1 Chronicles 28 in Hebrew & English

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Tenakh Study · Read 1 Chronicles in Hebrew and English, one chapter per page. Our Tenakh study meets every Wednesday at 7 pm (Central Time) on Zoom. Text us for the Zoom link. Our Messianic Jewish notes appear below each passage; tap Commentary above to hide them. The full commentary on this chapter is on our 1 Chronicles commentary page.

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Tenakh Study · 1 Chronicles 28:1–21

1 Chronicles, Chapter 28

דברי הימים א כח

David gathers the leaders of Israel to Yerushalayim and tells them that Hashem chose Shlomo to build the house he was not allowed to build; he charges the assembly and Shlomo to keep the commandments, and gives Shlomo the pattern of the house of Hashem, its courts, treasuries and vessels, and the courses of the priests and Levi’im.

28:1And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).

אוַיַּקְהֵ֣ל דָּוִ֣יד אֶת־כָּל־שָׂרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל שָׂרֵ֣י הַשְּׁבָטִ֣ים וְשָׂרֵ֣י הַמַּחְלְק֣וֹת הַמְשָׁרְתִ֪ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֟לֶךְ וְשָׂרֵ֣י הָאֲלָפִ֣ים וְשָׂרֵ֣י הַמֵּא֡וֹת וְשָׂרֵ֣י כָל־רְכוּשׁ־וּמִקְנֶה֩ ׀ לַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וּלְבָנָ֜יו עִם־הַסָּרִיסִ֧ים וְהַגִּבּוֹרִ֛ים וּֽלְכָל־גִּבּ֥וֹר חָ֖יִל אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

David speaks to the assembly

28:2Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, “Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Hashem, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:

בוַיָּ֨קָם דָּוִ֤יד הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ עַל־רַגְלָ֔יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שְׁמָע֖וּנִי אַחַ֣י וְעַמִּ֑י אֲנִ֣י עִם־לְבָבִ֡י לִבְנוֹת֩ בֵּ֨ית מְנוּחָ֜ה לַאֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֗ה וְלַהֲדֹם֙ רַגְלֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ וַהֲכִינ֖וֹתִי לִבְנֽוֹת׃

28:3But God said unto me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war, and have shed blood.’

גוְהָאֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֣מַר לִ֔י לֹא־תִבְנֶ֥ה בַ֖יִת לִשְׁמִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֧ישׁ מִלְחָמ֛וֹת אַ֖תָּה וְדָמִ֥ים שָׁפָֽכְתָּ׃

28:4Howbeit Hashem God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for He has chosen Yehudah (Judah) to be the ruler; and of the house of Yehudah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father He liked me to make me king over all Israel:

דוַיִּבְחַ֡ר יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵי֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל בִּ֜י מִכֹּ֣ל בֵּית־אָבִ֗י לִהְי֨וֹת לְמֶ֤לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְעוֹלָ֔ם כִּ֤י בִֽיהוּדָה֙ בָּחַ֣ר לְנָגִ֔יד וּבְבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וּבִבְנֵ֣י אָבִ֔י בִּ֣י רָצָ֔ה לְהַמְלִ֖יךְ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

28:5And of all my sons, (for Hashem has given me many sons,) He has chosen Shlomo (Solomon) my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Hashem over Israel.

הוּמִכָּ֨ל־בָּנַ֔י כִּ֚י רַבִּ֣ים בָּנִ֔ים נָ֥תַן לִ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּבְחַר֙ בִּשְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנִ֔י לָשֶׁ֗בֶת עַל־כִּסֵּ֛א מַלְכ֥וּת יְהוָ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

28:6And He said unto me, ‘Shlomo your son, he shall build My house and My courts: for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father.

ווַיֹּ֣אמֶר לִ֔י שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בִנְךָ֔ הֽוּא־יִבְנֶ֥ה בֵיתִ֖י וַחֲצֵרוֹתָ֑י כִּי־בָחַ֨רְתִּי ב֥וֹ לִי֙ לְבֵ֔ן וַאֲנִ֖י אֶֽהְיֶה־לּ֥וֹ לְאָֽב׃

28:7Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day.’

זוַהֲכִינוֹתִ֥י אֶת־מַלְכוּת֖וֹ עַד־לְעוֹלָ֑ם אִם־יֶחֱזַ֗ק לַעֲשׂ֛וֹת מִצְוֺתַ֥י וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

28:8Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of Hashem, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of Hashem your God: that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

חוְ֠עַתָּה לְעֵינֵ֨י כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל קְהַל־יְהוָה֙ וּבְאָזְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ שִׁמְר֣וּ וְדִרְשׁ֔וּ כָּל־מִצְוֺ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽירְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה וְהִנְחַלְתֶּ֛ם לִבְנֵיכֶ֥ם אַחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

Commentary · 28:1–8

“Hear me, my brethren, and my people”

“And David assembled,” וַיַּקְהֵל (vayakhel), is the word that opens the building of the Mishkan: “And Moshe gathered all the congregation” (Exodus 35:1). The Chronicler wants us to hear Moshe in David’s voice: each gathers Israel to build from a pattern, neither finishes the work himself, and each charges his successor to “be strong and of good courage.”

Hashem’s choice runs down four steps: Yehudah, the house of David’s father, David, Shlomo (28:4–5), the genealogies of chapters 1–9 in one sentence. Hebrew lesson: כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּת יְהוָה (kisei malchut Hashem), “the throne of the kingdom of Hashem.” The Chronicler writes for a community with no king and tells them the kingdom never belonged to David’s house; Hashem gives it to David’s sons to hold for Him. That is why the hope for a son of David outlived the exile.

“I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father” (28:6) is 2 Samuel 7:14 with a name attached. Rabbi Palvanov, in “Understanding Mashiach ben Yosef”: “I specifically chose King Solomon to be my son… that’s what son means.” Our Statement of Faith calls Yeshua “the chosen and anointed King” and reads Son the same way: a royal title of choice, used of Israel, of Shlomo and of the King Messiah, and it never makes the son into the Father who chose him. The promise to one king has a condition, “if he be constant to do My commandments” (28:7), and the Chronicler, who knows how Shlomo’s story ends, lets the “if” stand.

Read more in the full commentary →

David’s charge to Shlomo

28:9And you, Shlomo my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for Hashem searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek Him, He will be found of you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off for ever.

טוְאַתָּ֣ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה־בְנִ֡י דַּע֩ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֨י אָבִ֜יךָ וְעָבְדֵ֗הוּ בְּלֵ֤ב שָׁלֵם֙ וּבְנֶ֣פֶשׁ חֲפֵצָ֔ה כִּ֤י כָל־לְבָבוֹת֙ דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה וְכָל־יֵ֥צֶר מַחֲשָׁב֖וֹת מֵבִ֑ין אִֽם־תִּדְרְשֶׁ֨נּוּ֙ יִמָּ֣צֵא לָ֔ךְ וְאִם־תַּֽעַזְבֶ֖נּוּ יַזְנִיחֲךָ֥ לָעַֽד׃

28:10Take heed now; for Hashem has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.”

ירְאֵ֣ה ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּֽי־יְהוָ֛ה בָּ֧חַר בְּךָ֛ לִבְנֽוֹת־בַּ֥יִת לַמִּקְדָּ֖שׁ חֲזַ֥ק וַעֲשֵֽׂה׃

Commentary · 28:9–10

“Know the God of your father”

David’s last charge to his son is not about cedar or gold. It is about the heart, because the One the House is for sees the heart. This is the verse our Statement of Faith quotes under its tenth principle: “Hashem searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts.”

Three words. דַּע (da), “know”: not “know about,” but the closest knowledge there is. לֵב שָׁלֵם (lev shalem), “a perfect heart,” better “a whole heart,” the root of shalom and of Shlomo himself. David tells his son to be what his name says, and Kings will measure him by this very word: “his heart was not perfect with Hashem his God, as was the heart of David his father” (1 Kings 11:4). And נֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה (nefesh chafetzah), “a willing mind,” a soul that delights. Service without delight is labor; with delight it is worship.

Hashem searches all hearts, and in the next clause the same verb turns round: “if you seek Him, He will be found of you.” The two searches meet (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7). Nothing hidden can be held against us later, because nothing was ever hidden. Our Statement of Faith is careful here: Hashem alone knows all hearts by His own nature, and when Yeshua “knew their thoughts” (Matthew 12:25) it was insight given by the Father. David does not tell Shlomo that the king will see hearts. He tells him that Hashem sees the king’s.

Read more in the full commentary →

The pattern of the house

28:11Then David gave to Shlomo his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

יאוַיִּתֵּ֣ן דָּוִ֣יד לִשְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנ֡וֹ אֶת־תַּבְנִ֣ית הָאוּלָם֩ וְֽאֶת־בָּ֨תָּ֜יו וְגַנְזַכָּ֧יו וַעֲלִיֹּתָ֛יו וַחֲדָרָ֥יו הַפְּנִימִ֖ים וּבֵ֥ית הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃

28:12And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of Hashem, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

יבוְתַבְנִ֗ית כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה בָר֨וּחַ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ לְחַצְר֧וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֛ה וּלְכָל־הַלְּשָׁכ֖וֹת סָבִ֑יב לְאֹֽצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּלְאֹצְר֖וֹת הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

28:13Also for the courses of the priests and the Levi’im (Levites), and for all the work of the service of the house of Hashem, and for all the vessels of service in the house of Hashem.

יגוּֽלְמַחְלְקוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם וּֽלְכָל־מְלֶ֖אכֶת עֲבוֹדַ֣ת בֵּית־יְהוָ֑ה וּֽלְכָל־כְּלֵ֖י עֲבוֹדַ֥ת בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃

28:14He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

ידלַזָּהָ֤ב בַּמִּשְׁקָל֙ לַזָּהָ֔ב לְכָל־כְּלֵ֖י עֲבוֹדָ֣ה וַעֲבוֹדָ֑ה לְכֹ֨ל כְּלֵ֤י הַכֶּ֨סֶף֙ בְּמִשְׁקָ֔ל לְכָל־כְּלֵ֖י עֲבוֹדָ֥ה וַעֲבוֹדָֽה׃

28:15Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.

טווּמִשְׁקָ֞ל לִמְנֹר֣וֹת הַזָּהָ֗ב וְנֵרֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ זָהָ֔ב בְּמִשְׁקַל־מְנוֹרָ֥ה וּמְנוֹרָ֖ה וְנֵרֹתֶ֑יהָ וְלִמְנֹר֨וֹת הַכֶּ֤סֶף בְּמִשְׁקָל֙ לִמְנוֹרָ֣ה וְנֵרֹתֶ֔יהָ כַּעֲבוֹדַ֖ת מְנוֹרָ֥ה וּמְנוֹרָֽה׃

28:16And by weight he gave gold for the tables of showbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:

טזוְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֥ב מִשְׁקָ֛ל לְשֻׁלְחֲנ֥וֹת הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֖כֶת לְשֻׁלְחַ֣ן וְשֻׁלְחָ֑ן וְכֶ֖סֶף לְשֻׁלְחֲנ֥וֹת הַכָּֽסֶף׃

28:17Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basins he gave gold by weight for every basin; and likewise silver by weight for every basin of silver:

יזוְהַמִּזְלָג֧וֹת וְהַמִּזְרָק֛וֹת וְהַקְּשָׂוֺ֖ת זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר וְלִכְפוֹרֵ֨י הַזָּהָ֤ב בְּמִשְׁקָל֙ לִכְפ֣וֹר וּכְפ֔וֹר וְלִכְפוֹרֵ֥י הַכֶּ֛סֶף בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל לִכְפ֥וֹר וּכְפֽוֹר׃

28:18And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of Hashem.

יחוּלְמִזְבַּ֧ח הַקְּטֹ֛רֶת זָהָ֥ב מְזֻקָּ֖ק בַּמִּשְׁקָ֑ל וּלְתַבְנִ֣ית הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה הַכְּרֻבִ֤ים זָהָב֙ לְפֹ֣רְשִׂ֔ים וְסֹכְכִ֖ים עַל־אֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָֽה׃

28:19“All this,” said David, “Hashem made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.”

יטהַכֹּ֥ל בִּכְתָ֛ב מִיַּ֥ד יְהוָ֖ה עָלַ֣י הִשְׂכִּ֑יל כֹּ֖ל מַלְאֲכ֥וֹת הַתַּבְנִֽית׃

Commentary · 28:11–19

The pattern written by His hand

Hebrew lesson: תַּבְנִית (tavnit), “pattern.” The word comes from בָּנָה (banah), “to build”: a tavnit is a build-plan. It is the word of Exodus 25: “according to the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall you make it” (Exodus 25:9; also 25:40). Moshe received a tavnit on Sinai; David hands Shlomo a tavnit in Yerushalayim. Notice the plurals, “candlesticks” and “tables”: the Mishkan had one of each, Shlomo’s House ten (1 Kings 7:49; 2 Chronicles 4:8). The pattern is the same; the scale is greater. And it was given, and given in writing: “Hashem made me understand in writing by His hand upon me” (28:19).

The Jerusalem Talmud reads this verse as the end of a chain: the scroll of the Temple was given to Moshe, Moshe gave it to Yehoshua, Yehoshua to the elders, the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to David, who gave it to Shlomo (Megillah 1:1). Rashi brings the same tradition, with Shmuel handing it to David. The sages will not let the Temple be an invention. FFOZ reads Exodus 25:9 the same way: “Jewish teaching explains that God showed Moses the heavenly Sanctuary and instructed him to build the Tabernacle and its furnishings as ‘a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things’ (Hebrews 8:5)” (End of Days, Lesson 19, “Banner on a Mountain”).

Messianic reading. Hebrews 8:5 says the earthly priests “serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” We do not read Hebrews as the end of the earthly House. A copy of a heavenly thing is honored, not discarded. The pattern stands in heaven and on earth, until John’s vision brings the two together: the holy city coming “down from God out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2).

Read more in the full commentary →

Be strong and do it

28:20And David said to Shlomo his son, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for Hashem God, even my God, will be with you; He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of Hashem.

כוַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜יד לִשְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנ֗וֹ חֲזַ֤ק וֶאֱמַץ֙ וַעֲשֵׂ֔ה אַל־תִּירָ֖א וְאַל־תֵּחָ֑ת כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֤ים אֱלֹהַי֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֤א יַרְפְּךָ֙ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֔ךָּ עַד־לִכְל֕וֹת כָּל־מְלֶ֖אכֶת עֲבוֹדַ֥ת בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃

28:21And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levi’im, even they shall be with you for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with you for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at your commandment.”

כאוְהִנֵּ֗ה מַחְלְקוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם לְכָל־עֲבוֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעִמְּךָ֙ בְכָל־מְלָאכָ֜ה לְכָל־נָדִ֤יב בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ לְכָל־עֲבוֹדָ֔ה וְהַשָּׂרִ֥ים וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם לְכָל־דְּבָרֶֽיךָ׃

Commentary · 28:20–21

“Be strong and of good courage”

Every phrase is Moshe to Yehoshua: “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not… He will not fail you, nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6–8; Joshua 1:5–9). The Hebrew is word for word: חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ… לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ. Yehoshua’s task was to bring Israel into the land; Shlomo’s is to bring Hashem’s House into the land. Each is told the work is bigger than he is, and that Hashem will not let go until it is done. David adds one phrase Moshe did not: “even my God.” Verse 9 asked Shlomo to know the God of his father; verse 20 promises that the God of his father will be with him.

Then the practical word: the courses are ready, and so is “every willing skilful man” (28:21), the willing and wise of Exodus 35. Hebrews gives Shlomo’s promise to every believer, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), and Yeshua closed his commission with it: “lo, I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). The one who gives the work gives the presence that finishes it.

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Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers: Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 5, 6 and 12; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. The notes here are short versions of our full 1 Chronicles commentary, which is a draft for our teachers to review. They are shown by default; tap Commentary to hide them.
Quiz: Written by Benei Avraham for young readers (about 11 and up). Every answer is in the chapter on this page. Answers and scores are kept only in this browser (local storage) and can be cleared with Start over.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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1 Chronicles 28 (Divrei HaYamim Alef) in Hebrew and English

1 Chronicles, Chapter 28

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Sources & method