princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly; and gave for the service of the house of God, of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drachms, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron; and they with whom precious stones were found gave them.… Then the people rejoiced for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord, and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation, and David said, Blessed art thou Lord God of Israel, our Father, for ever and ever—as for me, in the uprightness of my heart, I have willingly offered all these things, and now I have seen with joy thy people which are present here to offer willingly unto Thee." Such were the fruits of love, and such the joy with which it filled the hearts of those who offered willingly of their own, both from the public and the private stores. But although they should have built the house of God of beaten gold, from the foundation to the roof, they could not have rejoiced thus, if, instead of giving liberally of their own out of the abundance wherewith God had blessed them, (for at that only period of their history the Jews were like us a mart of nations, flourishing by trade and commerce) they
