1 Chronicles 28 · WEB
David's Public Charge to Solomon and the Temple Plans
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David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the divisions that served the king, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, to Jerusalem.
2Then David the king stood up on his feet, and said, "Hear me, my brothers, and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and for the footstool of our God; and I had made preparations for building.
3But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'
4However, Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever; for he has chosen Judah to be the prince, and in the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
5Of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of Yahweh's kingdom over Israel.
6He said to me, 'Solomon your son shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
7I will establish his kingdom forever, if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as he does today.'
8Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of Yahweh your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.
9"You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
10Take heed now; for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it."
11Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the place of the mercy seat;
12and the plans of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of the house of Yahweh, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of God's house, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things;
13also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels of service in the house of Yahweh;
14of gold by weight for things of gold, for all vessels of every kind of service, of silver for all vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service;
15even the weight of the golden lampstands, and their golden lamps, of silver for the silver lampstands, and their lamps, according to the use of every lampstand;
16and the gold by weight for the tables of show bread, for every table; and silver for the silver tables;
17and the forks, and the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight, for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight, for every bowl;
18and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the plan of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and cover the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.
19"All this," said David, "have I been made to understand in writing from the hand of Yahweh, even all the works of this plan."
20David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.
21Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the service of God's house. There shall be with you for all kinds of work every willing man who has skill, for any kind of service. Also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command."
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Summary
David assembles all Israel's leaders and publicly transfers the temple-building mandate to Solomon. He publicly explains why he could not build it himself, confirms that God chose Solomon, and gives Solomon two charges: first, to know and serve God wholeheartedly; and second, to build the temple. He then presents Solomon with detailed architectural plans for every element of the temple — plans revealed to David by the Spirit — including precise gold and silver weights for every furnishing. The chapter closes with David's exhortation: "Be strong and courageous... Yahweh God is with you."
Themes
- Knowing God personally, not just knowing about him
- Faithful transition of vision and responsibility across generations
- God-revealed plans as the blueprint for his house
Key verses
- 1 Chr 28:19 — “All this have I been made to understand in writing from the hand of Yahweh, even all the works of this plan.”
- 1 Chr 28:20 — “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you.”
- 1 Chr 28:9 — “Know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”
Context & background
David's public assembly and charge to Solomon parallels Moses' public charge to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31) and Joshua's final addresses to Israel. The transfer of leadership in Israel was always a public, covenantal act. The temple plans David gives Solomon were understood to have been divinely revealed — just as Moses received the tabernacle plans on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25:9). The Chronicler emphasizes that the temple was not Solomon's architectural achievement but a divinely specified project. The exhortation "be strong and courageous" (v. 20) is the same phrase used at every major leadership transition in the Old Testament (Moses to Joshua, God to Joshua, David to Solomon).
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 6-7 — Solomon's actual construction of the temple using these plans
- Deuteronomy 31:6-8 — Moses' charge to Joshua: "Be strong and courageous" — pattern repeated here
- Exodus 25:9 — The tabernacle built "after the pattern" shown to Moses; same principle for the temple
- Hebrews 8:5 — The earthly tabernacle/temple as a "copy and shadow" of heavenly realities
- Joshua 1:5-9 — God's charge to Joshua; language nearly identical to David's charge here