22
📚Then David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel”. Preparations for building the temple
2 📚And David gave a command to assemble the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, and he appointed stone cutters to cut stones to build the house of God. 3 📚And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed, 4 📚also cedar trees in abundance. For the Sidonians and Tyrians brought much cedar wood to David.
5 📚And David said, “My son Solomon is young 📖 and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory 📖 throughout all countries. Therefore I will now make preparations for it”. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
6 📚Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. 7 📚And David said to Solomon, “My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the LORD my God, 8 📚but the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house for my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 📚Look, a son will be born to you, who will be a quiet man; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on all sides; for his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. 10 📚He will build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
11 📚“Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has said about you. 12 📚Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.
22:12 1 Kings 3:9-12; 2 Chron 1:10. Perhaps a desire for wisdom was produced in Solomon’s heart by these words of his father.⚜
13 📚Then you will prosper, if you are careful to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed 📖.
14 📚“Now, look, taking much trouble 📖 for the house of the LORD, I have prepared a hundred thousand talents 📖 of gold, and a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, because of its abundance. I have also made ready timber and stone; and you may add to it.
15 📚“Moreover, there are many workmen with you, cutters and workers in stone and timber, and all kinds of skillful men for every kind of work, 16 📚in gold, silver and brass and iron, without number. Arise therefore, and work, and may the LORD be with you”.
17 📚David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, 18 📚“Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not given you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. 19 📚Now set your heart and your soul to seek 📖 the LORD your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you can bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and God’s holy articles, into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD”.
22:1-19 David had already conceived the idea of building a temple to God in Jerusalem. He was told that he was not the man for that work but that one of his sons would do it (2 Sam 7:1-17). But David did all he could to make preparations for the building of the temple (v 5). This chapter records these preparations. A site was chosen (v 1), workmen were appointed (vs 2,15,16), materials were provided (vs 3,4,14), encouragement was given (vs 11-13), and helpers were appointed and encouraged (vs 17-19). David was not the sort of man to refuse to have anything to do with the building project because he had been rejected as the builder. He did not let any temptation to pride or resentment keep him from helping in any way he could. In this he is a much needed example to us all.⚜