1 Chronicles Chapter 29

Offerings for the Temple

1Furthermore 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. 2Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3Moreover, 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, 4Even 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: 5The 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?

6Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, 7And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9Then 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.

David's Prayer of Praise

10Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

14But 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. 15For 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. 16O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 17I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. 18O 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: 19And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

20And 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.

Solomon Anointed King

(1 Kings 1:32-40)

21And 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: 22And did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. 23Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. 24And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king. 25And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

David's Reign and Death

(1 Kings 2:10-12)

26Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

28And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29Now 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, 30With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

King James Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

Offerings for the Temple

1 David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for Yahweh God. 2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, stones for inlaid work, and of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3 In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, 4 even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, with which to overlay the walls of the houses; 5 of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be made by the hands of artisans. Who then offers willingly to consecrate himself this day to Yahweh?”

6 Then the princes of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly; 7 and they gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and of iron a hundred thousand talents. 8 They with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of Yahweh, under the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to Yahweh: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

David’s Prayer of Blessing

10 Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all; and in your hand is power and might; and it is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank you, and praise your glorious name.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you, and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining. 16 Yahweh our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and is all your own. 17 I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now have I seen with joy your people, that are present here, offer willingly to you. 18 Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you; 19 and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.”

20 David said to all the assembly, “Now bless Yahweh your God!” All the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king.

Solomon Anointed King
(1 Kings 1:32–40)

21 They sacrificed sacrifices to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the next day after that day, even one thousand bulls, one thousand rams, and one thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel, 22 and ate and drink before Yahweh on that day with great gladness. They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him to Yahweh to be prince, and Zadok to be priest. 23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of Yahweh as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the princes, the mighty men, and also all of the sons of king David submitted themselves to Solomon the king. 25 Yahweh magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

David’s Reign and Death
(1 Kings 2:10–12)

26 Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

28 He died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor: and Solomon his son reigned in his place. 29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Samuel the seer, and in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the history of Gad the seer, 30 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.

Offerings for the Temple

1 Then King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. 2 Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God—gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble—all in abundance.

3 Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give for it my personal treasures of gold and silver, over and above all that I have provided for this holy temple: 4 three thousand talents of gold a (the gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, b to overlay the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the LORD today?”

6 Then the leaders of the households, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 7 Toward the service of God’s house they gave 5,000 talents c and 10,000 darics of gold, d 10,000 talents of silver, e 18,000 talents of bronze, f and 100,000 talents of iron. g 8 Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, under the care of Jehiel h the Gershonite. 9 And the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given to the LORD freely and wholeheartedly. And King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Prayer of Blessing

10 Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly and said:

“May You be blessed, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You.

Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.

13 Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks, and we praise Your glorious name. 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You. 15 For we are foreigners and strangers in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.

16 O LORD our God, from Your hand comes all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy Name, and all of it belongs to You. 17 I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.

18 O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this desire forever in the intentions of the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You. 19 And give my son Solomon a whole heart to keep and carry out all Your commandments, decrees, and statutes, and to build Your palace for which I have made provision.”

20 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Blessed be the LORD your God.”

So the whole assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers. They bowed down and paid homage to the LORD and to the king.

Solomon Anointed King
(1 Kings 1:32–40)

21 The next day they offered sacrifices and presented burnt offerings to the LORD: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, along with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 That day they ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the LORD.

Then, for a second time, they designated David’s son Solomon as king, anointing him before the LORD as ruler, and Zadok as the priest.

23 So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officials and mighty men, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.

25 The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had not been bestowed on any king in Israel before him.

David’s Reign and Death
(1 Kings 2:10–12)

26 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. 27 The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 28 He died at a ripe old age, full of years, riches, and honor, and his son Solomon reigned in his place.

29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are indeed written in the Chronicles of Samuel the Seer, the Chronicles of Nathan the Prophet, and the Chronicles of Gad the Seer, 30 together with all the details of his reign, his might, and the circumstances that came upon him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the lands.

Footnotes:

4 a 3,000 talents  is approximately 113 tons or 103 metric tons of gold.
4 b 7,000 talents  is approximately 264 tons or 239.5 metric tons of silver.
7 c 5,000 talents  is approximately 188.5 tons or 171 metric tons of gold.
7 d Or 10,000 gold drachmas ; that is, approximately 185.2 pounds or 84 kilograms of gold coins
7 e 10,000 talents  is approximately 377 tons or 342 metric tons of silver.
7 f 18,000 talents  is approximately 678.6 tons or 615.6 metric tons of bronze.
7 g 100,000 talents  is approximately 3,770 tons or 3,420 metric tons of iron.
8 h Jehiel  is a variant of Jehieli ; see 1 Chronicles 26:21.

Offerings for the Temple

1And David the king saith to all the assembly, 'Solomon my son -- the one on whom God hath fixed -- is young and tender, and the work is great, for not for man is the palace, but for Jehovah God; 2and with all my power I have prepared for the house of my God, the gold for things of gold, and the silver for those of silver, and the brass for those of brass, the iron for those of iron, and the wood for those of wood, shoham stones, and settings, and stones of painting and of diverse colours, and all kinds of precious stone, and stones of white marble, in abundance. 3'And again, because of my delighting in the house of my God, the substance I have -- a peculiar treasure of gold and silver -- I have given for the house of my God, even over and above all I have prepared for the house of the sanctuary: 4three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses, 5even gold for things of gold, and silver for those of silver, and for all the work by the hand of artificers; and who is he that is offering willingly to consecrate his hand to-day to Jehovah?'

6And the heads of the fathers, and the heads of the tribes of Israel, and the heads of the thousands, and of the hundreds, even to the heads of the work of the king, offer willingly. 7And they give for the service of the house of God, of gold -- talents five thousand, and drams a myriad; and of silver -- talents ten thousand, and of brass -- a myriad and eight thousand talents; and of iron -- a hundred thousand talents; 8and he with whom stones are found hath given to the treasury of the house of Jehovah, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9And the people rejoice because of their offering willingly, for with a perfect heart they have offered willingly to Jehovah; and also David the king hath rejoiced -- great joy.

David's Prayer of Praise

10And David blesseth Jehovah before the eyes of all the assembly, and David saith, 'Blessed art Thou, Jehovah, God of Israel our father, from age even unto age. 11To Thee, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the might, and the beauty, and the victory, and the honour, because of all in the heavens and in the earth; to Thee, O Jehovah, is the kingdom, and he who is lifting up himself over all for head; 12and the riches, and the honour are from before Thee, and Thou art ruling over all, and in Thy hand is power and might, and in Thy hand, to make great, and to give strength to all. 13'And now, our God, we are giving thanks to Thee, and giving praise to Thy beauteous name;

14yea, because, who am I, and who are my people, that we retain power to offer thus willingly? but of Thee is the whole, and out of Thy hand we have given to Thee; 15for sojourners we are before Thee, and settlers, like all our fathers; as a shadow are our days on the land, and there is none abiding. 16O Jehovah our God, all this store that we have prepared to build to Thee a house, for Thy holy name, is out of Thy hand, and of Thee is the whole. 17'And I have known, my God, that Thou art trying the heart, and uprightness dost desire; I, in the uprightness of my heart, have willingly offered all these: and now, Thy people who are found here I have seen with joy to offer willingly to Thee. 18'O Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this to the age for the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people, and prepare their heart unto Thee; 19and to Solomon my son give a perfect heart, to keep Thy commands, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do the whole, even to build the palace for which I have prepared.'

20And David saith to all the assembly, 'Bless, I pray you, Jehovah your God;' and all the assembly bless Jehovah, God of their fathers, and bow and do obeisance to Jehovah, and to the king.

Solomon Anointed King

(1 Kings 1:32-40)

21And they sacrifice to Jehovah sacrifices, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings to Jehovah on the morrow of that day, bullocks a thousand, rams a thousand, lambs a thousand, and their oblations, even sacrifices in abundance, for all Israel. 22And they eat and drink before Jehovah on that day with great joy, and cause Solomon son of David to reign a second time, and anoint him before Jehovah for leader, and Zadok for priest. 23And Solomon sitteth on the throne of Jehovah for king instead of David his father, and prospereth, and all Israel hearken unto him, 24and all the heads, and the mighty men, and also all the sons of king David have given a hand under Solomon the king; 25and Jehovah maketh Solomon exceedingly great before the eyes of all Israel, and putteth upon him the honour of the kingdom that hath not been on any king over Israel before him.

David's Reign and Death

(1 Kings 2:10-12)

26And David son of Jesse hath reigned over all Israel, 27and the days that he hath reigned over Israel are forty years; in Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three;

28and he dieth in a good old age, satisfied with days, riches, and honour, and reign doth Solomon his son in his stead. 29And the matters of David the king, the first and the last, lo, they are written beside the matters of Samuel the seer, and beside the matters of Nathan the prophet, and beside the matters of Gad the seer, 30with all his reign, and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all kingdoms of the lands.

The F.O.G Commentary:

1What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 29?

1.1Introduction to 1 Chronicles 29

1.2Context of 1 Chronicles 29

1.3Ancient Key Word Study

1.4Compare & Contrast

1.51 Chronicles 29 Unique Insights

1.61 Chronicles 29 Connections to Yeshua

1.71 Chronicles 29 Scriptural Echoes

1.81 Chronicles 29 Devotional

1.9Did You Know

What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 29?

Introduction to 1 Chronicles 29

1 Chronicles 29 stands as one of Scripture’s most magnificent displays of leadership transition and sacrificial giving. This pivotal chapter records King David’s final public assembly, where he orchestrates an unprecedented offering for the Temple’s construction and formally passes the throne to his son Solomon. The chapter serves as a masterclass in spiritual leadership, demonstrating how godly leaders should finish well and prepare the next generation for success.

The narrative powerfully illustrates how true worship manifests in tangible generosity and how God’s people can be mobilized for His purposes through inspirational leadership. This chapter provides timeless principles about stewardship, leadership succession, and the proper attitude toward material wealth in God’s kingdom.

Context of 1 Chronicles 29

Within the immediate context of 1 Chronicles, this chapter serves as the culmination of David’s reign and the chronicler’s careful presentation of Israel’s united monarchy. It follows the detailed Temple preparations and organization of chapter 28, where David provided Solomon with the Temple plans and charged him with the sacred task of building God’s house. This final chapter brings closure to the Davidic section of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 11-29) and sets the stage for Solomon’s reign in 2 Chronicles.

In the broader biblical narrative, this chapter functions as a theological bridge between the Davidic and Solomonic eras. The chronicler, writing to the post-exilic community, presents David’s final moments as a model for how God’s people should view wealth, leadership, and worship. This account differs significantly from the parallel history in 1 Kings, as the chronicler emphasizes the spiritual and temple-centered aspects of David’s legacy rather than the political dynamics of succession.

The chapter’s placement at the end of 1 Chronicles is significant because it demonstrates how the chronicler wanted his audience to remember David – not as the warrior king or the fallen adulterer, but as the worship leader who organized the Temple service and mobilized God’s people for their greatest building project. This portrayal would have particularly resonated with the returned exiles who were tasked with rebuilding their religious and national life.

Ancient Key Word Study

נָדַב (nadav) – “freely offered” (v.5,6,9,14,17): This verb carries the idea of voluntary, spontaneous giving from the heart. It appears in the Hitpael form, emphasizing the reflexive nature of the action – the givers were moving themselves to give. This same root is used in Exodus for the Tabernacle offerings, creating a deliberate parallel between these two momentous occasions in Israel’s worship history.
בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם (b’lev shalem) – “with a whole heart” (v.9): This phrase combines לֵב (heart/mind) with שָׁלֵם (complete/perfect). In Hebrew thought, the heart represented the command center of a person’s will, emotions, and intellect. The wholeness described here indicates undivided loyalty and complete devotion to God.
הִתְנַדֵּב (hitnaddev) – “to offer willingly” (v.5,6,9,14,17): The reflexive form of נָדַב emphasizes that the giving was self-motivated rather than coerced. This word appears five times in the chapter, underscoring the voluntary nature of true worship.
בָּרַךְ (barakh) – “blessed” (v.10,20): This key Hebrew verb means “to bless” but carries the concrete idea of kneeling or empowering for success. When David “blessed יהוה,” he was acknowledging God as the source of all blessing and submitting himself before divine authority.
הַכֹּל (hakkol) – “everything” (v.11,12,14,16): This totalizing word emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty over all things. Its repeated use in David’s prayer underscores the theological truth that all wealth and power ultimately belong to God.
גֵּרִים (gerim) – “sojourners” (v.15): This poignant term describes aliens or temporary residents. David uses it to express humility, acknowledging that even as king, he and his people are merely temporary stewards of God’s resources.
לְבַב (levav) – “heart” (v.17,18,19): This form of “heart” emphasizes the inner person and appears in crucial statements about motivation and character. The repetition highlights the chapter’s focus on internal disposition rather than merely external actions.
יֵצֶר (yetzer) – “intention/imagination” (v.18): This significant theological term refers to the formed thoughts or inclinations of the heart. Later rabbinic literature would develop this concept into the yetzer hara (evil inclination) and yetzer hatov (good inclination).

Compare & Contrast

Verse 1: “King David said to all the assembly” (וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד הַמֶּלֶךְ לְכָל־הַקָּהָל) – The Hebrew word order places “David” before “the king,” emphasizing his personal leadership rather than just his official role. The term קָהָל (assembly) is chosen over עֵדָה (congregation) to stress the gathering’s national rather than purely religious character.
Verse 3: “Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God” (וְעוֹד בִּרְצוֹתִי בְּבֵית אֱלֹהַי) – The phrase uses רָצָה (to delight in) rather than אָהַב (to love), suggesting a deep emotional satisfaction rather than mere duty or affection.
Verse 9: “Then the people rejoiced because they had offered willingly” (וַיִּשְׂמְחוּ הָעָם עַל־הִתְנַדְּבָם) – The syntax connects the joy directly to the act of giving, using the infinitive construct to show cause and effect. The word order emphasizes the emotional response (rejoicing) as flowing from the voluntary nature of the giving.
Verse 11: “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness” (לְךָ יהוה הַגְּדֻלָּה) – The emphatic position of “Yours” (לְךָ) at the beginning of the clause creates a powerful theological statement about divine ownership. Each attribute that follows maintains this emphasis through parallel structure.
Verse 14: “For all things come from You” (כִּי־מִמְּךָ הַכֹּל) – The Hebrew syntax places “from You” before “all things,” creating an emphatic statement about divine source rather than just divine ownership.
Verse 15: “For we are strangers before You and sojourners” (כִּי־גֵרִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ וְתוֹשָׁבִים) – The pairing of גֵרִים with תוֹשָׁבִים creates a legal-theological statement about human status before God, echoing Levitical law rather than using simpler terms for temporary residence.
Verse 18: “Keep this forever in the intentions of the thoughts of the heart of your people” (שָׁמְרָה־זֹּאת לְעוֹלָם לְיֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבוֹת לְבַב עַמֶּךָ) – The triple construct chain (יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבוֹת לְבַב) creates a deeply psychological statement about human motivation, using technical terms rather than simpler expressions.

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1 Chronicles 29 Unique Insights

The chapter contains a fascinating parallel to the creation account through its use of gold and precious stones. Just as God provided the materials for creation, David and the people provide the materials for the Temple. The rabbinical tradition notes that the seven types of materials mentioned in verses 2 and 7 (gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx stones, and precious stones) parallel the seven days of creation, suggesting that the Temple construction was viewed as a kind of new creation.

The concept of willing giving (נְדָבָה) in this chapter establishes a crucial pattern that would later influence New Testament teaching on giving. The Apostolic writings draw heavily on this model, particularly in 2 Corinthians 9:7, where Paul emphasizes cheerful giving. The early Jewish believers would have recognized this connection to David’s final assembly.

A profound mystical insight emerges in David’s prayer, particularly in verse 15’s description of life as a shadow (כַּצֵּל). This metaphor appears in various ancient Jewish writings, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, where it’s connected to the temporal nature of human existence contrasted with God’s eternality. The idea that even a great king like David saw himself as a mere shadow emphasizes the chapter’s themes of humility and divine sovereignty.

The chapter presents an interesting theological tension between human responsibility and divine provision. While David acknowledges that “all things come from You” (v.14), he and the people still actively participate in giving. This paradox is resolved through the Jewish concept of partnership (שותפות) with God, where human action is seen as completing divine intention.

1 Chronicles 29 Connections to Yeshua

This chapter prefigures the Messiah’s work in several significant ways. David’s preparation for a temple he would not build parallels how Yeshua prepared for a spiritual temple (1 Peter 2:5) that would be built through His followers after His ascension. Just as David provided all the materials needed for the physical temple, Yeshua provided everything needed for the spiritual temple through His sacrifice.

The voluntary nature of giving in this chapter foreshadows the Messiah’s voluntary self-giving. The repeated emphasis on willing hearts reflects Yeshua’s statement that He freely lays down His life (John 10:18). Furthermore, the people’s joyful response to David’s example anticipates how believers would respond to the Messiah’s ultimate gift with their own voluntary service and sacrifice.

The transition of authority from David to Solomon presents a type of the Father giving authority to the Son. Just as Solomon was publicly acknowledged as king while David still lived, so too was Yeshua declared Son and Heir while yet in the world (Hebrews 1:2). This peaceful transition of power provides a picture of the harmony between Father and Son in the divine plan of redemption.

1 Chronicles 29 Scriptural Echoes

This chapter resonates with several key biblical passages and themes. The voluntary offerings echo the Tabernacle construction in Exodus 35:4-29, where the people also gave willingly. Both passages emphasize that true worship involves generous, voluntary giving from the heart.

David’s prayer of praise, particularly verses 11-13, finds expression in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:13). The acknowledgment of God’s kingdom, power, and glory shows how Yeshua drew from this Davidic tradition in teaching His disciples to pray.

The theme of being “strangers and sojourners” (v.15) connects to various passages throughout Scripture, including Leviticus 25:23, Psalm 39:12, and 1 Peter 2:11. This recurring motif reminds God’s people of their temporary status and ultimate citizenship in His kingdom.

The description of God testing hearts (v.17) echoes throughout Scripture, appearing in passages like Jeremiah 17:10 and Revelation 2:23. This theme emphasizes God’s concern with internal motivation rather than merely external actions.

1 Chronicles 29 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to examine our own attitudes toward giving and stewardship. David’s example reminds us that everything we have comes from God, and true generosity flows from this recognition. We must ask ourselves: Do we view our resources as truly belonging to God? Are we giving with a whole heart?

The concept of being “strangers and sojourners” (v.15) calls us to hold our possessions loosely. In a world obsessed with ownership and accumulation, this chapter reminds us of our temporary status. How might our lives change if we truly lived as stewards rather than owners?

David’s prayer provides a model for leadership transition and legacy building. Whether in family, church, or professional contexts, we should consider: Are we preparing the next generation for success? Are we leaving a legacy that points to God’s glory rather than our own achievements?

Did You Know

The gold mentioned in this chapter would be worth billions in today’s currency, making it one of the largest voluntary offerings recorded in Scripture. The total weight of gold was approximately 110 tons.
The phrase “with a perfect heart” (בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם) appears more times in Chronicles than in any other biblical book, emphasizing the chronicler’s focus on internal motivation.
The Hebrew word for “thanksgiving” (הודיה) in verse 13 shares its root with the modern Hebrew word for “thanks” (תודה), showing the continuity of Hebrew expressions of gratitude.
David’s prayer in verses 10-19 is still used in some Jewish liturgical traditions, particularly during the morning service (Shacharit).
The concept of being “strangers and sojourners” (גרים ותושבים) became a foundational principle in Jewish law regarding land ownership and economic relationships.
The chapter uses a special form of the verb “to give” (התנדב) that appears only in contexts of sacred offerings, distinguishing it from ordinary giving.
The phrase “yours is the kingdom” in verse 11 is echoed in the doxology of the Lord’s Prayer, though this doxology doesn’t appear in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew.
Solomon’s enthronement ceremony described here includes elements that became standard for royal inaugurations throughout Israel’s history.
The chronicler’s account of David’s death differs significantly from the parallel in 1 Kings, emphasizing David’s role in Temple preparation rather than political intrigue.
The description of David dying “in a good old age” uses a phrase (בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה) that appears only five times in the Hebrew Bible, always in connection with righteous individuals.

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Bible Themes

Jean Paul Joseph

After a dramatic early morning encounter with King Jesus, I just couldn’t put my Bible down. The F.O.G took a hold of me and this website was born. What is the F.O.G?

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