“Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.”
That is, the place wherein he will be worshipped.
“And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.”
Meaning, cunning men of other nations which dwelt among the Jews.
“And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;”
To wit, which weighed fifty shekels of gold, 2 Chron. 3:9 .
“And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:”
Cross references: : 2 Sam. 7:13
“But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.”
1 Chron. 28:3 This declareth how greatly God detesteth the shedding of blood, seeing David for this cause is stayed to build the Temple of the Lord, albeit he enterprised no war, but by God’s commandment and against his enemies.
“Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.”
He showeth that there can be no prosperity, but when the Lord is with us.
“Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.”
These are only the means whereby Kings govern their subjects aright, and whereby the Realms do prosper and flourish.
“Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto. trouble: or, poverty”
For David was poor in respect of Solomon.
“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.”
For else he knew that God would plague them, and not prosper their labor, except they sought with all their hearts to set forth his glory.