Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments

The captains for every month of the year, ver. 1-15. The princes of the several tribes, ver. 16-24. The officers of the court, ver. 25-34.

1. Officers - The standing militia of Israel as it was settled under their several officers. Of courses - In all the business wherein the king had occasion for these persons who were to attend him by turns. Came in, &c. - who being armed and mustered, and to wait upon the king, at Jerusalem or other places, as the king should see fit. By this order near three hundred thousand of his people were instructed and exercised in the use of their arms, and fitted for the defense of their king and kingdom when it should be needful, and in the mean time sufficient provision was made against any sudden tumults or irruptions of enemies. And this monthly course was contrived that the burden of it might be easy and equally distributed among the people.

16. The ruler - These were the princes of the tribes, the constant rulers of the tribes; who seem to have had a superior power to these twenty four captains, and therefore are named before them, being probably the king's chief counsellors and assistants in the great affairs of his kingdom.

22. Tribes - Of the most of the tribes, not of all: for Gad is omitted, probably because that tribe was joined with the Reubenites under one prince.

23. Because - And therefore to number them all both above and under twenty years old, had been both an infinite trouble and a tempting of God, or a questioning the truth of his promises.

27. Vineyards - Over the workmen and labourers in the vineyards; as the next officer is over the fruit of the vineyards. In like manner, one man was over the labourers in the fields, ver. 26, and another over the fruits of the fields put into stores.

31. All these - It is observable, here are no officers for state, none for sport, no master of the ceremonies, or of the bounds, but all for substance, agreeable to the simplicity and plainness of those times. David was a great soldier, a great scholar, and a great prince; and yet a great husband of his estate. Those magistrates who would have their subjects industrious, must themselves be examples of application to business.

32. A scribe - Either one learned in the laws of God, which were also the laws of the land, or, the king's secretary. King's sons - As their tutor or governour.

33. Counsellor - The person whose counsel in matters of state the king most prized and followed. Companion - Or his friend, 2 Sam. xv, 37, the person whom he trusted with his secrets, and whose conversation was most pleasant and acceptable to him. Observe, A cunning man was his counsellor: but an honest man was his friend.

34. After Ahithophel - After his death, these were his chief counsellors.

David declares to the general assembly, that God had appointed Solomon to succeed him and to build the temple, ver. 1- 7. Exhorts the people and Solomon, to cleave to God, ver. 8-10. Delivers to him the model and materials for the temple, ver. 11- 19. Encourages him to begin and finish the work, ver. 20, 21.

1. And David assembled, &c. - A great deal of business David had done in his day. And the nearer he comes to his end, the more busy he is, still endeavouring to do his work with all his might. He is now recovered from the weakness mentioned 1 Kings i, 1. He therefore improves his recovery, as giving him an opportunity of doing God and his country a little more service.

2. Stood - Out of reverence to God and respect to this great and honourable assembly. Brethren - So he calls the princes and chief rulers, both because they had a share with him, though under him in the government; and in compliance with the Divine command, that the king should not be lifted up above his brethren; Deut. xvii, 20. Of rest - A place where it might be fixed, and no more removed from place to place, as it had been. Foot-stool - An house for the ark is here styled an house for the foot-stool of our God. Heaven is his throne: the earth and the most magnificent temples thereon are but his foot-stool. So much difference is there between the manifestations of his glory, in the upper and in the lower world!

6. My house, &c. - So was he a figure of him that was to come, who is both the founder and the foundation of the gospel-temple.

7. At this day - As he hath begun. This promise is absolute with regard to the Messiah, but conditional, with regard to Solomon. If we are constant in our duty, then and not otherwise, we may expect the continuance of his favour.

8. Of our God - I exhort and charge you every one, calling God who is here present, and this congregation wherein all Israel are present by their representatives, or witness against you, if you do not follow my counsel. Keep and seek - Keep those commands which you know, and seek for, or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may distinctly understand the whole will of God, and seriously give yourselves to the practice of it. God's commandments cannot be kept without great care.

9. Know - So as to love and serve him. Words of knowledge in scripture-use commonly imply affection and practice. Or, acknowledge him, as thy God, by loving and obeying him. Searcheth - If thou dost only put on a profession of religion to please me, or if thy obedience to God be unsincere, thou mayest indeed deceive me, but thou canst not deceive him, for he searcheth the motions of thy heart. Cast thee off - Notwithstanding all his promises to me and to my seed, and that great honour and favour which he hath shewed thee.

10. The sanctuary - For the ark to dwell in. Be strong - Take courage to break through all difficulties. Without this, we can do no work of God as we ought.

11. The porch - Of the temple. The houses - The houses of the temple, namely, the holy place, and the holy of holies. Parlors - Those rooms which were made against the wall of the house round about, 1 Kings vi, 5. The place - In what particular part of the holy of holies it was to be placed.

12. By the spirit - All the particulars of the tabernacle built by Moses were suggested to him by God's spirit, and it is not credible that God would use less care and exactness in the building of this far more glorious and durable work. All this, it seems, was given him in writing, probably by the ministry of an angel. The temple was to be a sacred thing, a type of Christ, of his church, and of heaven. Therefore it was not to be contrived by man's invention, but to be framed by divine institution. So Christ, the true temple, the church, the gospel-temple, and heaven, the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine counsels, and the plan laid before the world began. It is supposed, the tabernacle of Moses, with all its utensils, being wanted no more, was laid up here.

15. According, &c. - Whether they were fixed in one place, whereof there were ten in the holy place, or to be carried from place to place.

16. The tables - There were divers tables to be used about the shew-bread; but one of them seems to have been of more eminency than the rest, and therefore it is commonly called the table of the shew-bread in the singular number.

18. Refined gold - Purer than any of the rest. For that was typical of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing can be more pure and perfect. The cherubim - Which Solomon was to make, (for those which were fastened to the mercy-seat were made by Moses long before) which he fitly compares to a chariot, because within them God is said to sit and to dwell. And because a chariot is made to carry a person from place to place, this expression may be used to intimate that God was not so fixed to them by the building of this temple, but that he would remove from them if they forsook him. Covered - Not above it, for that was done by Moses's cherubim, but before it, to keep it from the eyes of the high-priest, when he entered into the most holy place.

19. In writing - God revealed this to some man of God, who put it into writing, and by him to David. Or, God did, as it were, by his own hand, (where-with he wrote the Ten Commandments) write these things upon the table of his mind.

20. My God - Whom I have chosen and served, who has all along been with me and prospered me, I recommend thee to him; he will be with thee, to strengthen, direct and prosper thee. The God that owned our fathers, and carried them thro' the services of their day, will, in like manner, if we are faithful to him, go along with us in our day, and will never fail us. God never leaves any, unless they first leave him.

David exhorts them to contribute toward building and furnishing the temple, ver. 1-5. They do contribute accordingly, ver. 6-9. He offers up solemn prayers, praises and sacrifices to God, ver. 10-21. Solomon is enthroned, ver. 22-25. David finishes his course, ver. 26-30.

2. My might - Work for God must be done with all our might, or we shall bring nothing to pass in it.

4. Of Ophir - The best and purest gold. The walls - The walls of the temple with God, and of the rooms adjoining to it, with silver beaten out into plates.

5. To consecrate - To offer an offering, as I have done. Hebrew. To fill his hand unto the Lord. They that engage themselves in the service of God, will have their hands full: there is work enough for the whole man in that service.

9. Rejoiced - Because this was both an effect of God's grace in them, an eminent token of God's favour to them, and a pledge that this long-desired work, would receive a certain and speedy accomplishment. Great joy - To see the work, which his heart was so much set upon, likely to go on. It is a great reviving to good men when they are leaving the world, to see those they leave behind zealous for the work of God.

10. Blessed, &c. - David was now full of days, and near his end, and it well becomes the aged children of God, to have their hearts much enlarged in praise and thanksgiving. The nearer we come to the land of everlasting praise, the more we should speak the language, and do the work of that world.

14. To offer - That thou shouldest give us both riches to make such an offering, and a willing heart to offer them, both which are the gifts and the fruits of thy good grace and mercy to us. Of thine - We return only what we have received, and therefore only pay a debt to thee. The more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him; for the honour of being employed in his service, and for grace enabling us in any measure to serve him.

15. Strangers - For the land which we possess is thine, not ours; we are not the proprietors but only thy tenants: and as our fathers once were mere strangers in it, even before men, so we at this day are no better before thee, having no absolute right in it, but only to travel through it, and sojourn in it for the short time that we live in the world. None abiding - We only give thee what we must shortly leave, and what we cannot keep to ourselves: and therefore it is a great favour that thou wilt accept such offerings. David's days had as much of substance in them as most men: for he was upon the whole a good man, an useful man, and now an old man. And yet he puts himself in the front of those who must acknowledge, that their days on the earth are as a shadow: which speaks of our life as a vain life, a dark life, a transient life, and a life that will have its period, either in perfect light or perfect darkness.

16. All thine own - In like manner we ought to acknowledge God in all spiritual things: referring every good thought, good desire, and good work to his grace.

18. Of Abraham, &c. - A God in covenant with them, and with us for their sakes. Keep forever - Since it is from thy grace that thy people have such willing minds, continue that grace to them, that they may persist in the same generous disposition towards thee and thy worship. Prepare - Or, rather, confirm, thou who hast begun a good work, confirm and carry it on by thy grace.

20. Worshipped - The Lord with religious, and the king with civil worship.

22. The second time - The first time, was when he was made king during Adonijah's conspiracy. And Zadok - It must be remembered that the high-priest had his viceregent who might officiate in his stead. So that this action of theirs, the anointing Zadok, did not, actually constitute him high-priest, but only settled the reversion of it upon him and his line after Abiathar's death; even as David's making Solomon king, and their anointing Solomon to be the chief governor here, did not put him into actual possession of the kingdom, but only gave him a right to it after the present king's death: hence, notwithstanding this anointing, Abiathar continued to exercise his office 'till Solomon thrust him out, 1 Kings ii, 27.

24. Of the Lord - On the throne of Israel, which is called the throne of the Lord, because the Lord himself was in a peculiar manner the king and governor of Israel. He had the founding, he had the filling of their throne, by immediate direction.

26. Thus, &c. - This sacred writer having mentioned the anointing of Solomon and upon that occasion proceeded to give a farther account of Solomon's actual settlement in his kingdom, returns to his main business, to give an account of the close of David's reign and life. He here brings him to the end of his day, leaves him asleep, and draws the curtains about him.

28. Riches and honour - That is, he had enough of this world, and of the riches of and honour of it; and he knew when he had enough. He was satisfied with it, and very willing to go to a better place.

29. The book - In the chronicles of the kingdom, which were written by Nathan and Gad, who were not only prophets, but historiographers out of which either they or some other prophets took by the direction of God's spirit such passages, as were most important and useful for the church in succeeding ages.

30. The times - The changes which befel him; both his troubles, and his successes, the word time or times being often put for things done or happening in them. The countries - Bordering upon the land of Canaan.