1Ch 29:10-19 | KD | STEP | David’s thanksgiving prayer . - David gives fitting expression to his joy on the success of the deepest wish of his heart, in a prayer with which he closes the last parliament of his reign. Since according to the divine decree, not he, the man of war, but his son, the peace-king Solomon, was to build a temple to the Lord, David had taken it upon himself to prepare as far as possible for the carrying out of the work. He had also found the princes and chiefs of the people willing to further it, and to assist his son Solomon in it. In this the pious and grey-haired servant of the Lord saw a special proof of the divine favour, for which he must thank God the Lord before the whole congregation. He praises Jahve, “the God of Israel our father,” , or, as it is in , “the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, our fathers.” Jahve had clearly revealed himself to David and his people as the God of Israel and of the patriarchs, by fulfilling in so glorious a manner to the people of Israel, by David, the promises made to the patriarchs. God the Lord had not only by David made His people great and powerful, and secured to them the peaceful possession of the good land, by humbling all their enemies round about, but He had also awakened in the heart of the people such love to and trust in their God, that the assembled dignitaries of the kingdom showed themselves perfectly willing to assist in furthering the building of the house of God. In this God had revealed His greatness, power, glory, etc., as David (in , ) acknowledges with praise: “Thine, Jahve, is the greatness,” etc. הנּצח, according to the Aramaic usage, gloria, splendour, honour. כל כּי, yea all, still dependent on לך at the commencement of the sentence, so that we do not need to supply לך after כּי. “Thine is the dominion, and the raising of oneself to be head over all.” In His ממלכה God reveals His greatness, might, glory, etc. ממנשּׂא is not a participle requiring אתּה, “thou art,” to be supplied (Berth.), but an appellative, an Aramaic infinitive,

‏ 1 Chronicles 29:10-19

1Ch 29:10-11 David’s thanksgiving prayer. - David gives fitting expression to his joy on the success of the deepest wish of his heart, in a prayer with which he closes the last parliament of his reign. Since according to the divine decree, not he, the man of war, but his son, the peace-king Solomon, was to build a temple to the Lord, David had taken it upon himself to prepare as far as possible for the carrying out of the work. He had also found the princes and chiefs of the people willing to further it, and to assist his son Solomon in it. In this the pious and grey-haired servant of the Lord saw a special proof of the divine favour, for which he must thank God the Lord before the whole congregation. He praises Jahve, “the God of Israel our father,” 1Ch 29:10, or, as it is in 1Ch 29:18, “the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, our fathers.” Jahve had clearly revealed himself to David and his people as the God of Israel and of the patriarchs, by fulfilling in so glorious a manner to the people of Israel, by David, the promises made to the patriarchs. God the Lord had not only by David made His people great and powerful, and secured to them the peaceful possession of the good land, by humbling all their enemies round about, but He had also awakened in the heart of the people such love to and trust in their God, that the assembled dignitaries of the kingdom showed themselves perfectly willing to assist in furthering the building of the house of God. In this God had revealed His greatness, power, glory, etc., as David (in 1Ch 29:11, 1Ch 29:12) acknowledges with praise: “Thine, Jahve, is the greatness,” etc. הנּצח, according to the Aramaic usage, gloria, splendour, honour. כל כּי, yea all, still dependent on לך at the commencement of the sentence, so that we do not need to supply לך after כּי. “Thine is the dominion, and the raising of oneself to be head over all.” In His ממלכה God reveals His greatness, might, glory, etc. ממנשּׂא is not a participle requiring אתּה, “thou art,” to be supplied (Berth.), but an appellative, an Aramaic infinitive, - the raising oneself (Ew. §160, e). 1Ch 29:12 “From Thee came the riches and the glory ..., and in Thy hand is it (it lies) to make all things great and strong.” 1Ch 29:13

For this we must thank God, and sing praise to His holy name. By the partic. מודים, from הודה, confess, praise, the praising of God is characterized as an enduring praise, always rising anew. 1Ch 29:14

For man of himself can give nothing: “What am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to show ourselves so liberal?” כּוח עצר כּוח, to hold strength together; both to have power to do anything (here and 2Ch 2:5; 2Ch 22:9), and also to retain strength (2Ch 13:20; Dan 10:8, Dan 10:16; Dan 11:6), only found in Daniel and in the Chronicle. התנדּב, to show oneself willing, especially in giving. כּזאת refers to the contribution to the building of the temple (1Ch 29:3-8). From Thy hand, i.e., that which is received from Thee, have we given. 1Ch 29:15

For we are strangers (as Psa 39:13), i.e., in this connection we have no property, no enduring possession, since God had only given them the usufruct of the land; and as of the land, so also of all the property of man, it is only a gift committed to us by God in usufruct. The truth that our life is a pilgrimage (Heb 11:12-14), is presented to us by the brevity of life. As a shadow, so swiftly passing away, are our days upon the earth (cf. Job 8:9; Psa 90:9., Psa 102:12; Psa 144:4). מקוה ואין, and there is no trust, scil. in the continuance of life (cf. Jer 14:8). 1Ch 29:16

All the riches which we have prepared for the building of the temple come from the hand of God. The Keth. הוּא is neuter, the Keri הוּא corresponds to ההמון. 1Ch 29:17

Before God, who searches the heart and loves uprightness, David can declare that he has willingly given in uprightness of heart, and that the people also have, to his joy, shown equal willingness. כּל־אלּה, all the treasures enumerated (1Ch 29:3-8). The plural הנּמצאוּ refers to עמּך, and the demonstrative ה stands for אשׁר as in 1Ch 26:28. 1Ch 29:18

He prays that God may enable the people ever to retain this frame of heart. זאת is more closely defined by מח ליצר, viz., the frame of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people. “And direct their heart (the people’s heart) to Thee,” cf. 1Sa 7:3. 1Ch 29:19

And to Solomon may God give a whole (undivided) heart, that he may keep all the divine commands and do them, and build the temple. שׁלם לב as in 1Ch 29:9. הכּל לעשׂות, that he may do all, scil. that the commands, testimonies, and statutes require. For הבּירה, see 1Ch 29:1.