1 Chronicles 29

This is the final chapter of 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles 28, David assembled the leaders of Israel and gave Solomon the plans for the temple. This chapter continues that scene and brings the account of David's reign to a close.

Outline

• Verses 1–5 David says that Solomon is still young and that the work of building the temple is great. He declares that, in addition to the materials already prepared, he has given from his own personal treasure three thousand talents of gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver, and he asks who else is willing to offer.
• Verses 6–9 The chiefs of the fathers, the princes of the tribes, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and the rulers of the king's work give five thousand talents and ten thousand drams (darics) of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of brass, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. The precious stones are entrusted to Jehiel. The people and David rejoice together.
• Verses 10–19 David prays before the congregation. He confesses that all things belong to the Lord, that the people have only given back what they received from Him, and that human beings are strangers whose days are like a shadow. He then asks that Solomon be given a perfect heart.
• Verses 20–22 The congregation blesses the Lord. On the following day they offer a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs as burnt offerings and hold a feast. Solomon is anointed king a second time, and Zadok is anointed priest.
• Verses 23–25 Solomon ascends the throne and prospers. The princes, the mighty men, and all the sons of David submit to him.
• Verses 26–30 David reigned forty years: seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. He died in a good old age, and Solomon succeeded him. The text notes that David's acts are written in the book of Samuel the seer, the book of Nathan the prophet, and the book of Gad the seer.

Key Verses

• 1 Chronicles 29:11 "Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty": a classic doxology (a formula of praise ascribing glory to God) extolling God's sovereignty.
• 1 Chronicles 29:14 "For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee": a confession that grounds giving in God's ownership of all things.
• 1 Chronicles 29:15 "Our days on the earth are as a shadow": an expression of the transience of life and of humanity's status as sojourners.

People and Places

• David: prepares the materials for the temple and offers a prayer of thanksgiving.
• Solomon: David's son, who is anointed a second time in this chapter.
• Jehiel: a Gershonite (a descendant of Levi) who placed the precious stones given by the people in the treasury of the temple.
• Zadok: anointed as priest.
• Samuel, Nathan, and Gad: mentioned as the seers and prophets who recorded David's acts.
• Ophir: a place known as a source of fine gold. Its exact location is uncertain.
• Hebron and Jerusalem: the two capitals from which David reigned.

Points for Reflection

• The phrase "made Solomon … king the second time" in verse 22 is commonly read as a formal confirmation of the accession recorded in 1 Chronicles 23:1, where Solomon was made king. 1 Kings 1 recounts Solomon's accession amid Adonijah's attempt to seize the throne, but Chronicles does not address that conflict and instead portrays David's final years with a focus on preparations for the temple.
• The daric (rendered "dram" in the KJV) was a Persian gold coin. For this reason, many interpreters hold that a postexilic author expressed the amount in the monetary units of his own day.
• Opinions differ on whether the records of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad mentioned in verse 29 are writings that no longer survive or are related to the books of Samuel and other texts.
• Verse 11 is frequently cited as the background of the closing doxology of the Lord's Prayer found in some manuscripts of Matthew 6:13. The confession of being strangers in verse 15 is often read alongside Hebrews 11:13–16.

In the Korean Church

Verse 14 is frequently quoted in offertory prayers and in sermons on giving. Verses 1–9 serve as sermon texts for building fund pledges and church dedication services, and they are also often used in teaching on stewardship.