Page:03.BCOT.KD.HistoricalBooks.B.vol.3.LaterProphets.djvu/316

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the king rejoiced over this willingness to give. שׁלם בּלב, as in 1Ch 28:9.

Verses 10-11

1Ch 29:10-11David's thanksgiving prayer. - David gives fitting expression to his joy on the success of the deepest wish of his heart, in a prayer with which he closes the last parliament of his reign. Since according to the divine decree, not he, the man of war, but his son, the peace-king Solomon, was to build a temple to the Lord, David had taken it upon himself to prepare as far as possible for the carrying out of the work. He had also found the princes and chiefs of the people willing to further it, and to assist his son Solomon in it. In this the pious and grey-haired servant of the Lord saw a special proof of the divine favour, for which he must thank God the Lord before the whole congregation. He praises Jahve, “the God of Israel our father,” 1Ch 29:10, or, as it is in 1Ch 29:18, “the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, our fathers.” Jahve had clearly revealed himself to David and his people as the God of Israel and of the patriarchs, by fulfilling in so glorious a manner to the people of Israel, by David, the promises made to the patriarchs. God the Lord had not only by David made His people great and powerful, and secured to them the peaceful possession of the good land, by humbling all their enemies round about, but He had also awakened in the heart of the people such love to and trust in their God, that the assembled dignitaries of the kingdom showed themselves perfectly willing to assist in furthering the building of the house of God. In this God had revealed His greatness, power, glory, etc., as David (in 1Ch 29:11, 1Ch 29:12) acknowledges with praise: “Thine, Jahve, is the greatness,” etc. הנּצח, according to the Aramaic usage, gloria, splendour, honour. כל כּי, yea all, still dependent on לך at the commencement of the sentence, so that we do not need to supply לך after כּי. “Thine is the dominion, and the raising of oneself to be head over all.” In His ממלכה God reveals His greatness, might, glory, etc. ממנשּׂא is not a participle requiring אתּה, “thou art,” to be supplied (Berth.), but an appellative, an Aramaic infinitive, - the raising oneself (Ew. §160, e).

Verse 12

1Ch 29:12 “From Thee came the riches and the glory ..., and in Thy hand is it (it lies) to make all things great and strong.”

Verse 13


For this we must thank God, and sing praise to His holy name. By the partic. מודים, from הודה, confess, praise, the praising of God is characterized as an enduring praise, always rising anew.

Verse 14


For man of himself