The big picture
1 Chronicles 29 opens in verse 1 with “Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on…”, and closes in verse 30 with “With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, David, Israel, king, gold. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Chronicles · King James Version · 301 Chronicles 29:1-8
1–8: Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my…
1 Chronicles 29:1–8 opens with “Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath…” and reaches “And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 29 develops its own movement around LORD, David, Israel, king, gold, with particular weight carried by gold, silver, house.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young…” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver…” Naming Moreover keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten…” The number five makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Chronicles 29:1-8
King James Version1Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.
2Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
3Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,
4Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:
5The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD ?
6Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly,
7And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
8And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD , by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
1 Chronicles 29:9-16
9–16: The people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with…
1 Chronicles 29:9–16 opens with “Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they…” and reaches “O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 29 develops its own movement around LORD, David, Israel, king, gold, with particular weight carried by LORD, David, hand.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the…” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thine, O LORD , is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in…” Naming Thine keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
1 Chronicles 29:9-16
King James Version9Then 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.
10Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11Thine, O LORD , is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD , and thou art exalted as head above all.
12Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
13Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
14But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
15For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
16O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
1 Chronicles 29:17-24
17–24: I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in…
1 Chronicles 29:17–24 opens with “I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in…” and reaches “And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 29 develops its own movement around LORD, David, Israel, king, gold, with particular weight carried by LORD, heart, king.
Context that brings the passage to life
“I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do…” Naming Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD , and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD , on the morrow after that…” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed…” Naming David and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 29:17-24
King James Version17I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
18O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
19And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.
20And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD , and the king.
21And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD , and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD , on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:
22And did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.
23Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.
24And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.
1 Chronicles 29:25-30
25–30: The LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and…
1 Chronicles 29:25–30 opens with “And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him…” and reaches “With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 29 develops its own movement around LORD, David, Israel, king, gold, with particular weight carried by Israel, reigned, book.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had…” Naming Israel and Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.” Naming David and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 29:25-30
King James Version25And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
26Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
27And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
28And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
29Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
30With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Chronicles 29:1 begins with “Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for…”
Where the chapter turns
1 Chronicles 29:14 forms a natural hinge: “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we…”
The final note
1 Chronicles 29:30 leaves the reader with “With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, David, Israel, king, gold, house help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Laban's deception echo Jacob's earlier conduct?
An older and younger sibling are exchanged through a disguised identity, with family custom used to justify the outcome.
What changes when the narrator follows Leah?
Readers hear the pain of the less-loved woman and God's attention to her.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.