1 Chronicles 29
New English Translation
The People Contribute to the Project
29 King David said to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is just an inexperienced young man,[a] and the task is great, for this palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. 2 So I have made every effort[b] to provide what is needed for the temple of my God, including the gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood,[c] as well as a large amount of onyx, settings of antimony and other stones, all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster. 3 Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple. 4 This includes 3,000 talents[d] of gold from Ophir and 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, 5 for gold and silver items, and for all the work of the craftsmen. Who else wants to contribute to the Lord today?”
6 The leaders of the families, the leaders of the Israelite tribes, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, and the supervisors of the king’s work contributed willingly. 7 They donated for the service of God’s temple 5,000 talents[e] and 10,000 darics[f] of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron. 8 All who possessed precious[g] stones donated them to the treasury of the Lord’s temple, which was under the supervision of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people were delighted with their donations, for they contributed to the Lord with a willing attitude;[h] King David was also very happy.[i]
David Praises the Lord
10 David praised the Lord before the entire assembly:[j]
“O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore! 11 O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign[k] over all the sky and earth! You, Lord, have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler[l] of all. 12 You are the source of wealth and honor;[m] you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and give strength to all.[n] 13 Now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name!
14 “But who am I and who are my people, that we should be in a position to contribute this much?[o] Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours.[p] 15 For we are resident foreigners and temporary settlers[q] in your presence, as all our ancestors were;[r] our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security.[s] 16 O Lord our God, all this wealth, which we have collected to build a temple for you to honor your holy name, comes from you; it all belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you examine thoughts[t] and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives[u] I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you. 18 O Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, always maintain these motives of your people and keep them devoted to you.[v] 19 Make my son Solomon willing to obey your commands, rules, and regulations, and to complete building the palace for which I have made preparations.”[w]
20 David told the entire assembly: “Praise the Lord your God!” So the entire assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors; they bowed down and stretched out flat on the ground before the Lord and the king.
David Designates Solomon King
21 The next day they made sacrifices and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord (1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, 1,000 lambs), along with their accompanying drink offerings and many other sacrifices for all Israel. 22 They held a feast[x] before the Lord that day and celebrated.[y]
Then they designated Solomon, David’s son, as king a second time;[z] before the Lord they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest. 23 Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him.[aa] 24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.[ab] 25 The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him.[ac]
David’s Reign Comes to an End
26 David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 He reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 28 He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor.[ad] His son Solomon succeeded him. 29 King David’s accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Samuel the prophet, the Annals of Nathan the prophet, and the Annals of Gad the prophet.[ae] 30 Recorded there are all the facts about his reign and accomplishments, and an account of the events that involved him, Israel, and all the neighboring kingdoms.[af]
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 29:1 tn Heb “a young man and tender.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:2 tn Heb “and according to all my strength.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:2 tn Heb “the gold for the gold, and the silver for the silver, and the bronze for the bronze, the iron for the iron, and the wood for the wood.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:4 tn See the note on the word “talents” in 19:6. Using the “light” standard talent of 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg) as the standard for calculation, David had supplied 101 tons (91,800 kg) of gold and 235.5 tons (214,200 kg) of silver.
- 1 Chronicles 29:7 tn See the note on the word “talents” in 19:6. Using the “light” standard talent of 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg) as the standard for calculation, the people donated 168.3 tons (153,000 kg) of gold, 336.5 tons (306,000 kg) of silver, 605.7 tons (550,800 kg) of bronze, and 3,365 tons (3,060,000 kg) of iron.
- 1 Chronicles 29:7 tn On the “daric” as a unit of measure, see BDB 204 s.v. דַּרְכְּמוֹן. Some have regarded the daric as a minted coin, perhaps even referring to the Greek drachma, but this is less likely.sn The daric was a unit of weight perhaps equal to between 8 and 9 grams (just under one-third of an ounce), so 10,000 darics of gold would weigh between 80 and 90 kilograms (between 176 and 198 pounds).
- 1 Chronicles 29:8 tn The word “precious” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
- 1 Chronicles 29:9 tn Heb “with a complete heart.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:9 tn Heb “And also David the king rejoiced with great joy.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:10 tn Heb “assembly, and David said.” The words “and David said” are redundant according to contemporary English style and have not been included in the translation.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11 tn The words “and sovereign” are added in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11 tn Heb “head.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:12 tn Heb “wealth and honor [are] from before you.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:12 tn Heb “and in your hand [is] strength and might, and [it is] in your hand to magnify and to give strength to all.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:14 tn Heb “that we should retain strength to contribute like this.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:14 tn Heb “and from you we have given to you.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:15 tn The Hebrew terms ger (גֵּר; “resident foreigner”) and toshav (תּוֹשָׁב; “resident/dweller”) have similar meanings. They are not used here with the technical distinctions of most references in Mosaic Law. 1 Chron 29:15 takes up this language from Lev 25:23 where the terms emphasize that Israel would be a guest on God’s land. This is a privileged but dependent position; they did not own the land. Cf. also Ps 39:12 and Gen 23:4.
- 1 Chronicles 29:15 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 18, 20).
- 1 Chronicles 29:15 tn Or perhaps “hope.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:17 tn Heb “a heart.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:17 tn Heb “with integrity of heart.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:18 tn Heb “keep this permanently with respect to the motive of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and make firm their heart to you.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:19 tn Heb “and to Solomon my son give a complete heart to keep your commands, your rules and your regulations, and to do everything, and to build the palace [for] which I have prepared.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:22 tn Heb “they ate and drank.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:22 tn Heb “with great joy.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:22 sn See 1 Chr 23:1, where David had previously designated Solomon as king over Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 29:23 tn Heb “listened to him.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:24 tn Heb “placed a hand under Solomon the king.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:25 tn Heb “and gave to him glory of kingship which there was not concerning every king before him over Israel.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:28 tn Heb “satisfied with days, wealth, and honor.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:29 tn Heb “and the events of David the king, the former and the latter, look they are written in the annals of Samuel the seer, and in the annals of Nathan the prophet, and in the annals of Gad the seer.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:30 tn Heb “with all his reign and his might, and the times which passed over him and over Israel and over all the kingdoms of the lands.”
1 Chronicles 29
Contemporary English Version
Gifts for Building the Temple
29 (A) David told the crowd:
God chose my son Solomon to build the temple, but Solomon is young and has no experience. This is not just any building—this is the temple for the Lord God! 2 That's why I have done my best to get everything Solomon will need to build it—gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, turquoise, colored gems, all kinds of precious stones, and marble.
3 Besides doing all that, I have promised to give part of my own gold and silver as a way of showing my love for God's temple. 4 More than 100 tons of my finest gold and almost 240 tons of my silver will be used to decorate its walls 5 and to make the gold and silver objects. Now, who else will show their dedication to the Lord by giving gifts for building his temple?
6 After David finished speaking, the family leaders, the tribal leaders, the army commanders, and the government officials voluntarily gave gifts 7 for the temple. These gifts included more than 170 tons of gold, over 340 tons of silver, 620 tons of bronze, and more than 3,400 tons of iron. 8 Everyone who owned precious stones also donated them to the temple treasury, where Jehiel from the Levite clan of Gershon guarded them.
9 David and the people were very happy that so much had been given to the Lord, and they all celebrated.
David Praises the Lord
10 Then, in front of everyone, David sang praises to the Lord:
I praise you forever, Lord! You are the God our ancestor Jacob[a] worshiped. 11 (B) Your power is great, and your glory is seen everywhere in heaven and on earth. You are king of the entire world, 12 and you rule with strength and power. You make people rich and powerful and famous. 13 We thank you, our God, and praise you.
14 But why should we be happy that we have given you these gifts? They belong to you, and we have only given back what is already yours. 15 We are only foreigners living here on earth for a while, just as our ancestors were. And we will soon be gone, like a shadow that suddenly disappears.
16 Our Lord God, we have brought all these things for building a temple to honor you. They belong to you, and you gave them to us. 17 But we are happy, because everyone has voluntarily given you these things. You know what is in everyone's heart, and you are pleased when people are honest. 18 Always make us eager to give, and help us be faithful to you, just as our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob faithfully worshiped you. 19 And give Solomon the desire to completely obey your laws and teachings, and the desire to build the temple for which I have provided these gifts.
20 David then said to the people, “Now it's your turn to praise the Lord, the God your ancestors worshiped!” So everyone praised the Lord, and they bowed down to honor him and David their king.
Solomon Is Crowned King
21 The next day, the Israelites slaughtered 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, and they offered them as sacrifices to please the Lord,[b] along with offerings of wine. 22 The people were very happy, and they ate and drank there at the Lord's altar.
That same day, Solomon was again crowned king. The people celebrated and poured olive oil on Solomon's head to show that he would be their next king. They also poured oil on Zadok's head to show that he was their priest.
23 (C) So Solomon became king after David his father. Solomon was successful, and everyone in Israel obeyed him. 24 Every official and every soldier, as well as all of David's other sons, were loyal to him. 25 The Lord made Solomon a great king, and the whole nation was amazed at how famous he was. In fact, no other king of Israel was as great as Solomon.
David Dies
26 David the son of Jesse was king of Israel 27 (D) for 40 years. He ruled from Hebron for 7 years and from Jerusalem for 33 years. 28 David was rich and respected and lived to be an old man. Then he died, and his son Solomon became king.
29 Everything David did while he was king is included in the history written by the prophets Samuel, Nathan, and Gad. 30 They wrote about his powerful rule and about the things that happened not only to him, but also to Israel and the other nations.
1 Chronicles 29
King James Version
29 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.
2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
3 Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.
4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:
5 The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?
6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,
7 And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
8 And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.
20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.
21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:
22 And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.
23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.
24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.
25 And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
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