Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them. There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work; of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may Yahweh be with you.”
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1 Chronicles 22:14-16 sits inside this longer paragraph.
David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build God’s house. David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and bronze in abundance without weight; and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David. David 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 countries. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David prepared abundantly before his death. Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God. But Yahweh’s word 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. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you. May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. Then 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, and don’t be dismayed. Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them. There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work; of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may Yahweh be with you.”
Parallel Translations
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Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them.
There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work;
of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may Yahweh be with you.”
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Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.
Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.
Show all 3 translations
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Now, behold, in my straits I have prepared for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance; timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all men that are skilful in any manner of work;
of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.'
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Cross-references (27)
- 1 Chronicles 22:11 (v16) Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you.
- Ephesians 5:14 (v16) Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
- 1 Chronicles 22:3 (vv14, 16) David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and bronze in abundance without weight;
- Philippians 4:13 (v16) I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58 (v16) Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in…
Show all 26 cross-references
- Joshua 1:5 (v16) No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor…
- Joshua 1:9 (v16) Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Joshua 7:10 (v16) Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?
- 1 Kings 10:14 (v14) Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,
- 2 Kings 25:16 (v14) The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for Yahweh’s house, the bronze of all these vessels was not weighed.
- 1 Chronicles 29:4-7 (v14) even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, with which to overlay the walls of…
- Philippians 2:12-13 (v16) So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation…
- Exodus 28:6 (v15) “They shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skillful workman.
- Exodus 31:3-5 (v15) I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship, to devise…
- Exodus 35:32 (v15) and to make skillful works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze,
- Exodus 35:35 (v15) He has filled them with wisdom of heart to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer,…
- Joshua 1:2 (v16) “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go across this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land which I am giving to them,…
- Judges 4:14 (v16) Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you?” So…
- Judges 18:9-10 (v16) They said, “Arise, and let’s go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. Do you stand still? Don’t be…
- 1 Samuel 17:37 (v16) David said, “Yahweh who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this…
- 1 Samuel 20:13 (v16) Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that…
- 1 Kings 7:14 (v15) He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and…
- 1 Chronicles 22:14 (v16) Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and…
- Jeremiah 52:20 (v14) They took the two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made for Yahweh’s…
- 2 Corinthians 8:2 (v14) how in much proof of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity.
- 2 Chronicles 20:17 (v16) You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t…
26 distinct cross-references across this passage (27 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv14–16 For David was poor in respect of Solomon.
For David was poor in respect of Solomon.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv14, 16 1Ch 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have…
1Ch 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
Ver. 14. Now, behold, in my poverty.] {a} In my modesty, he might have said. For as poor as he was, he had prepared for the building of the temple gold and silver to the worth of seven hundred and fifty millions of pounds, after the old rate; which is now much raised. Sir Walter Raleigh {b} casteth it up to be more than any king in the world is worth. He maketh it to come to three thousand three hundred and thirty-three cart-loads of silver; allowing two thousand weight of silver, or six thousand pounds sterling to every cart-load; besides threescore and seven millions of French crowns. And yet when he had done all, In my poverty, saith he, have I done this: q.d., Lord, what is all this in respect of thee, who art the glorious God, and the great proprietary? what are they, I say, but parva et pauca, mean matters, which if thou wilt but accept of, I shall be infinitely bound to thee.
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And thou mayest add thereto.] He might do so, indeed, if that were true which Villapandus affirmeth, viz., that the wealth and yearly revenues of David and Solomon did far exceed the wealth and tributes of the Romans, Chaldeans, and Persians, &c.
{a} [Marginal reading] Hoc dicit modestiae causa. - Vat.
{b} Hist. of the World, part ii. cap. 17.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv14, 16 In my trouble: this he allegeth as a reason…
In my trouble: this he allegeth as a reason why he could do no more, because of the many troubles and wars, both foreign and civil, whereby much of his treasures was exhausted.
An hundred thousand talents of gold. A talent of gold in the first constitution was three thousand shekels, as may be gathered from Exo 38:24-26; and so this amounts to a very vast sum, yet not impossible for David to get, considering how many and great conquests he made, and what vast spoils and presents he got; and that he endeavoured by all just and honourable ways to get as much as he could, not out of covetousness, or for his own ends, but merely out of zeal for God’s house. And whereas some object that this quantity of gold and silver was sufficient, though the whole fabric of the temple had consisted of massy gold and silver; it is to be considered that all this treasure was not spent upon the materials of the temple, but a very great part of it upon the workmen, which were nigh two hundred thousand, whereof a great number were officers, which being employed for so long time together, would exhaust a considerable part of it; and what was not employed in the building of the temple, was laid up in the sacred treasures for future occasions, there being mention of the great treasures left by David, even in other authors. But some learned men make these talents far less than those in Moses’s time; and they conceive, that as there were two sorts of shekels, both of gold and silver, the common and the sacred shekel, whereof the latter is commonly thought to be double to the former, so also there were talents of divers kinds and values. For the Hebrew word kikkar, which is rendered a talent, properly signifies only a mass, or a piece, as it is used Exo 29:23; 1Sa 2:36; Zec 5:7. So it may indifferently denote either a greater or a lesser piece. And this is certain, and observed by two ancient and most learned writers, Varro and Pollux, and by others, that a talent among the Greeks and Romans sometimes notes but a small quantity; and that a talent of gold contains only six drams. And Homer in his Iliads, among other things of no great value, which are propounded as rewards to the conqueror at a solemn and public exercise, a bond-woman, a horse, and a pot, mentions two talents of gold; which plainly shows that in his time (which was after the building of this temple) talents of gold were very far inferior in quantity and price to what they had been in former ages. And Josephus a Jew, and therefore the more competent judge of these things, speaking of this very thing, for a hundred thousand talents of gold here mentioned, he puts ten thousand; and for a thousand thousand talents of silver, he puts one hundred thousand; either because the talents in Moses’s time were of ten times more bulk and price than in David’s and Solomon’s time, and therefore these talents reduced to them amounted to no greater sum; or because he read so in his copy of the Hebrew Bible. And certainly it is infinitely more tolerable and reasonable to suppose that there is a mistake here in the generality of the present copies of the Hebrew Bible, through the error of the scribe, (which being only in a numeral and historical passage, might happen without impeachment to the care of God’s providence, which hath so miraculously preserved all the most important and substantial parts of Scripture, as hath been formerly said,) than upon such pretences to deny the truth and Divine original and authority of the Holy Scriptures. Add to this, that all the gold then used was not of equal worth and purity; as appears both by the special commendation given to some sorts of gold in divers parts of Scripture, and particularly by the difference observed in this very history between the gold and gold which David gave for this use; whereof one little part being distinctively called pure gold and refined gold, 1Ch 28:17,18, it is sufficiently implied that all the rest of the gold was not refined nor pure, which might greatly diminish the worth of it; for in what degree it was impure or allayed with other things in those times and places we cannot know at this distance; and therefore we cannot make a true estimate what those talents of gold did amount to in our value.
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A thousand thousand talents of silver; just as much in silver as in gold; for this is known and agreed, that the proportion of gold to silver is ten to one.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv14–16 Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance,.... All…
Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance,.... All the strangers in the land being gathered by the order of David, Ch1 22:2 who were skilled in all manner of work, as follows:
hewers and workers of stone and timber; masons and carpenters:
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and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work; joiners, carvers, &c.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv14, 16 Trouble - This he alleges as a reason why…
Trouble - This he alleges as a reason why he could do no more, because of the many wars, whereby much of his treasures were exhausted. Talents - A talent of Gold in the first constitution was three thousand shekels, as may be gathered from Exod. xxxviii, 24, 25, 26, and so this amounts to a vast sum, yet not impossible for David to get, considering how many and great conquests he made, and what vast spoils and presents he got; and that he endeavoured by all honourable ways to get as much as he could, out of zeal for God's house. And whereas some object, that this quantity of gold and silver was sufficient, tho' the whole fabrick of the temple had consisted of massy gold and silver, it is to be considered, that all this treasure was not spent upon the materials of the temple, but a great part of it upon the workmen, who were nigh two hundred thousand, whereof a great number were officers, and what was not employed in the building of the temple, was laid up in the sacred treasures.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v14 Verse 14. In my trouble I have prepared] Notwithstanding…
Verse 14. In my trouble I have prepared] Notwithstanding ail the wars in which I have been engaged, all the treacheries with which I have been surrounded, all the domestic troubles with which I have been overwhelmed, I never lost sight of this great object, the building of a house for God, that his worship might be established in the land. I have curtailed my expenses, and have lived in comparative poverty that I might save all I possibly could for this building.
A hundred thousand talents of gold] A talent of gold weighed three thousand shekels, and was worth five thousand and seventy-five pounds, fifteen shillings, and seven pence half-penny. One hundred thousand such talents would therefore amount to five hundred and seven millions, five hundred and seventy-eight thousand, one hundred and twenty-five pounds sterling. These sums are variously computed by several writers.
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A thousand thousand talents of silver] A talent of silver weighed three thousand shekels, and was worth three hundred and fifty-three pounds, eleven shillings, and ten pence. A thousand thousand, or a million, of such talents would amount to the immense sum of three hundred and fifty-three millions, five hundred and ninety-one thousand, six hundred and sixty-six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence, sterling; both sums amounting to eight hundred and sixty-one millions, one hundred and sixty-nine thousand, seven hundred and ninety-one pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence.
Thou mayest add thereto.] Save as I have saved, out of the revenues of the state, and thou mayest also add something for the erection and splendour of this house. This was a gentle though pointed hint, which was not lost on Solomon.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv14, 16 1Ch 22:14. Behold, in my trouble I have prepared…
1Ch 22:14. Behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord — This he alleges as a reason why he could do no more, because of the many troubles and wars in which he had been engaged, both foreign and domestic, whereby much of his treasure had been exhausted. A hundred thousand talents of gold, &c. — The sum here mentioned is so great, according to the usually computed value of a talent, being not less than three hundred and sixty millions sterling, that most interpreters conclude, either that some error has crept into the text through the inaccuracy of transcribers, or else that the word ככרים, chicharim, should not be translated talents, in this place, but only masses, plates, or pieces, such as we call ingots, of gold and silver. And thus Budæus observes in his book De Asse, that in Homer’s time there was a talent of lesser value; for he speaks of two talents which were given with other things as a reward of a victory obtained in some exercises. Such talents he thinks we are to understand in this place; for David reigned about the time of the rise of the kingdom of the Assyrians, which was not very far from the time of Homer. Houbigant translates the former part of this verse, But I, according to my poor ability, have prepared a hundred talents of gold, and a thousand talents of silver. See Joseph. Antiq., 50.7, c. 14, sect. 2.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v14 In my trouble - See the margin. David refers…
In my trouble - See the margin. David refers to the manifold troubles of his reign, which had prevented him from accumulating very much treasure.
An hundred thousand talents of gold ... - We do not know the value of the Hebrew talent at this period, and therefore these numbers may be sound. But in that case we must suppose an enormous difference between the pre-Babylonian and the post-Babylonian talents. According to the value of the post-Babylonian Hebrew talent, the gold here spoken of would be worth more than 1 billion of our British pounds sterling, while the silver would be worth ahove 400 million pounds. Accumulations to anything like this amount are inconceivable under the circumstances, and we must therefore either suppose the talents of David’s time to have been little more than the 100th part of the later talents, or regard the numbers of this verse as augmentcd at least a hundredfold by corruption. Of the two the latter is certainly the more probable supposition.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v14 Poverty. Protestants, "trouble." (Haydock) --- David confesses that the…
Poverty. Protestants, "trouble." (Haydock) --- David confesses that the immense sums which he had collected, were nothing in comparison with the greatness of God. He left more than was sufficient for Solomon to perfect the work, with still greater magnificence than he had planned out, ver. 5., chap. xxviii. 2., and xxix. 2., &c. (Calmet) --- Million. Josephus ([Antiquities?] vii. 14.) reduces these sums to one tenth part, "of gold 10,000 talents, of silver 100,000;" so that it is "extremely probable that a cipher" was added to these numbers, in some very ancient Hebrew copy. Brerewood computes that the sum mentioned here and [in] chap xxix. 4, would amount to 841,125,000l. and maintains that the whole temple pavement, and all the vessels, might have been made of solid gold, without consuming it all. (De pond, in Walton’s Polyglot.) --- "If we take the preceding talents according to bishop Cumberland’s computation, the sum total will be somewhat less: but, were we to reduce it to less than one-half, would not the sum of four hundred millions of money be immense and incredible?" (Kennicott) --- A learned Jew has written this marginal note in his Bible, 1661: "It is supposed, these talents are not to be reckoned like the Mosaic, for they would amount to 720 millions. But as the Scripture makes no difference, we have no other computation to go by." See Kennicott, diss. ii. If they were the same, the sum would exceed belief. Some have thought that they were only half. Mariana supposes the talents were only the weight of sicles, or four drachms; so that David left one million for the fabric. (Du Hamel) --- But the relation given by historians of the riches of Sardanapalus, Cyrus, Alexander, Atabalipa, and some kings, who were not more likely to amass such treasures than David, make the account less improbable. Josephus ([Antiquities?] vii. 12.) asserts, that "no prince ever left so great riches." He had extended his dominions on all sides, and imposed tribute on the conquered. He was very frugal, and had possession of the mines of Phunon, (Numbers xxi. 10., and xxxiii. 43.) and of Phœnicia, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 25. Though the talent seems to have varied in other nations, it always consisted of 3000 sicles among the Hebrews, at least till the captivity, Exodus xxxviii. 25, 26. We find from 2 Paralipomenon xxv. 6., and 4 Kings xv. 19., &c., that it formed a very considerable sum. Yet Villalpand calculates that all the gold and silver left by David, would be requisite for the ornaments and vessels of the temple. If, however, we grant that it would have sufficed to build a massive temple of gold, how much must be deducted to pay the workmen? &c. (Calmet, Diss. on the riches left by David, t. ii.) --- For all. Hebrew, Chaldean, Septuagint, "And to these add." (Tirinus) --- He encouraged the princes to contribute; (chap. xxxix.) and here he exhorts his son to shew his liberality, if any thing should be found deficient. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v14 14. In my trouble I have prepared for the…
14. In my trouble I have prepared for the house — Margin, in my poverty. So also Septuagint and Vulgate. Bertheau and Keil, by my painful labour; that is, by great toil and effort on my part. The word thus variously rendered generally means affliction, distress; and such is, probably, the sense in which it should here be taken. David means to say that under varied circumstances of trouble, warfare, and distress, he had accumulated the treasures he here enumerates.
A hundred thousand talents of gold — About $5,690,000,000.
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A thousand thousand talents of silver — About
$1,660,000,000. These numbers are incredibly large, and unless the value of the talent in question was vastly less than that at which the Hebrew talent is commonly estimated, the statement of the text is probably extravagant. Bertheau thinks the writer merely meant to designate an extraordinary amount, and made a free use of numbers without any close estimate of the precise amount. Keil, however, thinks the numbers may not be exaggerated; but, reckoning the talent at half the usual standard, (“according to the king’s weight,” 2Sa_14:26,) and appealing to the enormous amounts of treasure often accumulated in ancient kingdoms, he concludes that the “shields of gold,” and other similar spoil which David captured in war, (2Sa_8:7-11; 1Ch_18:11,) may not have been improperly valued at the figures here used.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv14–16 14. in my trouble] Render with R.V. marg. in…
14. in my trouble] Render with R.V. marg. in my low estate. LXX. κατὰ τὴν πτωχείαν μου.
an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver] This sum is incredibly large. In 1Ki_10:14 it is told in illustration of the wealth of Solomon—a wealthier king than David—that he received in one year 666 talents of gold, but even at this rate David would have amassed only 26,640 talents in forty years. The tradition from which the Chronicler drew expresses itself here in round and exaggerated numbers.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv14, 16 (14) In my trouble.—Rather, by my toil or pains.…
(14) In my trouble.—Rather, by my toil or pains. (Comp. 1Ch_29:2 : “I have prepared with all my might.”) In Gen_31:42 the same expression is equated with “the labour of my hands.” The LXX. and Vulg. wrongly render “in” or “according to my poverty.”
An hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver.—The gold talent is usually valued at £6,000, the silver talent at £400 sterling. If this reckoning be approximately correct, the numbers of the text are incredibly large. It is noticeable that the sums are given as round numbers, and expressed in thousands. Further, the figures are such—a hundred thousand and a million—as might easily and naturally be used in rhetorical fashion to suggest amounts of extraordinary magnitude. As David is said to have amassed 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, so he is said, in the same hyperbolical strain, to have hoarded iron and bronze “without weight,” and gold and silver “without number” (1Ch_22:16): phrases which nobody would think of taking literally. Doubtless, a modern historian would not handle exact numbers in this free manner; but we are not, therefore, bound to construe these vivid Oriental exaggerations according to the strict letter rather than the spirit and general intention. Of course, the numerals may have been corrupted in transmission; but their symmetry is against this hypothesis. (Comp. Dan_7:10; Gen_24:60; Mic_6:7, for a like rhetorical use of “thousands.”) To take an Egyptian illustration, in the famous poem of Pentaur, Ramses II., beset by the Hittites, calls thus upon his god Amen: “Have I not built thee houses for millions of years? I have slain to thee 30,000 bulls.” When the god helps him, he exclaims: “I find Amen worth more than millions of soldiers, one hundred thousand cavalry, ten thousand brothers, were they all joined in one.” There are plenty of numerals here, but who would insist on taking them literally?
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And thou mayest add thereto.—i.e., to the stores of timber and stone. Solomon did so (2Ch_2:3; 2Ch_2:8).
Hewers.—See 1Ch_22:2.
Workers of stone and timber—See 1Ch_22:4 and 2Ch_2:7.
All manner of cunning men . . . work.—Literally, and every skilful one in every work. The word rendered “cunning” is the technical term for a master-craftsman, like Bezaleel, the architect of the Tabernacle (Exo_31:3, hâkâm; comp. Turkish hakim, a doctor).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv14–16 Now, behold, in my trouble. The Septuagint, Vulgate, and…
Now, behold, in my trouble. The Septuagint, Vulgate, and Luther"s translation adopt here our marginal reading, "poverty." Keil, Bertheau, and others translate, with much greater probability, "by severe effort," which translation may be fortified, not only by such references as Gen_31:43 and, Psa_132:1 (where the same root is found in Pual infinitive) but by the expression evidently answering to the present, 1Ch_29:2 (jwOKAlkB) "with all my strength.
Moreover, David could not with correctness speak of poverty as characterizing his condition during the time that he had been collecting for the object of his heart"s desire. And scarcely with any greater correctness could he speak of the necessary anxieties and responsibilities of his royal office as at all specially marking this period. A hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver. Our sense of dissatisfaction in being able neither heartily to accept nor conclusively to reject this statement of the quantities of gold and silver prepared by David, may be lessened in some degree by the statement found in ver. 16, that "of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number." Milman, in his "History of the Jews" (1. 266, 267, edit. 1830), says upon the general subject of this verse, "But enormous as this wealth (i.e. that of Solomon) appears, the statement of his expenditure on the temple, and of his annual revenue, so passes all credibility, that any attempt at forming a calculation, on the uncertain data we possess, may at once be abandoned as a hopeless task. No better proof can be given of the uncertainty of our authorities, of our imperfect knowledge of the Hebrew weights of money, and, above all, of our total ignorance of the relative value which the precious metals bore to the commodities of life, than the estimate made by Dr. Prideaux of the treasures left by David, amounting to eight hundred millions, nearly the capital of our national debt." It must be noted, however, that Milman himself proceeds, when speaking of "the sources of the vast wealth which Solomon undoubtedly possessed," to bring very enormous sums (whether somewhat less or even somewhat more than the above estimate of Dr. Prideaux) more within the range of the possible, to our imagination. He justly remarks, for instance, that it is to be remembered that "the treasures of David were accumulated rather by conquest than traffic, that some of the nations he subdued, particularly the Edomites, were very wealthy. All the tribes seem to have worn a great deal of gold and silver, both in their ornaments and in their armour; their idols were often of gold; and the treasuries of their temples, perhaps, contained considerable wealth. But during the reign of Solomon, almost the whole commerce of the world passed into his territories." After substantiating by details these and similar positions (pp. 267-271), he sums up, "It was from these various sources of wealth that the precious metals and all other valuable commodities were in such abundance that, in the figurative language of the sacred historian, silver was in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees as sycamores. Since the date of Milman"s words just quoted, however, investigation of ancient weights and measures, and of those of Scripture, has made some advance, yet not sufficient to enable us to arrive at any certainty as to those of our present passage. Assuming that the text of our present verse is not corrupt, and that the figures which it gives are correct, the weight and the value of the gold and silver mentioned are very great, whatever the talent in question. This assumption, however, cannot be relied upon, and it seems scarcely legitimate to interpret the talent as any than the Hebrew talent, considering the silence observed as regards any other. It need not be said here that the exchanges of money value were estimated in these times by so much weight of gold or silver. Further, "the shekel of the sanctuary" (Exo_30:13; Lev_27:3) possibly the same with "the shekel after the king"s weight", (2Sa_16:2-6) and which was kept in the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple was presumably the standard. The gold talent was double the weight of the silver talent. It weighed 1, 320, 000 grains, instead of 660, 000. The silver talent contained 50 manehs, of 60 shekels each; but the gold talent contained 100 manehs, of 100 shekels each. The modern money equivalents of these weights are very uncertain. Both the silver and the gold talent have been very variously calculated in this relation. Some of the best authorities put the silver talent at 3s. 9d., and the gold at This would make the money value described by this verse nearly nine hundred millions of our money. Other estimates are considerably in excess of this sum, and but few fall below it. Vast as the sum is, we may be helped in some degree to accept it by the statement of Pliny, who ("Nat. Hist.," 32:15) tells us that Cyrus, in his subjugation of Asia, took half as many talents of silver as are here mentioned, and thirty-four thousand pounds of gold (see articles in Smith"s "Bible Dictionary," on "Money," and on" Weights and Measures"). Among the most valuable works on these subjects are De Saulcy"s "Numismatique Judaique," and F. Madden"s "Jewish Coinage.
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Vers. 14-16.
One man"s work for God fits into, and follows on, another man"s.
David was the preparer for Solomon the builder, and it is not for us to say which part of the work was the more important. Both together went to the execution of the Divine purpose. So, in every age, "one soweth and another reapeth," but the sower ever prepares for the reaper. Every man may cherish the conviction that his work has its place, and, if he faithfully does it, it will be sure to fit, and help towards the realization of the good Divine thought for the race. This may be illustrated in science: the inventions and discoveries of one age prepare the way for the advances made in a later age. Franklin would be as much amazed as any of us with the modern mysteries of telegraph and telephone and electric light, and yet, by his discovery, he distinctly prepared the way for all these developments. The same may be seen in relation to our Lord"s life-mission. It could not have been all that we know it was, if it had been a sudden and unconnected thing. Patriarch, and lawgiver, and psalmist, and poet, and prophet, and Baptist, may fairly and truly say that they took part in the redemption of the world, since each one, in his sphere, helped to prepare the way for Christ.
I ISOLATE ANY MAN"S LIFE, AND IT MAY SEEM TO BE A FAILURE. Do this with any of the world"s great men, in Scripture or in history, and nothing can be made of their careers. In their connections only can their meaning and purpose be unfolded. This reveals the reason for the imperfection in our estimate of the life-work of any man who lives and dies among us. His personnel fills our vision. We see him. He is isolated; and we cannot well see how he fits into his place. Men have to die, their stories must become history, before we can cease to isolate them. No man can hope to be fairly judged by his own generation. And no man can efficiently judge his own work. Even our Lord"s life-mission cannot be apprehended if we venture to separate him from his historical associations. Apply these considerations to the distress into which good people sometimes get respecting the value of their work. It seems to be brief, worthless, cut off while incomplete. So we may think when our eyes are fixed. only on it; but the view is incomplete and therefore unworthy. It may well be corrected by a larger vision.
II CONNECT ANY MAN"S LIFE WITH THE PAST AND THE FUTURE, AND IT WILL BECOME PLAIN HOW HE FITS INTO THE DIVINE PURPOSE, AND AIDS THE HUMAN PROGRESS. This we may, indeed, be only able to do in part, but we can do it sufficiently to assure our hearts that he who has the perfect vision sees the fittings and relations of each man and each man"s service. We can see some of the ways in which men at once serve their generations, and prepare for the generation that is coming.
1. Some men have to drag and hold back a too hurried and perilousadvance. This is the work given of God to the conservative-toned men among us.
2. Some men have to keep up the standards, in morals and opinion. Thesemay be men of battle, who are keen to discern and quick to resist evils; or they may be men of contemplation, who lift up seemingly unattainable ideals.
3 . And some men have to advance the standards. These are the men whomwe regard as before their time," who, at some peril to their own reputation, and much to their own comfort, bring us foreshadowings of the truths which are to be the commonplaces of the next generations.
God always has other men ready to take up our work when we drop it. A beautiful and effective illustration may be drawn from the struggle for the standard at the Battle of Lutzen, where Zwingle fell, as described by D"Aubigne in his "History of the Reformation. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv14, 16 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for…
1Ch_22:14
Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord.
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Great enterprises for God
I. That great things done for God look poor in the sight of the noble souls by whom they are done. Now, behold in my trouble, or as rendered in the margin, in my poverty, or as it is given in the margin of the Revised. Version, in my low estate, have I prepared for the house of the Lord. Speaking after the manner of men, David had really made great preparations for his sacred design. It has been calculated that as much gold was used in the building of the temple as is usually stored in the vaults of the Bank of England, and toward this lavish expenditure David made a large contribution: A thousand talents of silver. This is reckoned such an incredible quantity that some scholars suspect that an error has crept into the text. Brass and iron, timber and stone, were also prepared in abundance. Yet the king does not regard his gifts with complacency--there is no trace of pride or boasting; on the contrary, he feels that his offerings are poor and inadequate. It is ever thus with noble souls; however great in the sight of the multitude is their work or sacrifice, they mourn over it as over a mean and incommensurable thing. If any man thinks that his sacrifice for the cause of God is notable and adequate, there is something wrong with the size of that mans soul.
1. Whatever we are, we are poor by the side of what God is. The god in many an idol temple is a poor creature indeed when compared with the splendid fabric in which it is worshipped; it is a shock to turn from the gorgeous workmanship of the shrine to the stained, ugly, contemptible idol. Exactly the contrary of this was true in regard to Solomons temple. However glorious the building, it was yet an unworthy footstool of the God whom Israel knew and worshipped. The God of Israel was the Eternal; the Creator of earth and heaven; the only wise God; the God of truth and without iniquity, just and right; glorious in holiness, delighting in mercy, doing wonders. When tempted to spiritual pride and vanity let us be humbled by the beauty of the Lord. If you wish to gain a true estimate of yourself do not measure yourself by your neighbour; judge yourself in the sight of God, and your righteousness shall fade as a leaf. The sight of God makes the millionaire a penitent, and as penitents we must strive to build His house again.
2. Whatever we do is poor by the side of what God does. We must notice how both David and Solomon cast side-glances at the vastness and magnificence of the temple built without hands. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less the house which I have builded. Whatever they might build was narrow and mean in comparison with heaven and the heaven of heavens. It is a fine discipline to compare our best workmanship with the work of His fingers. The chemist can produce an artificial rainbow, but nobody will mistake the stage rainbow for God Almightys rainbow. It is well in a generation of intellectual power and artistic skill to put our creations by the side of Gods marvellous doings so that we may not forget. In my poverty have I done this, is the confession of every noble artist who criticises his work in the light of natures perfections and the glory of the world.
3. Whatever we give is poor by the side of what God gives. What a magnificent giver God is I We see that in the boundless, infinite outpouring of the riches of nature. And we see that supremely in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. If we take our richest gift and grandest sacrifice to Calvary they dwindle into nothing in sight of the Cross. Then it is that we pour contempt on all our pride. So in the sight of Gods personal perfection, and in remembrance of His gifts and works, David felt his talents of gold, his ingots of silver, his forests of cedar, his quarries of marble, his abundance of iron and brass were trivial; they did not pay his debt to God, they simply acknowledged it. If, then, when at our best we are poor, let us not live below our best. David, at least, did his best; let us do ours. Let us not mock God by any paltriness of spirit.
II. Great things must be attempted for God in the face of the most discouraging conditions. David certainly proposed to do great things for God. He had set his heart upon building a house for God that should be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. Familiar as were the nations round about with wonderful architecture end splendid adornments, David proposed to build a sanctuary for the true God that should eclipse them all. But no sooner did he attempt to work out his pious design than he became conscious of the crippling disabilities of human life, of the narrowness and hostility of the human environment. We have a fine time of it whilst we dream and design; the imagination and emotions know nothing of narrowness, difficulty, or defeat. I should like to see the temples you never build; I should like you to hear the sermons I never preach. But as soon as we essay to turn thought into fact our troubles begin. It is always a critical moment when we proceed from idealism to action. It was so with David. He no sooner attempted to take the temple out of his heart and plant it on Mount Zion than he became conscious that he was poor, afflicted, and of low estate. But--and here is the lesson--all the great work of the world has to be undertaken and carried out with the sense of disheartening difficulty and discouragement. Whenever we thoughtfully look at the splendid achievements of industry, science, literature, and art we feel that an infinite pathos enters into the contemplation. The angels who excel in strength may do splendid things with a touch, a breath, a look, but we mortals in poverty and weakness and suffering have built up the whole magnificent fabric of civilisation. And all the great work of the Christian world has been done in similar strenuousness and sacrifice. Not out of a superabundance of wealth, learning, leisure, and opportunity has the Church of Christ floated into power and universality, but in defiance of circumstance does it win its widening way. In what deep poverty Christianity had its origin! Christ is the supreme example of the fact that glorious work must be done in profound discouragement. II David built his golden house in poverty, did not his greater Son in a far deeper poverty build His Church which is becoming the refuge of men of all nations, languages, and tongues? The Cross is the grand symbol of His life and work and mission. Indeed, the primitive Church wrought out its great task of evangelisation and establishment amid unparalleled difficulties and a great fight of afflictions; and through successive generations the expansion of Christs kingdom has been a series of victories over manifold limitations, oppositions, and persecutions. If you are prepared to do anything for God that is in the least degree worthy of Him, gird yourself and be ready to face almost overwhelming difficulty. If you mean only little things for God, you will have little trouble in doing them; and if you mean less things than that, you will have no trouble at all; but if God has put a great thought into your heart it will mean a sacrifice and a battle. You never do a really large thing easily. The work you passionately desire always looms impossible. Circumstances fetter you, but you must resolutely work in fetters. Physical weakness must not deter you. Do not excuse yourself because you have no leisure. Half the work of the world is done by men who have no time, and who therefore make it. Do not allow the gathering infirmities of age to quench your zeal and effort. Put into the narrowing range of work higher qualities of faith and devotion. Do not even allow private sorrows to deny or discount your public service. When a young Greek soldier complained that his sword was short, a veteran instantly answered him, Then add a step to it. And I say to you who find yourselves short of time, short of money, short of strength, short of opportunity, Add a step; in other words, make up for the deficiencies of material, opportunity, and instrument by an intenser resolution, enthusiasm, and sacrifice. Well, you reply, a man can do no more than he can do! Now that sounds like a very deep philosophical saying that you must take slowly in, but in fact it means nothing. Men never know what they are, what they can give, what they can do, until their soul awakes. Stir up the gift that is in thee. Out of my trouble have I done this, might have been the confession of Tycho Brahe, who made his great discoveries without a telescope, showing that what an astronomer chiefly wants is not a big glass but a big eye. Out of my trouble have I done this, might have been the confession of Christopher Columbus, who crossed the Atlantic in an old tub that we should hardly use to-day for a Newcastle collier. Out of my poverty have I done this, might have been the plaint of Turner, who painted some of his masterpieces with colours mixed in broken teacups. Out of my trouble have I done this, says John Milton, old, poor, and blind, as he enriches the world with Paradise Lost. Out of my low estate have I done this, says John Bunyan, when he gives you out of Bedford jail the Land of Beulah, the Palace Beautiful, the shining ones, the country that is green the year round, the city of gold and glass, which when we see we wish that we were there. Do not wait until you have spare time, spare cash, or spare anything else; do your best with things as they are, and faith, which is the genius of the heart, will surprise you and the world. However poor and inadequate our work may seem, God will prosper and multiply it in an extraordinary degree. David felt his poverty, but God brought the thought of his heart to the utmost fruition. Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the kings house; and all that came into Solomons heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house he prosperously effected. (W. L. Watkinson.)
One worker preparing for another
Let us notice--
I. That david had zealously done his part.
1. He had gathered the materials. Many a man collects people together, and yet he has not the fashioning of them--he does not see many conversions.
2. He fashioned some of the materials.
3. He prepared the way for Solomons temple.
4. He found the site for the temple. We do not always remember the men who prepare the sites for the Lords temples. Luther is remembered, but there were reformers before Luther.
5. It was David who received the plans from God.
6. He gave a solemn charge to others.
7. Have you done your part?
II. David had done his part in trouble.
1. David thought little of what he had prepared. It is those who do little for the Lord who are like a hen with one chick--they think a great deal of it.
2. It was a proof of his sincerity. David in the day of his trouble, when his heart was ready to break, still went on with his great work of providing for the house of the Lord.
3. It was an incentive to service.
4. It must have given an elevation to Davids whole life.
III. Davids work fits on to the work of another.
1. This is the order of Gods providence in His Church. I am told that my venerable predecessor, Dr. Rippon, used often, in his pulpit to pray for somebody, of whom he knew nothing, who would follow him in the ministry of the Church, and greatly increase it. He died and passed to heaven about the time I was born. Older members of the Church have told me that they have read the answer to Dr. Rippons prayers in the blessing that has been given to us these many years.
2. But this is a terrible blow at self. Self says, I like to begin something of my own, and I like to carry it out; I do not want any interference. There are some who do not want any help; they are quite up to the mark; they are like a waggon and four horses, and a dog under the waggon as well.
3. I believe that it is good for the work to have a change of workers.
4. This creates unity in the Church of God.
5. This leaves a place for those who come after. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
And thou mayest add thereto.--
Limited liability
So David encourages Solomon to arise and build the temple. The king had done his best to facilitate the building, and now he urges the young prince to come forth and do his part. It may be appropriate to reflect a little upon the fellowship of service, to remember our mutual limitations and responsibilities, and to encourage one another in service.
I. Let us observe the circumscriptions of human service. David could not take in hand the whole business, and build the temple independently of Solomon and everybody else. He soon discovered his limitations, and knew that if the great enterprise were to be carried out he would have to take Solomon into partnership, and Solomon would have to take the nation into, partnership.
1. We are subject to personal, constitutional circumscriptions from which we cannot escape. We have a certain gift and susceptibility, and within the lines prescribed by our special endowment we can work happily and effectively, but we make sorry work when we attempt anything beyond those lines. We have all heard of the mathematician who, on hearing Paradise Lost read, wished to know what it proved. Well, it proved that a cell was wanting in his brain, and that he soon gave himself away when he got off his own proper ground. We talk of all-round men, but strictly speaking such men do not exist. All have the defects of their qualities with strange work. We may easily get into a place that we do not fit; easily attempt work for which we have no faculty.
2. We are subject to circumscriptions of circumstance. We see this in the case of David. He had gifts and aspirations which the trend of events did not permit him to exercise and develop. The sword was thrust into his hand when he would have preferred the harp; he was condemned to deal with politics when he longed to write poetry; he was shut up to empire-building when he felt the passion strong to temple-building. We possess faculties that our life does not permit us to cultivate, aspirations that we may not gratify. Some birds have little or no song in the wild state, although they have highly developed song muscles which they can turn to excellent account in other and favourable circumstances. Our environment is often too strong for us, and we must coerce ourselves into the performance of duties for which we have little or no inclination.
3. And then we all suffer from the circumscription of time. David prepared before his death. We have only lifes little day for our large, manifold, and strenuous speculations. We are strangers and pilgrims, as all our fathers were. And this is just as true of the higher service of the race as it is true of intellectual, political, and material service. We are restricted to narrow bounds, and can do only here a little and there a little.
II. Let us, however, observe to our encouragement the continuity of human service. What David could do he did, and what he could not do he passed on with confidence to Solomon. There is wonderful continuity and coherence in the action of man. Leo Grindon says: Nothing so plainly distinguishes between man and brutes as the absolute nothingness of effect in the work of the latter. Unless the coral isles be esteemed an exception, of all the past labours of all the animals that ever existed, there is not a trace extant. No; the irrational creatures have been sagacious in an extreme degree, they have been active and energetic from the beginning, powerful, clever, but there is no conservation of their work, no perpetuation, no accumulation. It ceases with the life of the individual or with the existence of the special community. Myriads of bees, birds, ants, and beavers, curious, restless workers, but nothing of their creations and fabrications survive. But it is strangely different with man. Frail and fugitive as the individual may be, we have the ability to bequeath our small personal contribution to the general and increasing wealth of the race. There is a physical law in the animal world which economises the experience of the individual for the benefit of the species, but we have the immense advantage of a social law which preserves and perpetuates in an extraordinary degree the services and sacrifices of the humblest individual. We see this in the intellectual world. Our glorious things in literature and art are the legacies of our gifted ancestors. The architecture of Assyria, the astronomy of Chaldea, the pottery of Etruria, the science of Egypt, the art of Greece, the jurisprudence of Rome, the moral science of Palestine, have come down to us corrected, enlarged, perfected by successive generations. Bees have been making comb for ages, and yet there is nothing to show for it to-day; but swarms of golden bees from Homer to Tennyson have filled a million cells in the British Museum with immortal sweetness. No phonograph has caught and preserved the music of the birds, although they have piped from the morning of time; but the songs and symphonies of ancient minstrels stir our souls with deep thoughts and passions. And once again we see this continuity of service in the national life. Our fathers bequeathed us this great empire. Your toils and sacrifices will be conserved, they will be added to the general stock, they will survive for ages. Here is our grand comfort and encouragement. Real work is wealth that moth and rust do not corrupt.
III. Observe, lastly, to your encouragement, the complementariness Of human service. What David could not do Solomon could do. What is missing in one man is found in another; what is lacking in one mans service is supplied by the service of another. We see at a glance that men are wonderfully different from each other. Living things and creatures have always an individuality more or less sharp. Artificial things are uniform. The roses on my drawing-room paper are surprisingly alike--exactly the same size, the same colour, the same number of leaves, the flowers grow at precisely the same distance from each other, grow at the same angle, are identical in form and colour whether they grow at the top of the room or the bottom, whether they get the sun or the shade, and they never vary with the seasons; but the garden outside has no uniformity. The roses are all sizes and colours, grow at all angles, and not the roses only but other flowers of a thousand shapes and dyes and perfumes. So in society. David has a character of his own, so has Solomon. And this individuality becomes the sharper with education. Culture intensifies individuality, civilisation spells differentiation, godliness means individual distinction. And because we are different we often think severely of one another. The multitude of teachers utterly unlike each other unconsciously conspire to bring out the whole truth. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas, and yet the threefold, the thousandfold, ministry is necessary to bring out the infinite truth. Amongst the great company of preachers, each with his singular appreciation of truth and righteousness and grace, the world gets the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. And so the multitude of workers, utterly unlike each other, cover the whole field of service. As geologists, astronomers, chemists, and many other workers in nature complete the circle of the sciences, so the various servants of Christ and humanity, guided by the sovereign, universal Spirit, take up all kinds of gracious work so that all needs may be ministered unto and the whole race be visited and blessed. Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. Thou mayest add thereto. It is a matter of obligation. Are we to receive all and do nothing? Some people add very little to anything. But we all feel how ignoble are such parasitic souls. Solomon felt that it was an obligation to build, and we are awfully guilty if we shirk the work which God has so manifestly committed to us. Thou mayest add thereto. It is a privilege to do so. When God built the world He did it altogether without our intervention. We were not there when He laid the foundations of the earth. We had no hand in piling the Alps. We did not dig a trench for the Atlantic. We did not adorn the firmament with golden star and silver crescent and crimson cloud. We did not plant the oaks of Bashan or the cedars of Lebanon. The rainbow owes nothing to our paint-pot. God did it all. Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands. But God has granted to us the glorious privilege of being His fellow-workers in building up a regenerated humanity. Our thoughts, gifts, sympathies, prayers, tears may go into this new creation whose glory shall eclipse that of sun or star. See that no man take thy crown--that is, see that no man does thy work. (W. L. Watkinson.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv14–15 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
David continues speaking to Solomon.
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Now, see, at great
The words "Now, see" introduce something important David is about to say. AT: "Listen! At great"
at great effort I have prepared
"I have worked hard to prepare"
100,000 talents
"one hundred thousand talents" (See: Numbers)
talents
about 33 kilograms (See: Biblical Money)
one million
"1,000,000" (See: Numbers)
You must add more to all this
"You will need to increase that amount"
translationWords
house of God
gold
silver
bronze
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.