1 Chronicles
Chapter 29
Offerings for the Temple
Then King David said to the whole assembly: “Solomon, my son, whom the Lord has chosen, is still young, and the work is great; this palace is not for people but for the Lord God.
With all my resources, I have provided for the house of my God, adding gold to gold, silver to silver, bronze to bronze, iron to iron, wood to wood, onyx, inlaid stones, colored and striped stones, precious stones of every kind, and masses of alabaster.
Furthermore, the gold and silver in my treasury I give out of love for the house of God, beyond what I have already provided for the holy house:
tons of the finest gold, gold of Ophir, and tons of pure silver for plating the walls of the buildings.
Whatever gold, silver, or craftsmanship you have, each of you will offer it to the Lord today?”
Then the heads of families, the officials of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and those who managed the king’s affairs,
gave for the service of the house of God tons of gold, tons of silver, tons of bronze, and , tons of iron.
Those who had precious stones brought them to Jehiel, the Gershonite for the treasury of the Lord’s house.
The people rejoiced at what had been given so willingly since their gifts to the Lord had been made wholeheartedly. King David, too, was filled with joy.
David’s Prayer
David praised the Lord before the entire assembly:“May you be praised, the Lord God of Israel our ancestor, forever and ever!
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, splendor, length of days, and glory; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty forever, O Lord; you are the supreme ruler.
Riches and honor go before you; you are the ruler of all; in your hand lie strength and power. You are the one who gives greatness and strength to all.
At this time, our God, we give you thanks; we praise the splendor of your name.
For who am I, and what are my people, to have received all that we give you back now? All comes from you. What we have received from your hand, we have given to you.
For we are strangers before you, settlers only, as all our ancestors were; our days on earth pass like a shadow, and there is no hope beyond.
The Lord, our God, all this wealth that we have brought together to build a house for your holy Name comes from your hand; all is yours.
O my God, I know that you examine the heart and delight in honesty, and honesty of heart, I have willingly given all this; and now with joy, I have seen your people here offer their gifts willingly.
O Lord, God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep such thoughts in your people’s hearts and minds forever and direct them toward you.
Give Solomon, my son, a heart determined to keep your commandments, decrees, and statutes; may he practice them all and build this palace I have prepared for you.”
David told the entire assembly: “Praise the Lord your God!” And the whole assembly praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and went on their knees to give honor to the Lord and the king.
The next day, the Israelites offered sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs, along with their wine offerings, and many other sacrifices for Israel.
They ate and drank that day in the Lord’s presence with great joy. Then they made Solomon, son of David, their second king, and anointed him to rule over them in the name of the Lord, and they anointed Zadok as priest.
Death of David and Reign of Solomon
Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord in place of David, his father. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.
All the officials, all the champions, and the sons of King David swore loyalty to King Solomon.
The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the eyes of all Israel and granted him a glorious reign that no other king had experienced before him.
David, the son of Jesse, had reigned over all of Israel.
His reign over Israel lasted forty years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.
He died peacefully at an old age, having enjoyed his days, wealth, and honor. Then his son Solomon took over.
The history of King David, from beginning to end, can be found in the records of Samuel the prophet, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the prophet.
These records show how he governed, how strong he was, and everything that happened to him, Israel, and the neighboring kingdoms.
Commentaries
Construction of the Temple and Organization of the Kingdom.
These chapters focus on the organization of worship and the priesthood. The account of the census is based on 2 Samuel 24, while chapters 22-29 are the Chronicler’s own additions. It is generally believed that chapters 22-27 were added later because they interrupt the narrative flow at 21:30, which then resumes in 28:1.
Offerings for the Temple – David’s Prayer – Death of David and Reign of Solomon.
The chapter begins with David setting an example by encouraging a generous collection for the Temple (1-9). The Chronicler then shares David’s prayer of thanksgiving (10-20), which reveals a deep personal relationship between God, the king, and the people. It highlights that everything belongs to God and ultimately returns to Him, emphasizing that the best gift is sincerity (15-17). Through this prayer, the Chronicler concludes the detailed account of David’s reign, noting that he died “in a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and glory” (28), signs of divine blessing. The enthronement of Solomon (21-25) is depicted as a ceremonial event, based on 1 Kings 1. With Solomon’s enthronement, the Chronicler connects the reign of David with that of his son Solomon.