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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 1 Chronicles 22:2 - 22:2
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Workmen and materials for the building of the temple. - 1Ch 22:2. In order to procure the necessary workmen, David commanded that the strangers in the land of Israel should be gathered together, and, as we learn from 2Ch 2:16, also numbered. הַגֵּרִים, the strangers, are the descendants of the Canaanites whom the Israelites had not destroyed when they took possession of the land, but had reduced to bondage (2Ch 8:7-9; 1Ki 9:20-22). This number was so considerable, that Solomon was able to employ 150,000 of them as labourers and stone-cutters (1Ki 5:15.; 2Ch 2:16.). These strangers David appointed to be stone-cutters, to hew squared stones, גָזִית אַבְנֵי (see on 1Ki 5:18).
1Ch 22:3
Iron and brass he prepared in abundance: the iron for the nails of the doors, i.e., for the folding-doors of the gates, i.e., partly for the pivots (Zapfen) on which the folding-doors turned, partly to strengthen the boards of which doors were made; as also for the מְחַבְּרֹות, literally, things to connect, i.e., properly iron cramps.
1Ch 22:4
The Tyrians sent him cedar trees or beams in abundance, probably in exchange for grain, wine, and fruit of various sorts, which the Phoenicians obtained from the Israelites; cf. Movers, Phönizier, iii. 1, S. 88ff. Sidonians and Tyrians are named to denote the Phoenicians generally, as in Ezr 3:7. When Solomon began to build the temple, he made a regular treaty with Hiram king of Tyre about the delivery of the necessary cedar wood, 1Ki 5:15.
1Ch 22:5
1Ch 22:5 gives in substance the reason of what precedes, although it is connected with it only by ו consec. Because his son Solomon was still in tender youth, and the building to be executed was an exceedingly great work, David determined to make considerable preparation before his death. וָרָךְ נַעַר וָרָ, puer et tener, repeated in 1Ch 29:1, indicates a very early age. Solomon could not then be quite twenty years old, as he was born only after the Syro-Ammonite war (see on 2Sa 12:24), and calls himself at the commencement of his reign still קָטֹן נַעַר (1Ki 3:7). The word נַעַר may of itself denote not merely a boy, but also a grown youth; but here it is limited to the boyish age by the addition of וָרָךְ. Berth. wrongly compares Exo 33:11, where נַעַר denotes not a boy, but a lad, i.e., a servant. In the succeeding clause ליהוה לִבְנֹות is to be taken relatively: and the house which is to be built to the Lord is to be made great exceedingly (לְמַעֲלָה, see on 1Ch 14:2), for a name and glory for all lands, i.e., that it might be to the Lord for whom it should be built for an honour and glory in all lands. לֹו נָא אָכִינָה, I will (= therefore will I) prepare for him (Solomon), scil. whatever I can prepare to forward this great work.