Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[6]

Extant manuscripts of a Koine Greek translation known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE, include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).^{[7][lower-alpha 1]}

Verse 1

Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.^[12]

The verse becomes the climax of the preceding and subsequent sections in that the future site of YHWH's temple (and place for sacrifices) is gloriously announced, regarded 'synonymous' with the desert tabernacle, the high place at Gibeon or 'all legitimate cultic sites and buildings that play an important part in Israel's history'.^[13] The selection of the site is very important for the Chronicler, as repeated in 2 Chronicles 3:1.^[11] The language is very similar to Genesis 28:17, pertaining to the construction of the holy site at Bethel.^[13]

Verse 4

and cedar logs without number, for the Sidonians and the Tyrians brought much cedar wood to David.^[14]

• "Without number" or "in abundance" (KJV) is translated from Hebrew: לאין מספר lə-’ên, mis-pār, also meaning "beyond measure".^[15]
• "The Sidonians and Tyrians": were mentioned as those who brought cedar wood, a reminiscent of King Hiram (1 Chronicles 14:1), in parallel with Ezra 3:7 that the Sidonians and Tyrians were also providing timber (cedar wood) for the second temple.^[5]

Verse 5

And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.^[16]

• "Solomon": of David's numerous sons (1 Chronicles 3:1–4; 14:3–7) is one of the youngest (1 Samuel 20:31; 2 Samuel 13:21; 1 Kings 1:12, 17; 2:22).^[11]
• "Young and tender": Solomon was regarded by David in a similar manner to Solomon's own admission while in prayer at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:7), especially about Solomon's youth and inexperience, which is considered as a literary theme, not a pointer to his actual age, nor to his ability to rule the nation, but particularly to his capability in building the temple.^[5] Therefore, David took the responsibility to prepare the construction.

Verse 8

but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.^[17]

^[5] Nathan's prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17 does not provide the explanation why David was not allowed to build the temple. In 1 Kings 5:3 Solomon stated that David was impeded from carrying out his plan, because of his long warfare with the surrounding nations.^[5] In the Chronicles, the statement is transformed to a greater principle, that is, because David as a warrior had shed much blood, so he was forbidden to build the temple. The reason is simply to exclude the blemish of bloodshed from the temple's construction.^[5]

Verse 9

Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.^[18]

Using wordplay, "Solomon" (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה֙, shə-lō-mōh,^[19] meaning: "peaceful"^[20]) was to be given "peace" (שָׁל֥וֹם, shā-lōm^[19]), and, as a "man of rest" (איש מנוחה, ’îsh mə-nū-chāh^[19]), was to be given "rest" (נוּחַ, nuach^[19]), so he could build the temple.^[5][11] This was to fulfill the precondition in Deuteronomy 12 that the sacrificial services could take place when Israel had "rest" from its enemies.^[5]