Then David said, “The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.
Nice that everyone got jobs so easily.
3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.
David was filthy rich because of the Lord, and he used it for good in this case.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.
David became king over Israel when he was 30 years old. He reigned for 40 years. That would make him 70 years old when his time was done.
The age of Solomon is not recorded. However, we have the following facts that suggest, in agreement with most non-Biblical sources, that Solomon was about 20 years old when he became king.
- he reigned for 40 years making him 60 when he died. 1 Kings 11:42, 2 Chron 9:30.
- At Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam took the throne and was aged 41 years. 1 Kings 14:21. This means Solomon was about 19 when Rehoboam was born, and about 18 when he was married.
- David was 70 when he died. This means that David was about 50 when Solomon was born. This would explain the time needed for all the events that occurred between 2 Sam 12 – 24, including: Amnon’s rape of Tamar (2 Sam 13); Absalom’s murder of Amnon 2 years later (2 Sam 13:23); Absalom’s return to Jerusalem after 3 years (2 Sam 13:38); Preparations for Absalom’s Conspiracy of 4 years (2 Sam 15:7); Absalom’s rebellion (2 Sam 15-19); Sheba’s rebellion (2 Sam 20); 3 years of famine (2 Sam 21:1); David’s census (2 Sam 24); Preparations for rebellion of Adonijah (1 Kings 1). That is, about 20 years of events.
Thus, we cannot be sure, but it strongly appears that Solomon was about 20 when he took the throne. It should be noted that David reigned for 40 years so that Solomon began his reign 10 years younger than David.
More here.
I’m just trying to figure out how young and inexperienced Solomon would have been at this point in the narrative. Sorry for the diversion.
6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. 8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars.
This disqualified David from building a temple. Not because he didn’t do what God wanted for him.
You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. 12 May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. 15 You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work 16 in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”
You can imagine how much stuff this would have been.
17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.
David knows he needs it.
18 He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. 19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”
God has it under control. Do what he says for your part and let Him worry about the rest of it.
Scripture Discussed: 1 Chronicles 22
IIWAC: Let’s Get Organized
Then David said, “The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.
Nice that everyone got jobs so easily.
3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.
David was filthy rich because of the Lord, and he used it for good in this case.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.
David became king over Israel when he was 30 years old. He reigned for 40 years. That would make him 70 years old when his time was done.
The age of Solomon is not recorded. However, we have the following facts that suggest, in agreement with most non-Biblical sources, that Solomon was about 20 years old when he became king.
Thus, we cannot be sure, but it strongly appears that Solomon was about 20 when he took the throne. It should be noted that David reigned for 40 years so that Solomon began his reign 10 years younger than David.
More here.
I’m just trying to figure out how young and inexperienced Solomon would have been at this point in the narrative. Sorry for the diversion.
6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. 8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars.
This disqualified David from building a temple. Not because he didn’t do what God wanted for him.
You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon,[a] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. 12 May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents[b] of gold, a million talents[c] of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. 15 You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work 16 in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”
You can imagine how much stuff this would have been.
17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.
David knows he needs it.
18 He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. 19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”
God has it under control. Do what he says for your part and let Him worry about the rest of it.
Scripture Discussed: 1 Chronicles 22