Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
The expenses prepared by David for the construction of the temple are enumerated: likewise those which the princes and the people added to them. Then, in verse 22, Solomon is publicly anointed as king for the second time, and David, full of days and merits, dies.
Vulgate Text: 1 Paralipomenon 29:1-30
1. And King David spoke to the whole assembly: God has chosen Solomon my son, one who is still a boy and tender: for the work is great, since the dwelling is being prepared not for man, but for God. 2. And I with all my strength have prepared the expenses for the house of my God. Gold for vessels of gold, and silver for those of silver, bronze for those of bronze, iron for those of iron, wood for those of wood: and onyx stones, and stones like antimony, and of various colors, and every precious stone, and Parian marble in great abundance. 3. And besides these things which I have offered for the house of my God, from my private resources I give gold and silver for the temple of my God, apart from what I have prepared for the holy house. 4. Three thousand talents of gold from the gold of Ophir: and seven thousand talents of the finest silver, for gilding the walls of the temple. 5. And wherever gold is needed, let it be of gold, and wherever silver is needed, let it be of silver; let the works be made by the hands of craftsmen: and if anyone freely offers, let him fill his hand today and offer what he wishes to the Lord. 6. So the chiefs of the families and the nobles of the tribes of Israel pledged their offerings, as did the tribunes and centurions and the overseers of the king's possessions. 7. And they gave for the works of the house of God five thousand talents of gold and ten thousand solidi; ten thousand talents of silver, and eighteen thousand talents of bronze; also one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8. And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord, through the hand of Jahiel the Gershonite. 9. And the people rejoiced when they willingly made their pledges, because they were offering them to the Lord with their whole heart: and King David also rejoiced with great joy. 10. And he blessed the Lord before all the multitude, and said: Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel, our Father, from eternity to eternity. 11. Yours, O Lord, is the magnificence, and the power, and the glory, and the victory: and to You is praise: for all that is in heaven and on earth is Yours: Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are above all princes. 12. Yours are riches, and Yours is glory: You rule over all; in Your hand is power and might: in Your hand is greatness and dominion over all. 13. Now therefore, our God, we give thanks to You, and we praise Your glorious name. 14. Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to promise all these things to You? All things are Yours: and what we have received from Your hand, we have given to You. 15. For we are pilgrims before You, and strangers, as were all our fathers. Our days upon earth are like a shadow, and there is no delay. 16. O Lord our God, all this abundance which we have prepared so that a house might be built for Your holy name, is from Your hand, and all things are Yours. 17. I know, my God, that You test hearts and love simplicity, and therefore I in the simplicity of my heart have joyfully offered all these things: and I have seen Your people, who are here present, offer their gifts to You with great joy. 18. O Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever this will of their hearts; and let this mind always remain in reverence of You. 19. And to my son Solomon give a perfect heart, that he may keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your ceremonies, and do all things: and build the house for which I have prepared the expenses. 20. And David commanded the whole assembly: Bless the Lord our God. And all the assembly blessed the Lord God of their fathers: and they bowed down, and worshipped God, and then the king. 21. And they sacrificed victims to the Lord: and they offered holocausts the next day, a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs, with their libations, and with every rite, most abundantly for all Israel. 22. And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they anointed Solomon the son of David a second time. And they anointed him to the Lord as prince, and Sadoc as high priest. 23. And Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord as king in place of David his father, and it pleased all, and all Israel obeyed him. 24. And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons of King David gave their hand and were subject to King Solomon. 25. And the Lord magnified Solomon over all Israel: and gave him the glory of a kingdom such as no king of Israel had before him. 26. So David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27. And the days that he reigned over Israel were forty years: in Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 28. And he died in a good old age, full of days, and riches, and glory, and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29. Now the acts of King David, first and last, are written in the Book of Samuel the Seer, and in the Book of Nathan the Prophet, and in the volume of Gad the Seer: 30. and of all his reign, and his valor, and of the times that passed under him, whether in Israel or in all the kingdoms of the lands.
Verse 2: Like Antimony Stones
Verse 2. LIKE ANTIMONY STONES — that is, resembling antimony, with which women apply cosmetic coloring to their faces so as to appear more beautiful than they are. Hence in Hebrew it is 'stones of coloring,' which would create an illusion for those looking at them, so that there would appear in them wondrous and elegant forms of various things, which however were not really in them — such as those which are called Agates, in which the images of trees, birds, floating islands, and all sorts of things appear as if painted, which deceive even the most sharp-sighted, so that they truly believe those things exist therein. These then are the antimony or cosmetic stones, which create an illusion for the eyes and delude them with the images they represent.
AND PARIAN MARBLE — from Paros, one of the Cycladic islands, which is white and most excellent. 'Parian' is not in the Hebrew, but in the Septuagint and in our Vulgate, because this marble prepared by David for the temple of God was choice and of the finest quality, such as Parian marble is.
APART FROM WHAT I HAVE PREPARED FOR THE HOLY HOUSE — that is to say, besides those things which from the spoils of enemies and conquered kingdoms I have prepared and gathered for the construction of the temple, which amount to a hundred thousand talents of gold and a million talents of silver, as stated in chapter 22, verse 14, I additionally give from my private resources for the same construction of the house of my God those things which I have long since offered and pledged — namely three thousand talents of gold brought from Ophir, and therefore of the finest quality, etc.
Verse 5: Let Him Fill His Hand
Verse 5. LET HIM FILL HIS HAND — with gold and gifts which he generously wishes to offer to God for the construction of the temple.
Verse 6: The Overseers of the King's Possessions
Verse 6. THE OVERSEERS OF THE KING'S POSSESSIONS — namely the officers in charge of the vineyards, fields, herds, sheep, and other property of David.
Verse 17: In the Simplicity of My Heart
Verse 17. IN THE SIMPLICITY OF MY HEART I HAVE JOYFULLY OFFERED — The Hebrew has 'in the uprightness of heart.' The Septuagint has 'in justice.' That is to say: I have offered these things with a simple, that is, sincere, upright, and candid heart, and with the purest intention, looking to and intending nothing other than the honor and glory of God. For this is entirely fitting and just.
Verse 21: They Sacrificed Victims
Verse 21. AND THEY SACRIFICED VICTIMS — both holocausts and peace offerings, from which laypeople were permitted to eat and feast; hence from these all feasted. For it adds:
MOST ABUNDANTLY FOR ALL ISRAEL — that is to say, so many victims were amply sufficient that from them all the Israelites then present could feast sumptuously.
Verse 22: They Anointed Solomon a Second Time
Verse 22. AND THEY ANOINTED SOLOMON A SECOND TIME — for previously he had been anointed privately in the presence of a few, 3 Kings chapter 1, verse 39; here therefore he is anointed a second time publicly, so that all may know that he is the king of Israel, and may reverence and honor him as such. For this reason David assembled the whole people, so that Solomon might be anointed again in the presence of all Israel and with their approval.
AND SADOC AS HIGH PRIEST — Because Sadoc had been designated as High Priest by Saul, while Abiathar, succeeding Achitob and Eli as high priests, had exercised the pontificate under David; hence some who were enemies of Saul and followers of David did not want to accept Sadoc as High Priest. Therefore David commands that he be anointed as High Priest, so that all may accept and honor him as such. For David did not wish to deprive Sadoc of his rank, which he had held under Saul for so many years, and which was due to him by right, because he was of the descendants of Eleazar, who was the firstborn of Aaron, and therefore his successor in the pontificate.