1Ch 28:19-21 | KD | STEP | In giving over to Solomon the model of all the parts and vessels of the temple enumerated in , David said: “All this, viz., all the works of the pattern, has He taught by writing from the hand of Jahve which came upon me.” הכּל is more closely defined by the apposition הת מלאכות כּל . That the verse contains words of David is clear from עלי. The subject of השׂכּיל is Jahve, which is easily supplied from יהוה מיּד. It is, however, a question with what we should connect עלי. Its position before the verb, and the circumstance that השׂכּיל construed with על pers . does not elsewhere, occur, are against its being taken with השׂכּיל; and there remains, therefore, only the choice between connecting it with יהוה מיּד and with בּכתב. In favour of the last, , עלי כּתוּב, prescribed to me, may be compared; and according to that, עלי כּתב can only mean, “what is prescribed to me;” cf. for the use of כּתב for written prescription, the command in 2Ch 35:4. Bertheau accordingly translates עלי יהוה מיּד בּכתב, “by a writing given to me for a rule from Jahve’s hand,” and understands the law of Moses to be meant, because the description of the holy things in Exo 25:1. is manifestly the basis of that in our verses. But had David wished to say nothing further than that he had taken the law in the Scriptures for the basis of his pattern for the holy things, the expression which he employs would be exceedingly forced and wilfully obscure. And, moreover, the position of the words would scarcely allow us to connect בּכתב with עלי, for in that case we should rather have expected יהוה מיּד עלי בּכתב. We must there take עלי along with יהוה מיּד: “writing from the hand of Jahve came upon me,” i.e., according to the analogy of the phrase עלי יהוה יד היתה (2Ki 3:15; ; , etc.), a writing coming by divine revelation, or a writing composed in consequence of divine revelation, and founded upon divine inspiration. David therefore says that he had been instructed by a writing resting upon divine inspiration as to all the works of the pattern of the temple. This need not, however, be understood to mean that David had received exemplar vel ideam templi et vasorum sacrorum immediately from Jahve, either by a prophet or by vision, as the model of the tabernacle was shown to Moses on the mount ( ; ); for it signifies only that he had not himself invented the pattern which he had committed to writings, i.e., the sketches and descriptions of the temple and its furniture and vessels, but had drawn them up under the influence of divine inspiration.

‏ 1 Chronicles 28:19-21

In giving over to Solomon the model of all the parts and vessels of the temple enumerated in 1Ch 28:11-18, David said: “All this, viz., all the works of the pattern, has He taught by writing from the hand of Jahve which came upon me.” הכּל is more closely defined by the apposition הת מלאכות כּל . That the verse contains words of David is clear from עלי. The subject of השׂכּיל is Jahve, which is easily supplied from יהוה מיּד. It is, however, a question with what we should connect עלי. Its position before the verb, and the circumstance that השׂכּיל construed with על pers. does not elsewhere, occur, are against its being taken with השׂכּיל; and there remains, therefore, only the choice between connecting it with יהוה מיּד and with בּכתב. In favour of the last, Psa 40:8, עלי כּתוּב, prescribed to me, may be compared; and according to that, עלי כּתב can only mean, “what is prescribed to me;” cf. for the use of כּתב for written prescription, the command in 2Ch 35:4. Bertheau accordingly translates עלי יהוה מיּד בּכתב, “by a writing given to me for a rule from Jahve’s hand,” and understands the law of Moses to be meant, because the description of the holy things in Exo 25:1. is manifestly the basis of that in our verses. But had David wished to say nothing further than that he had taken the law in the Scriptures for the basis of his pattern for the holy things, the expression which he employs would be exceedingly forced and wilfully obscure. And, moreover, the position of the words would scarcely allow us to connect בּכתב with עלי, for in that case we should rather have expected יהוה מיּד עלי בּכתב. We must there take עלי along with יהוה מיּד: “writing from the hand of Jahve came upon me,” i.e., according to the analogy of the phrase עלי יהוה יד היתה (2Ki 3:15; Eze 1:3; Eze 3:14, etc.), a writing coming by divine revelation, or a writing composed in consequence of divine revelation, and founded upon divine inspiration. David therefore says that he had been instructed by a writing resting upon divine inspiration as to all the works of the pattern of the temple. This need not, however, be understood to mean that David had received exemplar vel ideam templi et vasorum sacrorum immediately from Jahve, either by a prophet or by vision, as the model of the tabernacle was shown to Moses on the mount (Exo 25:40; Exo 27:8); for it signifies only that he had not himself invented the pattern which he had committed to writings, i.e., the sketches and descriptions of the temple and its furniture and vessels, but had drawn them up under the influence of divine inspiration. 1Ch 28:20

In conclusion, David encourages his son to go forward to the work with good courage, for his God would not forsake him; and the priests and Levites, cunning workmen, and the princes, together with the whole people, would willingly support him. With the encouragement, 1Ch 28:20, cf. 1Ch 22:13; and with the promise, 1Ch 28:20, cf. Deu 31:6, Deu 31:8; Jos 1:5. אלהי, my God, says David, ut in mentem ei revocet, quomodo multis in periculis servatus sit (Lav.). עבודה כּל־מלאכת, all the work-business, i.e., all the labour necessary for the building of the house of God. 1Ch 28:21 והנּה is fittingly translated by Clericus, “en habes.” The reference which lies in the הנּה to the classes of the priests and Levites, i.e., the priests and Levites divided into classes, does not presuppose their presence in the assembly. With the והנּה corresponds ועמּך, with thee, i.e., for assistance to thee, in the second half of the verse. The ל before לכל-naadiyb, “are all freely willing with wisdom,” in the middle of the sentence introducing the subject is strange; Bertheau would therefore strike it out, thinking that, as לכל goes immediately before, and follows immediately afterwards twice, לכל here may easily be an error for כל. This is certainly possible; but since this ל is very frequently used in the Chronicle, it is a question whether it should not be regarded as authentic, “serving to bring into emphatic prominence the idea of the ndyb kl: with thee is for each business, what regards each willing person, for also all willing persons;” cf. Ew. §310, a. נדיב = לב נדיב, 2Ch 29:31; Exo 35:5, Exo 35:22, usually denotes him who brings voluntary gifts, but here, him who voluntarily brings wisdom to every service, who willingly employs his wisdom and knowledge in a service. Cunning, intelligent workmen and artists are meant, 1Ch 22:15; 2Ch 2:6. לכל־דּבריך, “towards all thy words,” i.e., as thou sayest or commandest them, the princes and the people, or callest upon them for assistance in the work.