The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  20:4–8 See notes on 2 Sam. 21:15–22. The chronicler chose not to write of some of the darker days in David’s reign, especially the revolt of David’s son Absalom, for the same reason the iniquity of the king with Bathsheba was left out.

  1 Chronicles 21

  21:1 There is approximately a 20-year gap between 20:8 and 21:1, ca. 995–975 B.C.

  21:1–27 For the explanation of this section, see notes on 2 Sam. 24:1–25.

  21:1 Satan…moved. Second Samuel 24:1 reports that it was God who “moved” David. This apparent discrepancy is resolved by understanding that God sovereignly and permissively uses Satan to achieve His purposes. God uses Satan to judge sinners (cf. Mark 4:15; 2 Cor. 4:4), to refine saints (cf. Job 1:8—2:10; Luke 22:31, 32), to discipline those in the church (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1–5; 1 Tim. 1:20), and to further purify obedient believers (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7–10). Neither God nor Satan forced David to sin (cf. James 1:13–15), but God allowed Satan to tempt David and he chose to sin. The sin surfaced his proud heart and God dealt with him for it. number Israel. David’s census brought tragedy because, unlike the census in Moses’ time (Num. 1, 2) which God had commanded, this census by David was to gratify his pride in the great strength of his army and consequent military power. He was also putting more trust in his forces than in his God. He was taking credit for his victories by the building of his great army. This angered God, who moved Satan to bring the sin to a head.

  21:3, 4 a cause of guilt in Israel. Joab knew David was operating on a sinful motive, but the king’s arrogance led him to ignore the warning.

  21:5 one million one hundred thousand. Second Samuel 24:9 reports 800,000 and 500,000 respectively. For the resolution of this discrepancy, see note on 2 Sam. 24:9.

  21:6 he did not count Levi and Benjamin. Levites were not soldiers (v. 5) and were not numbered in the Mosaic census (Num. 1:47–55). Benjamin had already been numbered (7:6–11) and the register preserved in the archives of that tribe. From the course followed in the census (2 Sam. 24:4–8), it appears Judah and Benjamin were last to be visited. Before the census could be finished in Judah and begin in Benjamin, David recognized his sin and called for it to stop (cf. 27:24).

  21:7 He struck Israel. David’s sin dramatically affected the entire kingdom in experiencing God’s wrath.

  21:12 “Three years” here is correct; “7 years” in 2 Sam. 24:13 is most likely a copyist’s error, since it seems 3 years, 3 months, 3 days is the intent.

  21:15 Ornan. This is a Heb. name. He is called Araunah in 2 Sam. 24:18, a Jebusite or Canaanite equivalent. He had been converted to worship the true God.

  21:16 This additional detail does not appear in the Heb. of 2 Sam. 24. The “angel of the LORD” was the executioner poised to destroy Jerusalem, whose menacing destruction was halted (v. 27) because David and the leaders repented as indicated by the “sackcloth” and falling “on their faces.”

  21:20, 21 This additional detail does not appear in the Heb. of 2 Sam. 24. “Threshing wheat” was done by spreading the grain out on a high level area and driving back and forth over it with a heavy sled and rollers pulled by oxen. One would drive the oxen while others raked the chaff away from the kernels.

  1 Chr. 21:26

  Temple Duties

  Administrative Duties

  Supervisors—1 Chronicles 23:4, 5

  Baliffs—1 Chronicles 23:4, 5

  Judges—1 Chronicles 23:4, 5

  Public administrators—1 Chronicles 26:29, 30

  Ministerial Duties

  Priests—1 Chronicles 24:1, 2

  Prophets—1 Chronicles 25:1

  Assistants for sacrifices—1 Chronicles 23:29-31

  Assistants for purification ceremonies—1 Chronicles 23:27, 28

  Service Duties

  Bakers of the Bread of the Presence—1 Chronicles 23:29

  Those who checked the weights and measures—1 Chronicles 23:29

  Custodians—1 Chronicles 23:28

  Financial Duties

  Those who cared for the treasury—1 Chronicles 26:20

  Those who cared for dedicated items—1 Chronicles 26:26-28

  Artistic Duties

  Musicians—1 Chronicles 25:6

  Singers—1 Chronicles 25:7

  Protective Duties

  Temple guards—1 Chronicles 23:5

  Guards for the gates and storehouses—1 Chronicles 26:12-18

  Individual Assignments

  Recording secretary—1 Chronicles 24:6

  Chaplain to the king—1 Chronicles 25:4

  Private prophet to the king—1 Chronicles 25:2

  Captain of the guard—1 Chronicles 26:1

  Chief officer of the treasury—1 Chronicles 26:23, 24

  21:25 six hundred shekels. The 50 shekels reported in 2 Sam. 24:24 was for the instruments and oxen alone, while the price here includes the whole property, Mt. Moriah, on which the future temple stood. The threshing floor of Ornan is today believed to be the very flat rock under the Moslem mosque, the Dome of the Rock, inside the temple ground in Jerusalem.

  21:28–30 This also is new data not included in 2 Sam. 24.

  21:29 high place…Gibeon. The ark of the covenant resided at Jerusalem in a tent (1 Chr. 15) awaiting the building of the temple on Ornan’s threshing floor, while the Mosaic tabernacle and altar remained in Gibeon until the temple was completed (cf. 1 Kin. 8:4).

  21:30 the sword. Cf. 21:12, 16, 27. David continued to remain at the threshing floor and offer sacrifices because the LORD had appeared to him there (2 Chr. 3:1) and thus hallowed the place, and because he feared a menacing angel at Gibeon, the center of worship.

  1 Chronicles 22

  22:1—29:20 This section recounts David’s preparations for Solomon to build the temple. General preparation and various charges are discussed in 22:1–19. The division of labor unfolds in 23:1–27:33. Solomon’s final commission comes in 28:1–29:20.

  22:1–19 David gives 3 charges to: 1) the workman (vv. 2–5); 2) Solomon (vv. 6–16); and 3) the leaders (vv. 17–19).

  22:1 house. The land David had just purchased (21:22–30), he dedicated for the Jerusalem temple to be built by Solomon (v. 6; 28:9, 10).

  22:2 aliens. These were non-Israelite artisans made up of descendants of the Canaanites (2 Chr. 8:7–10) and war captives (2 Chr. 2:7), for whom the Mosaic legislation provided compassion and protection (cf. Ex. 22:21; 23:9; Lev. 19:33; Deut. 24:14, 15) and from whom service was exacted. Only here were the laborers called “aliens” (cf. 1 Kin. 5:13–18).

  22:3 iron…bronze. David would have acquired the iron technology from the Philistines (1 Sam. 13:19–21) and the bronze would have come from spoils of war (cf. 18:8).

  22:4 cedar. This came from Lebanon, the heavily wooded and mountainous country N of Israel, and was provided by the residents of Sidon and Tyre, most likely under the leadership of David’s friend, King Hiram (cf. 14:1; 1 Kin. 5:1).

  22:5 young. Solomon was born early in David’s reign (ca. 1000–990 B.C.) and was at this time 20 to 30 years of age. The magnificent and complex challenge of building such a monumental edifice with all its elements required an experienced leader for preparation. magnificent. David understood that the temple needed to reflect on earth something of God’s heavenly majesty, so he devoted himself to the collection of the plans and materials, tapping the vast amount of spoils from people he had conquered and cities he had sacked (vv. 14–16).

  22:6–16 Here is David’s careful instruction to Solomon for the building which David could not do because he had killed so many in his battles (v. 8). Cf. 1 Kin. 5:3.

  22:8–10 David reflects on the covenant God had made with him (cf. 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chr. 17), which included 1) the divine mandate that Solomon build the temple and 2) overtones of the messianic reign.

  22:11–13 David’s spiritual charge to Solomon resembles the LORD’s exhortation to Joshua (cf. Josh. 1:6–9). Solomon asked God for and received the very “wisdom and understanding” his father, David, desired for him (cf. 1 Kin. 3:3–
14; 2 Chr. 1:7–12). He learned the value of such spiritual counsel and passed it on in Eccl. 12:1, 13.

  22:14 one hundred thousand…gold. Assuming a talent weighed about 75 lbs., this would be approximately 3,750 tons, a staggering amount of gold. one million. This would be approximately 37,500 tons of silver.

  22:17–19 Knowing that Solomon was young and inexperienced (22:5) and that he could not undertake this colossal project alone, David wisely enlisted the loyalty and help of his leaders to transfer their allegiance to Solomon who would carry out the divine will and the last wishes of his father. The LORD undertook to make Solomon the wisest man on earth (cf. 1 Kin. 3:3–14).

  1 Chronicles 23

  23:1—27:34 This labor-intensive project needed more than building materials. David marshaled his human resources and announced their division of labor as follows: 1) the Levites (23:1–32); 2) the priests (24:1–31); 3) the singers (25:1–31); 4) the gatekeepers (26:1–19); 5) the administrators (26:20–32); 6) the army (27:1–24); and 7) the leaders (27:25–34). Remember, the original readers of Chronicles were the Jews, who returned from exile in Babylon and were rebuilding the destroyed temple. This would remind them of what their fathers’ sin forfeited, and how inferior their new temple was.

  23:1 he made. For fuller narrative of Solomon’s coronation and the attempts to seize his throne, see 28, 29; 1 Kin. 1:1—2:9.

  23:3 thirty years and above. Numbers 4:3 establishes the age of recognized priests from 30 to 50 years of age. A 5 year apprenticeship began at 25 (cf. Num. 8:24), and in some cases 20 (1 Chr. 23:24, 27). This number, 38,000, is 4 times greater than the early census in Moses’ time (cf. Num. 4, 26).

  23:4 look after. The duties of these Levites are discussed in 1 Chr. 24. officers and judges. This particular function is covered in 1 Chr. 26:20–32.

  23:5 gatekeepers. First Chronicles 26:1–19 gives information on them. praised. First Chronicles 25 identifies and describes these musicians. which I made. David, a gifted musician, was not only the maker, but the inventor of musical instruments (cf. Amos 6:5).

  23:6 divisions. The Levites were divided among the 3 groups with distinct duties, just as they were in Moses’ day (Num. 3:14–37) and in Ezra’s day (1 Chr. 6:16–30). The family of Gershon (23:7–11), Kohath (23:12–20), and Merari (23:21–23) are each discussed.

  23:24, 27 twenty years. See note on 23:3.

  23:25–32 The duties of the non-priestly Levites are enumerated in their duties to provide the temple service in support of the priests who descended from Levi, through Kohath, through Aaron, through Eleazar and Ithamar (cf. 1 Chr. 6:1–3). The original duties of the 3 families are given specifically in Num. 3:25, 31, 36, 37.

  1 Chronicles 24

  24:1–31 The divisions and duties of the priests are outlined. Temple worship was carefully structured, without hindering the Holy Spirit or true worship (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40).

  24:1 Nadab, Abihu. Consult Lev. 10:1–3 for their disgrace and demise. Eleazar. The line of the High-Priest would be through Eleazar’s offspring in accord with the priestly covenant made by God with Phinehas (Num. 25:11–13).

  24:3 Zadok. See notes on 1 Chr. 6:8, 49–53. Ahimelech. This was the son of Abiathar whom Solomon released from his duties for siding with Adonijah (cf. 1 Kin. 1, 2) and the grandson of another Ahimelech, who was a priest killed by Saul (1 Sam. 22:11–18). Second Samuel 8:17 confirms the Zadok and Ahimelech high-priestly combination, one at Jerusalem where the ark was kept and the other at Gibeon serving the tabernacle. See note on 1 Chr. 15:11.

  24:4–19 Priesthood duties were divided up in David’s day into 24 divisions, 16 of Eleazar and 8 of Ithamar. The reasons Eleazar’s family had twice as many divisions were that: 1) he had received the birthright since his older brothers, Nadab and Abihu, had been killed (Lev. 10); 2) he had more descendants; and 3) his descendants had more leadership ability. These divisions each served for either 1) two week periods annually or, more likely, 2) a one month period every two years (cf. 27:1–15). These divisions appear again in Neh. 10:2–8; 12:1–7; 12:12–21. These divisions extended even into the time of Christ (cf. Luke 1:5–9).The rest of the time they ministered to people in their own hometowns.

  24:5 divided by lot. The ancient method of discerning God’s will (cf. Prov. 16:33; Acts. 1:26) was used to sort out all the duties, so that all cause for pride or jealousy was mitigated (cf. v. 31; 26:13).

  24:10 Abijah. The division of Zacharias, John the Baptist’s father (cf. Luke 1:5).

  1 Chronicles 25

  25:1–31 David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam. 23:1), established music as a central feature in the worship of God.

  25:1 the captains of the army. David relied on his mighty men for help (cf. 11:10). Asaph…Heman…Jeduthun. David’s 3 chief ministers of music (cf. 6:31–48). prophesy. This is not necessarily to be taken in a revelatory sense, but rather in the sense of proclamation and exhortation through the lyrics of their music (cf. 25:2, 3). Prophesying is not necessarily predicting the future or even speaking direct revelation. It is proclaiming truth (v. 5) to people (cf. 1 Cor. 14:3), and music is a vehicle for such proclamation in praise (v. 3). David and the leaders selected those most capable (v. 7) of leading the people to worship God through their music.

  25:5 seer. A term used to describe a prophet in that he knew and understood the ways and will of God.

  25:9–31 The musicians were divided up into 24 divisions (corresponding to that of the priests [24:4–18]) of 12 musicians each, for a total of 288. These would give leadership to the 4,000 instrumentalists (23:5).

  1 Chronicles 26

  26:1–19 Cf. 1 Chr. 9:17–27 for another discussion of the temple gatekeepers or guards as we would call them. They had other duties, such as checking out equipment and utensils; storing, ordering and maintaining food for the priests and sacrifices; caring for the temple furniture; mixing the incense daily burned; and accounting for gifts brought. Their “duties” (v. 12) are given in 1 Chr. 9:17–27.

  26:14 East Gate. The gate assignments were based on 4 geographical points. Cf. also N (26:14), S (26:15), and W (26:16).

  26:16 Shallecheth Gate. A gate assumed to be on the west side, but other details are unknown.

  26:18 Parbar. Probably a courtyard, extending westward. Verses 17, 18 indicate a total of 24 guards posted at all points of entrance and exit.

  26:20–32 This section lists miscellaneous administrative posts handled by the Levites, by those in Jerusalem (26:20–28), and by those outside (26:29–32).

  26:20 treasuries. The Levites watched over the store of valuables given to the LORD. This is a general reference to all the precious things committed to their trust, including contributions from David and the people, as well as war spoils given by triumphant soldiers (vv. 26, 27).

  26:29–32 officials and judges. There were 6,000 magistrates exercising judicial functions throughout the Land.

  26:31 fortieth year. The last year of David’s reign (ca. 971 B.C.).

  1 Chronicles 27

  27:1–34 First Chronicles 23–26 discusses spiritual leadership, while here the chronicler focuses on the civil aspects of David’s kingdom.

  27:1–15 This section enumerates the standing army of Israel (288,000 men), which had responsibility to guard the nation and temple. They were divided into 12 divisions, each of which served for one month during the year. When full war occurred, a larger force could be called into action (cf. 21:5).

  27:16–22 While 12 officers are named, the tribes of Asher and Gad are not mentioned for unknown reasons.

  27:23, 24 Here is further comment on the sinful census detailed in 1 Chr. 21:1–30. He didn’t try to number all Israelites because they were too many (cf. Gen. 28:14). Nor did he finish the census, being interrupted by guilt and judgment.

  27:24 the chronicles of King David. Daily records were kept of the king’s reign. None was kept of this calamity because the record was too painful.

  27:25–31 A summary of officials who looked over David’s various
agricultural assets.

  27:32–34 A summary of those whose duties kept them in close contact with the king (cf. 18:14–17), perhaps like a cabinet. When David’s son, Absalom, rebelled against him, Ahithophel betrayed David and joined the revolution. Hushan pretended loyalty to Absalom, and his advice caused Absalom’s death (cf. 2 Sam. 15:31—17:23).

  1 Chronicles 28

  28:1—29:20 A record is given of David’s last assembly in which the king charged Solomon and the people to build the temple for God’s glory. These final chapters present the transition from David to Solomon. The chronicler does not mention Adonijah’s conspiracy (1 Kin. 1:5–9) or David’s weakness (1 Kin. 1:1–4), but looks at the positive contribution of the Davidic kingdom.

  28:2–8 For the assembly’s sake, David testified to the Davidic Covenant originally given by God to him in 2 Sam. 7 (cf. 17:7–27; 22:6–16). David makes it clear that Solomon was God’s choice (v. 5) as had been frequently intimated (cf. 2 Sam. 12:24, 25; 1 Kin. 1:13), just as the coming Christ will be God’s chosen Son to ultimately fulfill the kingdom promise.

  28:8 Cf. Deut. 5:29, 33; 6:1–3.

  28:9–21 David turns his words to Solomon with 4 perspectives: 1) spiritual devotion (28:9, 10); 2) architectural execution (28:11–19); 3) divine intervention (28:20); and 4) human participation (28:21).

  28:9, 10 Cf. note on 22:11–13, 18, 19.

  28:18 the chariot. Using the imagery of Ps. 18:10, the cherubim are depicted as the vehicle in which God moves.

  28:19 in writing. David wrote down the plans under the Holy Spirit’s divine inspiration (non-canonical, written revelation). This divine privilege was much like that of Moses for the tabernacle (Ex. 25:9, 40; 27:8; Heb. 8:5).

  28:20, 21 Solomon’s associates in the building project were God, the owner and general contractor (28:20), plus the human work force (28:21).