“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.”
And therefore is taught to be excellent in all points.
“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,”
His great zeal toward the furtherance of the Temple made him to spare no expenses, but to bestow his own peculiar treasure.
“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:”
He showeth what he had of his own store for the Lord’s house.
“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? consecrate his service: Heb. fill his hand”
He was not only liberal himself, but provoked others to set forth the works of God. Or, to offer.
“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.”
That is, with a good courage and without hypocrisy. Cross references: : Ps. 122:1
“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.”
Which didst reveal thyself to our father Jacob.
“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. be able: Heb. retain, or, obtain strength of thine: Heb. of thine hand”
We gave thee nothing of our own, but that which we have received of thee: for whether the gifts be corporal or spiritual, we receive them all of God, and therefore must give him the glory.
“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. abiding: Heb. expectation”
And therefore have this land but lent to us for a time. Hebrew, waiting for them to return .
“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: prepare: or, stablish”
Continue them in his good mind, that they may serve thee willingly.
“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.”
That is, did reverence the king.
“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:”
Meaning, all kind of liquor which they mingled with their sacrifices, as wine, oil, etc.
“Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.”
This declareth that the Kings of Judah were figures of Christ, who was the true anointed, and to whom God gave the chief government of all things.
“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, book: or, history: Heb. words”
The books of Nathan and Gad are thought to have been lost in the captivity.
“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.”
Meaning, the troubles and griefs.