:20 Ps 119:6 Jer 22:3,4 to fulfil: Mt 3:15 Ac 13:22 Ga 6:2 Jas 2:8 be strong: 1Ch 28:10,20 De 31:7,8 Jos 1:6-9,18 1Co 16:13 Eph 6:10 2Ti 2:1 Related Passages: Joshua 1:6-9+ “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that (INTRODUCES PURPOSE) you may have success wherever you go. 8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then (WHEN? WHEN YOU OBEY!) (1) you will make your way prosperous, and (2) then you will have success. 9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! (SAME COMMAND AS AT BEGINNING - LIKE A DIVINE BOOKENDS) Do not tremble or be dismayed, (THESE ARE JUSSIVE SO ALSO FUNCTION AS COMMANDS) for (TERM OF EXPLANATION) the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (NOTE JUXTAPOSITION OF JOSHUA'S RESPONSIBILITY AND JEHOVAH'S PRESENCE AND POWER WITH HIM - "Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible") Joshua 8:1 Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. Joshua 10:25 Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” Deuteronomy 1:21 ‘See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ 2 Chronicles 20:17 ‘You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.” DAVID REITERATES HIS CALL TO OBEDIENCE Then - This marks progress in David's prophetic promises to Solomon. Like Joshua, Solomon is encouraged by David to keep the law and is promised that if he does he will experience success. You will prosper (tsalach same word in 1Ch 22:11; Lxx - euodoo) - This concluding statement was based on the preceding pronouncement that Solomon would be obedient to Yahweh's law. Of course implicit in this statement is that Yahweh is the true Source of prosperity. For Solomon prosperity would prove to be not just spiritual but in regard to wealth. If - This word introduces a conditional element to the promise of prosperity and reiterates David's call to obedience as the necessary requirement for Solomon's success. If you are careful (shamar; Lxx - phulasso - guard against, protect, look out) to observe (to do - cf Jas 1:22+) the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel - The prophecy that Solomon would prosper was conditioned on his obedience to God's Word. THOUGHT- Our prosperity (speaking primarily of spiritual prosperity) is directly related to our obedience to the will of God revealed in the Word of God. Are you being careful to observe God's instructions, beloved? If so, be assured you will experience prosperity from the LORD, spiritual prosperity for certain which might include fiscal prosperity. John Sailhamer writes David’s charge to Solomon gives us an "important qualification to God’s promise (THAT SOLOMON WOULD BUILD THE TEMPLE) is given: obedience to the will of God (1Ch 22:13). The right to be God’s leader demands the responsibility to be obedient to His will. Only then will the king prosper. As the chronicler and the biblical historians are quick to point out, even Solomon, a man of great wisdom and understanding, would not measure up to that qualification (1 Kings 11:1–13). In fact, after the chronicler has written his final sentence (2 Chron. 36:23), still occupying the center of attention is the question: Who will be the one to build the Lord’s Temple? Apart from the New Testament, that question remains unanswered, even today. (Everyman's Bible Commentary - Chronicles) Be strong (chazaq;Lxx = ischuo) and courageous (amets;Lxx = andrizo = act like men, conduct yourself in a courageous way) - This charge is repeated in 1 Chronicles 28:20+ "Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished." In this passage in chapter 28 note that David adds the most important point -- the LORD...is with you (just as He declared to Joshua). In the Septuagint, both verbs (ischuo and andrizo) are in the present imperative and the only way Solomon (or any of us) could continually obey these two commands is by continually depending on the Holy Spirit to energize with both the desire and the power to obey. You say the Spirit was not active in the OT, but that is where you are wrong. More accurately, He is not mentioned that often, but when supernatural power was required to accomplish a task, rest assured the Spirit was active! Notice the similar command in Joshua 1:9 where God Himself speaks to Joshua declaring “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for (term of explanation) the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Do you see the "key" to how Joshua could obey these commands? It is only because the LORD his God was with him wherever he went! Now compare this with David's prayer for Solomon in 1Ch 22:11 "Now, my son, the LORD be with you". David knew the only way Solomon could obey and succeed was by the LORD's presence (and power) with him, as he was with Joshua. THOUGHT - What is the only way we can succeed in spiritual matters of any sort (teaching, preaching, discipling, serving, singing, giving, etc, etc)? The only way is if the LORD is with us! (cf Emmanuel-Immanuel) This is beautiful truth because in some of Jesus' last words to His disciples He declared "Lo (behold), I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS even to the end of the age!" (Mt 28:20). Do not fear nor be dismayed - Dismayed means “don’t get discouraged” or "lose heart" (see ILLUSTRATION below). David's two positive commands are followed by two negative exhortations which in the jussive also function like commands. It is notable that these same (or similar) positive and negative commands seem to have been given at times of great transition in God's plan of redemption. And so we see Moses spoke similar commands not only to Joshua (Dt 31:7+ which he repeated in Dt 31:23+, and which Yahweh Himself repeated 3 times in Joshua 1:6,7,9+) but to Israel (Dt 31:6+) before they entered the promised land. David is giving young Solomon clear commands, not subtle suggestions! This imperative which David issues to his son is a call to courageous, obedient leadership,and is based on the absolute certainty of God's presence, or as we might say in NT terms "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?." (Ro 8:31+). THOUGHT - God’s commandments all come "pre-packaged" with God’s enablements. Which commandments are you finding it difficult to obey? Perhaps you are relying on your own natural strength and willpower to keep them. You need to learn to jettison natural power and rely wholly on the Holy Spirit to supernaturally empower your desire and power to keep God's commandments (cf Php 2:13NLT+). The charge to Solomon and the exhortation to obey God's Word reminds me of the words to Joshua who was going into the promised land to build a new nation even as Solomon was going to build a new house for God... “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left (OBEY), so that (PURPOSE) you may have success wherever you go. 8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that (PURPOSE) you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it (OBEY); for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”(Joshua 1:6-9+) Selman draws an interesting parallel between Moses and David handing off the baton (so to speak) to another, younger man writing "David’s handover to Solomon is modelled on elements of Moses’ appointment of Joshua (especially Deut. 31; Josh. 1). Although parallels can also be drawn with the appointment of leaders such as Saul and David, two features of the comparison stand out. The first is that Moses’ and David’s failure to realize fully their intentions is counterbalanced by their successors’ achievement (1Ch 22:6–9; 28:3; Deut. 1:37–38; 31:2–3). Conquering the Promised Land and building the temple were privileges too great to be entrusted to one individual, and in both instances the Bible underlines that it is God who plans the task and ensures it is carried out (cf. also 1 Cor. 3:6–7). The second is the repetition of certain distinctive ideas and phrases. This includes exhortations about obedience to God’s law (1Ch 22:12–13; 28:7–9; Deut. 31:5; Josh. 1:7–8), and various notable encouragements such as Be strong and courageous (1Ch 22:13; 28:20; Deut. 31:7, 23; Josh. 1:6ff.), Do not be afraid or discouraged (1Ch 22:13; 28:20; Deut. 31:8; Josh. 1:9), and The LORD be with you (1Ch 22:11, 16; 28:20; Deut. 31:6, 8, 23; Josh. 1:5, 9). The parallel between Joshua and Solomon is not a rigid device, since David has also been modelled on Joshua as one who completed the conquest of the Promised Land (see comment on 1Ch 13:5 and on 1Ch 18, 20). The purpose here seems to be to demonstrate that Solomon’s task was no less crucial than Joshua’s, and required the same qualities of faith and courage. (Borrow 1 Chronicles : an introduction and commentary) Be careful (keep, guard, observe, watch) (08104) shamar means to keep, watch, preserve, to guard, to be careful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one’s guard. Hedge about as with thorns - the word the Hebrews used for a shepherd’s keeping watch over a flock of sheep. Conveyed the idea of protection as in Ps 121:7-8+ (used 3 times!) In the great Aaronic blessing "The LORD bless you, and keep you." (Nu 6:24+) The first use of shamar in Ge 2:15+ is instructive as Adam was placed in the garden (a perfect environment) and was commanded to "keep" it which in the Septuagint is translated with phulasso (which is used to translate many of the OT uses of shamar) which means to guard like a military sentinel would at his post. Clearly Adam did not do a good job at "keeping" the garden safe from intruders! And because of this failure he was cast out of the garden and angels stationed to "guard (Lxx = phulasso) the way to the tree of life" so that he would not eat of it (Ge 3:24+). After Cain murdered Abel he answered God "Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Ge 4:9+) Be strong (02388)(chazaq) conveys the basic meaning of to be or become strong, to make strong or strengthen, in the Hiphil to take hold of or seize ("retain His anger" - Mic 7:18+), in the Hithpael to strengthen oneself (to take courage 1 Sa 30:6). To be courageous. To overpower. Chazaq describes strength - severity of a famine (a "strong" famine) (2 Ki 25:3, Jer 52:6), strength of humans to overpower (David and Goliath 1Sa 17:50, cf 1Sa 17:35 = seized;, Amnon and Tamar = 2Sa 13:14), in a battle, to capture (2Chr 8:3), Samson's last demonstration of supernatural strength in which he asks God to "please strengthen me" (Jdg 16:28). Used in the command "Be strong and courageous" (Josh 1:6, 7, 9,18, Josh 10:25, Dt 31:6-7, 23). Chazaq used 12 times in Ex 4-14 of hardening Pharaoh's heart (cf similar use in Josh 11:20). In a great passage in Da 11:32+ we read "“By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength (chazaq) and take action." The Septuagint translates chazaq with ischuo Courageous (0553)(amets means to be stout, to be strong (Ge 25:23), to be bold, to be alert. Be determined. In short it means to be strong and courageous. (2 Chr 13:18). Uses related to conquering Canaan - Deut. 2:30; Deut. 3:28; Deut. 31:6; Deut. 31:7; Deut. 31:23; Jos. 1:6; Jos. 1:7; Jos. 1:9; Jos. 1:18; Jos. 10:25. The Septuagint translates amets with andrizo in all 4 commands in Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18 and in 1Ch 22:14, the verb calling for them to "act like men!" See use of Paul's 5 commands in 1Co 16:13-14+ - Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (Note - all 5 commands are in the present imperative see calling for us to continually depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) ILLUSTRATION OF DISCOURAGEMENT - Once upon a time the devil decided to have a garage sale. He did it because he wanted to clear out some of his old tools to make room for new ones. After he set up his wares, a fellow dropped by to see what he had. Arrayed on a long table were all the tricks of his infernal trade. Each tool had a price tag. In one corner was a shiny implement labeled “Anger—$250,” next to it a curved tool labeled “Sloth—$380.” As the man searched, he found “Criticism—$500” and “Jealousy—$630.” Out of the corner of his eye, the man spotted a beaten-up tool with a price tag of $12,000. Curious, the man asked the devil why he would offer a worn-out piece of junk for such an exorbitant price. The devil said it was expensive because he used it so much. “What is it?,” the man asked. The answer came back, “It is discouragement. It always works when nothing else will.” Surely all of us can testify to the truth of that little fable. We all know from hard experience how the devil uses discouragement to keep us from moving ahead. When anger won’t stop us, when lust can do us no harm, when envy finds no foothold, discouragement always works. It is the devil’s number one tool. The dictionary defines discouragement as “anything that makes us less confident and hopeful.” Another way to look at it is to say that encouragement is the act of putting courage into someone. Therefore, discouragement is anything that takes the courage out. That’s a dangerous state to be in because a discouraged person makes many mistakes. You won’t be surprised to learn that David’s life offers an excellent example of what discouragement can do to a man of God. The story is told in I Samuel 27-30, a passage little known to most of us but one which is perfectly relevant today. - (Ziklag is Burning by Ray Pritchard - his sermons are always worth checking for "pearls!") 1 Chronicles 22:14 "Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight, for they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. with great pains , 2Co 8:2 an hundred thousand: 1Ch 29:4-7 1Ki 10:14 1,000,000 talents of silver - thousand thousand talents of silver: beyond weight: 1Ch 22:3 2Ki 25:16 Jer 52:20 Related Passages: 1 Chronicles 18:6-8; 10-11+ (SOURCE OF DAVID'S LARGESS FOR LORD'S TEMPLE) Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And the LORD helped David wherever he went. 7 David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a very large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the bronze utensils.....10-11 he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had defeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. And Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the LORD with the silver and the gold which he had carried away from all the nations: from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and from Amalek. DAVID'S INCREDIBLE FINANCIAL PROVISION FOR TEMPLE Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD - The CSB picks up the idea of what David is saying "Notice I have taken great pains to provide for the house of the LORD." ESV says "With great pains I have provided for the house of the LORD." What David is saying is that he made a point of focusing on accumulating the wealth needed to make the Temple majestic and glorious and did not spend it on himself. Utley on with great pains - The Masoretic Text has "with great pains", which usually denotes "affliction" or "poverty." BDB suggests, for this context, "in spite of my frustration" (i.e., David not being allowed to build the temple himself). As a result, David did all he could do to provide what was needed for Solomon to build the temple. Solomon began the temple in the fourth year of his reign (cf. 2 Chr. 3:2). He could not have built the temple without David's provisions. 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver About 120 million oz (worth over 230 billion dollars)! “A thousand thousands” talents of silver. About 1.2 billion oz (360 billion dollars)! Most of these precious metals came from David's military victories (cf 1Ch 18:6-8,10-11). This vast wealth comeS only from God (James 1:17+), so David makes the choice of his will to spend it to make God’s house glorious rather to make his palace the most glorious in the world. He made the choice of Savior over self! David understands that God is of incalculable worth. Kirkpatrick - This sum is incredibly large. In 1 Kin. 10:14 it is told in illustration of the wealth of Solomon—a wealthier king than David—that he received in one year 666 talents of gold, but even at this rate David would have amassed only 26,640 talents in forty years. The tradition from which the Chronicler drew expresses itself here in round and exaggerated numbers. IVP Bible Background Commentary (p 417) - This is by far the largest amount of gold referred to in the Old Testament. Elsewhere in Chronicles there is mention of 3000 talents (112 tons) of gold (1 Chron 29:4). Outside of Chronicles the largest number is 666 talents (25 tons) of gold, which was the amount Solomon was said to receive yearly. In Egypt the largest known donation of gold and silver made by a pharaoh to the gods is the 200 tons by Shishak (who got lots of it from Jerusalem). In Assyrian inscriptions, kings such as Tiglath-Pileser III, Sargon II and Shalmaneser III rarely list the specific amount of gold taken in tribute or plunder, and when they do it is usually between ten and fifty talents. Centuries later Persepolis was believed to possess the richest hoard in the ancient world. At the time of Alexander’s conquest its treasure of gold and silver was valued at 120,000 talents (=4,500 tons) of silver. how much gold? In 1993 the statistics for the world mineral reserve base listed a total of 55,435 tons. The United States Central Bank gold reserve was about 9000 tons. A cube of pure, solid gold that is one foot per side weighs 1200 pounds (worth over $7 million in today’s market). Solomon’s contribution would have filled a standard two-car garage floor to ceiling with such blocks (6250 of them). If the builders would have stacked up blocks such as this they could have built the outer walls of the two main chambers of the temple one foot thick around three sides (with dimensions of 90 by 30 by 30. NET Note on talents - The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the Ammonites hired chariots and charioteers for about 33.7 tons (30,600 kg) of silver. and bronze and iron beyond weight, for they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. 1 Chronicles 22:15 "Moreover, there are many workmen with you, stonecutters and masons of stone and carpenters, and all men who are skillful in every kind of work. many workmen with you 1Ch 22:2-4 every kind Ex 28:6 31:3-5 35:32,35 1Ki 7:14 PROVISION OF A SKILLED SUFFICIENT LABOR FORCE Moreover, there are many workmen with you, stonecutters and masons of stone and carpenters, and all men who are skillful (chakam) in every kind of work - This iteration of skilled workers would surely encourage Solomon in this huge project, for God through His servant David was providing everything necessary to build His Temple. Solomon's part was to carry out the instructions. All men who are skillful in every kind of work would describe (1) carpenters (2Sa 5:11; 2Ki 12:11; 1 Chr. 14:1; 22:15; Isa. 44:13), (2) masons (2Sa 5:11; 1Chr. 22:15), (3) jewelers (Ex 28:11), (4) workers with metals (1Ki 7:14; 1Ch 22:15-16; 29:5), (5) workers with iron (i.e., blacksmith) (1Sa 13:19; Isa. 44:12) Skillful (adjective)(02450) chakam rom verb chakam - to be wise) means wise, shrewd, i.e., a capacity for understanding and discernment (Pr 10:8). It can mean skilled, i.e., pertaining to the knowledge of a craftsman in some technical work (Ex 35:10, 25; 36:1, 2, 4, 8; Isa 3:3; Jer 10:9; Eze 27:8) Chakam is an adjective which can refer to professional skill and ability, or to moral character and a person’s relationship with God. It also refers to a “God-fearing person,” The men and women who were called upon to make the priestly garments and help construct the Tabernacle and its furnishings possessed skills in working with cloth, precious and semiprecious stones and wood. The same is said of those who later built the Temple (Exo. 28:3; 31:6; 1 Chr. 22:15; 2 Chr. 2:7). Professional mourning was also a skilled activity (Jer. 9:17). 1 Chronicles 22:16 "Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no limit. Arise and work, and may the LORD be with you." the gold: 1Ch 22:3,14 Arise: Jos 1:2,5,9 7:10 Jdg 4:14 18:9,10 2Ch 20:17 1Co 15:58 Eph 5:14 Php 2:12,13 4:13 and the Lord: 1Ch 22:11 1Sa 17:37 20:13 DAVID'S FINAL CHARGE & PRAYER Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no limit. Heb “and every kind of skilled one in all work, concerning gold, concerning silver, and concerning bronze, and concerning iron, there is no numbering.” Arise and work, and may the LORD be with you - David, like a commanding officer, gives Solomon two clear, strong commands to "Get it on" (so to speak)! And with his closing prayer, David reminded Solomon that he was not alone in building this Temple, but was working with the LORD. This reminds me of Psalm 127 (in fact written by Solomon) that "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain." The point is that God initiates and empowers the work of His servant, but the servant still is required to exert effort to carry out the LORD's will. Note that David is not saying "Let go, let God" (that is not Biblical) but "Let God, let's go!" This is an Old Testament example of "Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible" (100/100). 1 Chronicles 22:17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, all the leaders: 1Ch 28:21 29:6 Ro 16:2,3 Php 4:3 3Jn 1:8 HELP FOR HIS SON SOLOMON David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying - Having provided the finances and materials for the Temple and readying his son Solomon for the task, David now moves to exhort the leaders to provide support for his son in this grand task. This massive project will require the whole kingdom’s support. And when we keep in mind that Chronicles was written to the Jews who had returned from exile in Babylon, there is a message here for all Israel and it is that all of them are needed to rebuild the defeated nation. Jack Hay - We often hear said that one man with God is a majority, and we understand these sentiments, but in reality God seldom used just one man working in isolation. His normal pattern was to use people who were co-operating with each other. True, invariably one man would give a lead, but he would be supported by others as when "Peter (stood) up with the eleven" (Acts 2:14). Thus here, while Solomon would be the main mover in this great project of building the temple, "David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon". Observe that the command was to "all the princes". He expected everyone to become involved. (What the Bible Teaches – 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles)