states what he has resolved to give in addition from his private resources (1Ch 29:4); and finally, after this introduction, calls upon those present to make a voluntary collection for this great work (1Ch 29:5). The words, “as only one hath God chosen him,” form a parenthesis, which is to be translated as a relative sentence for “my son, whom alone God hath chosen.” ורך נער as in 1Ch 22:5. The work is great, because not for man the palace, scil. is intended, i.e., shall be built, but for Jahve God. הבּירה, the citadel, the palace; a later word, generally used of the residence of the Persian king (Est 1:2, Est 1:5; Est 2:3; Neh 1:1), only in Neh 2:8 of the citadel by the temple; here transferred to the temple as the glorious palace of Jahve, the God-king of Israel. With 1Ch 29:2, cf. 1Ch 22:14. וגו לזּהב הזּהב, the gold for the golden, etc., i.e., for the vessels and ornaments of gold, cf. 1Ch 28:14. וּמלּוּאים שׁהם אבני as in Exo 25:7; Exo 35:9, precious stones for the ephod and choshen. שׁהם, probably beryl. מּלּוּאים אבני, stones of filling, that is, precious stones which are put in settings. פּוּך אבני, stones of pigment, i.e., ornament, conjecturally precious stones which, from their black colour, were in appearance like פּוּך, stibium, a common eye pigment (see 2Ki 9:30). רקמה אבני, stones of variegated colour, i.e., with veins of different colours. יקרה אבן, precious stones, according to 2Ch 3:6, for ornamenting the walls. שׁישׁ אבני, white marble stones.
Verse 3
1Ch 29:3 “And moreover, because I have pleasure in the house of my God, there is to me a treasure of gold and silver; it have I appointed for the house of my God over and above all that...” הכינותי with כּל without the relative, cf. 1Ch 15:12.
Verse 4
Gold 3000 talents, i.e., about 13 1/2, or, reckoning according to the royal shekel, 6 3/4 millions of pounds; 7000 talents of silver, circa 2 1/2 or 1 1/4 millions of pounds: see on 1Ch 22:14. Gold of Ophir, i.e., the finest, best gold, corresponding to the pure silver. לטוּח, to overlay the inner walls of the houses with gold and silver leaf. הבּתים as in 1Ch 28:11, the different buildings of the temple. The walls of the holy place and of the most holy, of the porch and of the upper chambers, were overlaid with gold (cf. 2Ch 3:4-6, 2Ch 3:8-9), and probably only the inner walls of the side buildings.
Verse 5
1Ch 29:5 לזּהב לזּהב, for every golden thing, etc., cf. 1Ch 29:2. וּלכל־מלאכה, and in general for every work to be wrought by the hands of the artificer. וּמי, who then is willing (uw expressing it as the consequence). To fill one's hand to the Lord, means to provide oneself with something which one brings to the Lord; see on [[Bible_(King_James)/Exodus|Exo 32:
