“And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. possession: or, cattle and of: or, and his sons officers: or, eunuchs”
Israel. These are more particularly described as princes of the tribes, (Haydock) twelve captains, &c., chap. xxvii. 1. — And his. Hebrew, “and of his sons.” (Calmet) — We may also understand this of the preceptors of the royal family, chap. xxvii. 32. — Officers. Literally, “eunuchs.” (Haydock) — Bravest; particularly those specified [in] chap. xi.
“Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:”
Rising up from his bed, on which he lay, on account of his great age and weakness, while he addressed himself to his son; (3 Kings i. 47.; Calmet) or he rose from his throne, to honor this grand assembly. Hebrew, “stood upon his feet.” (Haydock) — Thought. Hebrew, “I, with my heart, thought to,” &c. (Calmet) — And, or which is the footstool. (Haydock) — The ark is often so called, because God was considered as sitting upon the wings of the cherubim, over it, Psalm xcviii. 1., &c. — Building. No doubt what David left would have been sufficient. Yet Solomon thought that he could make something still more magnificent.
“But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. blood: Heb. bloods”
Blood. See chap. xxii. 8. (Calmet)
“Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:”
Ever; for a long time, and to leave the throne to my posterity for many ages, and to the Messias for ever. This expression is not always to be taken in its rigour. (Calmet) — Princes. Hebrew, “prince, or the ruler.” (Haydock) — This tribe had long possessed the greatest power, (Calmet) and the promise of the sceptre, Genesis xlix. (Worthington) — The phrase often denotes a long time, but it is best understood of Christ. (Du Hamel)
“And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.”
My son, by the mouth of Nathan, 2 Kings vii. 13. (Menochius) — Solomon was a figure of Christ, and his dignity was predicted, chap. xvii. 11., and 3 Kings i. 13. (Calmet)
“Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. constant: Heb. strong”
If. The promises of the Old Testament were frequently conditional, and we always find the condition marked in some place; but those made to the Church of Christ, have no such limitation. (Haydock) — Day. Solomon was once faithful, and afterwards fell; it is uncertain whether ever to rise again. Hence it appears that the true children of God may become wicked. (Worthington)
“Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.”
Seek. Wilful (Haydock) or supine ignorance will excuse no man. (Menochius)
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”
Know, with affection (Haydock) and faith; and him alone must thou serve. (Du Hamel) — Forsake him, and die impenitent. (Haydock)
“Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,”
Description, impressed by God on David’s imagination; (Cajetan) or rather planned out by the hand of God, (ver. 19.; Salien) as the law was written. (Haydock) — The Jews pretend that this plan was delivered to Moses, and handed down by Josue, &c., to David. (Estius) — But why might not David receive it immediately from heaven? (Calmet) — Treasures. Literally, “cellars.” (Haydock) — The original term, Ganzac, is not Hebrew. We find Ganas (Esther iii. 9.) to signify a treasure, being derived from the Persian, Gaza. David gave, therefore, a description of the rooms to keep the treasures of the temple, or of the cellars for wine and oil. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “a pattern of the temple and of the houses thereof, and of the Zakcho, and of the upper rooms, and of the inner storehouses,” &c. (Haydock) — Inner, or most retired closets, (3 Kings xx. 30.; Calmet) where the Levites slept. (Menochius) — Seat, where the ark was kept, and God was rendered propitious. (Haydock)
“Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.”
Divisions, into twenty-four classes, (Menochius) which was done by God’s order. (Haydock) — For all, that every thing might be done with regularity. (Menochius)
“He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:”
Weight, or sufficient for each, ver. 15. (Haydock) — Some think he only left a memorial of what quantity of gold and silver would be requisite. It does not appear that Solomon used silver for the vessels, as he chose to execute his father’s injunctions with still greater magnificence.
“Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.”
Silver. David probably intended that five candlesticks would be made of this metal: but Solomon made all the ten of gold, 3 Kings vii. 49. There was one in the tabernacle, Exodus xxv. 31. (Calmet) — But the temple was more spacious, and a greater number was not prohibited. (Menochius) — According. Hebrew, “for the use of every candlestick.”
“And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:”
Silver. Yet all the ten were composed of the purest gold, (2 Paralipomenon iv. 12.) as silver was too common, ibid.[2 Paralipomenon] ix. 20. Moses had only two tables. (Calmet) — Diversity. Hebrew, “for each table.” (Vatable)
“Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:”
Lions. St. Jerome seems to have read cephir, instead of the present cephor, which is rendered “a cup, or bowl,” 1 Esdras i. 10. (Calmet) — Alexandrian Septuagint, “and of the flesh-hooks, libation vessels and bowls; and the weight of the golden and silver vessels (kepphoure; a word which they do not translate) of each weight.” (Haydock) — The change of i for u was very easy; and perhaps the basins were ornamented with representations of lions. (Du Hamel) (Menochius) — We do not find cephor used before, to denote any of the vessels of the tabernacle: but Esdras uses it, (chap. viii. 27.) whence it is inferred that it is of Chaldean extraction.
“And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.”
Purest. Hebrew, “refined.” — Lord. He was represented as riding in a chariot, drawn by Cherubim, (Calmet) or sitting on their wings. (Haydock) — Two, particularly, filled up the space between the walls in the most holy place, and covered the ark, and also the Cherubim made by Moses, 3 Kings vii. 23.
“All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.”
These things, said he, is not in Hebrew. Septuagint, “All in the handwriting of the Lord, did David give to Solomon, according to the knowledge given to him from above, respecting the workmanship of the pattern.” (Haydock) — David saw the pattern in a kind of ecstasy; (Salien; Estius) or some prophet delivered it unto him, (Calmet) marked out by the hand of an angel, (Tirinus) like the tabernacle given to Moses. (Du Hamel)
“And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.”
Lord. Septuagint add, “and I beheld, or behold, the pattern of the temple, and of the house and the Zakcho thereof, and the upper rooms and inner storehouses, and the house of the propitiation, and the pattern of the house of the Lord: (21) and behold,” ver. 11. (Haydock)
“And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.”
Thee. Hebrew and Septuagint, “for all workmanship, every willing skilful man for any service, also all the princes, and the people entirely at thy commands.” (Haydock) — The willing artificers are distinguished from those who were forced to work, though the former also received pay. (Calmet)