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1 Chronicles 22

David prepares for the temple he cannot build, charging Solomon and Israel’s leaders to carry out God’s command with courage and obedience.

David identifies the site for God’s house and gathers workers and vast stores of building materials before his death. He charges his young son Solomon with building the temple, explaining that God has barred him from the task because of his bloodshed in war. Solomon is to rule in peace and build the house for God’s name. David urges him to keep God’s law, then commands Israel’s leaders to help him and devote themselves to YHWH.

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1Then David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2David 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.
3David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the couplings, and bronze in abundance without weight,
4and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.
5David said, “Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the LORD 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.
6Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.
7David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God.
8But the LORD’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.
9Behold, 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.
10He 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.’
11Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and prosper you, and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you.
12May the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.
13Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid and don’t be dismayed.
14Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the LORD’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.
15There 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;
16of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may the LORD be with you.”
17David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
18“Isn’t the LORD your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD and before his people.
19Now set your heart and your soul to follow the LORD your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the LORD’s covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the LORD’s name.”
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Key verses
1 Chronicles 22:19David’s closing charge joins devotion to YHWH with the shared work of building a sanctuary for his covenant ark.
1 Chronicles 22:13Solomon’s success is tied to keeping God’s commands, and his courage rests within that charge to obey.
1 Chronicles 22:12David asks God to give Solomon understanding so that his rule over Israel will be governed by God’s law.
Where this chapter reaches

The temple preparations and Solomon’s commission connect with the building accounts in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, which share the concern for a house for God’s name. The charge to obey God’s law and take courage shares language and themes with Deuteronomy and Joshua.

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After reading the whole chapter

What stands out about David’s willingness to prepare for work that Solomon will complete?

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Where might you need the understanding David asks God to give Solomon?

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Questions people ask about 1 Chronicles 22

Why didn’t God let David build the temple?

David reports that God barred him because he had shed much blood and fought great wars. God appointed Solomon, whose reign would have peace and rest from surrounding enemies. The chapter ties the choice of builder to that contrast without declaring that every war David fought was sinful.

Does 1 Chronicles 22:13 promise prosperity to anyone who obeys God?

David addresses Solomon as Israel’s future king and the appointed temple builder. His words connect success with keeping the law God gave Israel through Moses. The promise belongs to that royal task and covenant setting; the verse does not offer every reader a guarantee of wealth or freedom from hardship.

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1 Chronicles · 29 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).