Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 29

Introduction

In this chapter David continues his address to the assembly, and exhorts his princes and chief men, in view of what he had done, to contribute to the house of God. Vers. 1-5. To this they liberally respond, 6-9; whereupon David offers thanksgiving and prayer unto God, (10-19,) and the assembly closes with a sacrificial feast. 1 Chronicles 29:20-22. With a few words on the enthroning of Solomon, (23-25,) and the acts and death of David, (26-30,) the writer concludes his history of David’s reign.

Verse 1

1. The palace is not for man The word here rendered palace ( birah) is used in Nehemiah 1:1, and Esther 1:2, of the royal residence of the Persian kings; and in Nehemiah 2:8, (where see note,) of a fortress or citadel erected near the temple of Zerubbabel. It is here used of the temple as of the royal residence of Israel’s Divine King.

Verse 4

4. Ophir See the note on 1 Kings 9:28. Here it appears that “the gold of Ophir” was brought (probably by Arabian merchants) to Israel in the days of David.

Verse 5

5. To consecrate his service Rather, as the margin, to fill his hand to-day for Jehovah; that is, to draw near with his hands full of gifts to Jehovah.

Verse 15

15. None abiding Hebrew, no hope; that is, no confidence or certain assurance of continuing long on earth.

Verse 18

18. Keep this for ever in… the heart of thy people That is, preserve continue in them this liberal spirit of giving.

Verse 22

22. They made Solomon… king the second time His first enthronement was hurried because of Adonijah’s attempt to usurp the kingdom. See the account in 1 Kings 1:5-49.

And Zadok to be priest Abiathar had been found in conspiracy with Adonijah, (1 Kings 1:7,) and was afterward deposed by Solomon. 1 Kings 2:26. Thereupon Zadok became sole high priest, (1 Kings 2:35,) and it was proper for this great assembly publicly to appoint him to his high office. This assembly was held before Solomon deposed and banished Abiathar, so that we should regard Solomon’s action in the case, as narrated in 1 Kings 2:26-27, as the carrying out of the will of the assembly.

Verse 29

29. The acts of David Literally, the words of David. This means not his sayings merely, but the events and experiences of his life. Many of his words and deeds were doubtless written by himself, and his own writings were used by other writers as sources of information.

The book of Samuel… the book of Nathan… the book of Gad The word rendered book in each case here is like that rendered acts above, דברי , words, history; that is, both words and deeds. Comp. note on Nehemiah 1:1. The works in question are among the lost literature of the ancient Hebrews, and their exact character is now unknown. It is not certain that they were written by the persons named, but they were probably narratives of their lives and times, and may have been written either by themselves or by others.

The seer… the prophet… the seer In the Hebrew these are three different words, the roeh, the nabi, and the chozeh. On roeh and nabi see note on 1 Samuel 9:9, where it is shown that roeh is the more ancient and popular name for a prophet, ( nabi,) or one gifted with unusual foresight and wisdom. “Roeh is a title almost appropriated to Samuel. It is only used ten times, and in seven of these it is applied to Samuel. 1 Samuel 9:9; 1 Samuel 9:11; 1 Samuel 9:18-19; 1 Chronicles 9:22; 1 Chronicles 26:28; 1 Chronicles 29:29. On two other occasions it is applied to Hanani. 2 Chronicles 16:7; 2 Chronicles 16:10. Once it is used by Isaiah, (Isaiah 30:10,) with no reference to any particular person.” SMITH’S Bib. Dic. Chozeh has been thought by some to have been the title of the prophet or seer that was officially attached to the king’s household. Comp. 1 Chronicles 21:9; 1 Chronicles 25:5. But the words roeh and chozeh have substantially the same meaning, and in fact the three, nabi, roeh, and chozeh, seem to have been often used interchangeably.

“It has been alleged by some,” says Wordsworth, “that David’s old age and death were overhung with clouds. But if the facts are carefully collected and duly considered, it will be seen and acknowledged that, though some mists and shadows of human weakness obscured the evening of David’s life, yet, by an extraordinary effort, the inner spiritual light struggled through the vail of mortal sadness and infirmity, and by the help of divine grace it beamed out in gleams of glory; and the sun broke forth with supernatural brilliance and extraordinary lustre just before it went down; and if there was ever a glorious sunset in this world, it was that of David, ‘the man after God’s own heart,’ the type of ‘the Sun of Righteousness,’ who is ‘the Light of the world.’”

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