CHAPTER 22 Oct. 6 
David Prepares for the Temple
Then David said, This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel. 2David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut worked stones to build God’s house. 3David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and brass in abundance without weight; 4and cedar trees without number; for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought cedar trees in abundance to David. 5David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all nations. I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death. 6Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. 7David said to Solomon his son, As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God. 8But the word of Yahweh came to me saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. 9Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. 10He shall build a house for My name; and he shall be My son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever’. 11Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as He has spoken concerning you. 12May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. 13Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed. 14Now, behold, I have made a great effort in preparing for the house of Yahweh one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them. 15There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skilful in every kind of work: 16of the gold, silver, brass and iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may Yahweh be with you. 17David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18Isn’t Yahweh your God with you? Hasn’t He given you rest on every side? For He has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before His people. 19Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Yahweh your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Yahweh.

Commentary

22:8 Solomon slightly spins this when he tells Hiram that his father David hadn’t himself had the time to get around to the job of building the temple because of being busy fighting wars (1 Kings 5:3). He says nothing about David shedding blood; the moral aspect of it all is nicely ignored by Solomon. But David in his turn appears to be twisting the promises to him given in 1 Chron. 17 and 2 Sam. 7. The house referred to was God’s Kingdom, God’s family of people; and the great son referred to was prophetic of Christ (Lk. 1:31-35). Indeed, God clarified that He didn’t want man to build Him a temple, instead He wanted to build us up to he His house in Christ. One wonders therefore if God really did tell David that he couldn’t build the temple because he had killed many people; and whether the building plans David claimed to have received from God were really from Him. All we have here is the record of David claiming God had told him that He did want a house built, but not by David because of his bloodshed. There are other Biblical examples of men assuming they know what God wants to the point of claiming that their word is in fact God’s word (2 Sam. 7:3,4; 1 Kings 22:15-17).