Even before the Israelites had entered the land of Canaan, let alone won any battles against its inhabitants, Moses had anticipated a time when the Israelites would be securely established in the land and God would grant them “rest from all your enemies around you” (Deuteronomy 12:10). At that time, all Israel would worship God at “the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name” (v. 11): sacrifices would be offered there, and tithes brought there—and nowhere else (vv. 13–14). Only when Israel had “rest” in the land would it be appropriate to think of building a dwelling place for God.

This pair of themes (rest in the land; a place of worship for the tribes) unites the entire account of David in 1 Chronicles 11–29. Everything in these chapters describes either (i) David’s rise to power and the battles he fought that gave Israel “rest” from their enemies, or (ii) preparations for the building of a temple where God would dwell among His people. Certainly, both subjects are front and centre in today’s text.

The site for the temple has been identified (1 Chronicles 22:1) and Solomon is commissioned to build it (v. 6). From this point on in 1 Chronicles, the focus starts to shift from David to Solomon: verse 5 is the first reference to David’s coming death.

The temple must be a magnificent building that will convey the Lord’s glory to the nations (v. 5). But David is not permitted to build it because of the battles he has fought, even though these battles had made possible the “rest” which was a precondition for temple building: “You have shed much blood and have fought many wars” (v. 8).

This is not a condemnation of David; on the contrary, it was God who enabled him to defeat Israel’s enemies (14:17; 18:13). But the Lord is fundamentally a God of life: it is “symbolically inappropriate” for David the warrior to build the temple.⁷ That will be the task of the one who will inherit the “peace and quiet” won by David (22:9). Note how the “offspring” of 17:11–12 is now identified as Solomon.

Though he cannot build the temple, David does all he can to encourage his “young and inexperienced” son, amassing construction materials (22:2–4, 14), encouraging Solomon to be “strong and courageous” (vv. 11–13), and urging Israel’s leaders to seek God and help Solomon in the task of building (vv. 17–19). Both David and Solomon thus play their part in the construction of the temple.

David’s charge to Solomon restates God’s promise that David’s kingdom will be established forever (v. 10). He assures his son of God’s presence (v. 11) and prays that God will grant him discernment, so that he will follow Moses’ teaching (vv. 12–13). David’s charge echoes God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:1–9), surely intentionally: what Joshua began as he led the Israelites into the land will at last be completed when Solomon builds a temple for Israel’s God.

See also 1 Kings 2:1–10; 3:7; 5:3–4.

⁷ J. Goldingay, 1 and 2 Chronicles for Everyone (London: SPCK, 2012), 62.