1 Chronicles 22 — Building from Rest
From fire to foundations Yesterday we stood with David on Ornan’s threshing floor, where judgment was halted and mercy fell like fire (1 Chronicles 21). Today that scar becomes a cornerstone. “Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel” (1 Chronicles 22:1, English Standard Version). The Chronicler wants us to feel continuity: the place where wrath was turned aside becomes the place where worship will rise. Later he will name it Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), echoing Abraham and Isaac. One site, three mercies.
Preparing for a work you will not finish David knows he will not build; he will prepare. He gathers stonecutters, iron and bronze “in abundance,” cedar from Tyre and Sidon, and organizes skilled labor (1 Chronicles 22:2–5). Archaeology helps us picture this: Phoenician cedar and cypress were famed; timber rafts came down the coast to Joppa (cf. 2 Chronicles 2:16). Copper and bronze were smelted along the Arabah; iron smelting sites dot the Shephelah. David’s ledger reads like a royal project list of the ancient Near East—except the king dedicates it not to his ego but to God.
A note that Western readers might miss: the “resident aliens” (Hebrew: gerim) conscripted for the heavy work (1 Chronicles 22:2) occupied a marginal social slot—non-Israelites living under Israel’s law. Their labor echoes the region’s standard building practice, yet it also hints at the nations’ gifts flowing toward the worship of Israel’s God (cf. Isaiah 60). The Chronicler keeps both in view: realism about empire-scale projects and a quiet mission note—outsiders helping build a house of prayer for all peoples (Isaiah 56:7).
A house built from rest David’s speech to Solomon is the heartwood of the chapter. “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced… the house must be magnificent” (1 Chronicles 22:5). He explains why he himself cannot build: his life has been marked by wars and bloodshed (22:8–9). It is not that David’s battles were immoral; God sent him. But the theology of the temple is different: it will be a sign of shalom. God promises Solomon—whose name (Shelomoh) echoes shalom—“I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days… he shall build a house for my name” (22:9–10, New International Version). Note the paired words: menuchah (rest) and shalom (peace). The house is to rise from rest, not conquest.
Augustine and other early teachers saw here a figure: David as the church militant, struggling through this age; Solomon as the church at rest, or more deeply, Christ the Prince of Peace whose kingdom is built not by the sword but by the cross. The point is not to despise necessary conflict with evil, but to insist that worship is founded on reconciliation. Our most enduring work for God grows out of peace with God (Romans 5:1), not anxiety and striving.
Wisdom, law, and courage David’s charge to Solomon centers on three gifts: wisdom, the Law, and courage. “Only, may the Lord give you discretion and understanding… Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws” (1 Chronicles 22:12–13, New International Version). The verb “to have success” (Hebrew: sakal) often means to act wisely; prosperity flows from attention to God’s Word. Then David adds Joshua’s old refrain: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged” (22:13). The Chronicler is weaving Israel’s story together: Moses’ Torah, Joshua’s courage, David’s devotion—all handed to Solomon to build the house.
There is a small, tender phrase worth savoring: David calls Solomon na’ar rak—“young and tender” (22:5). It is honest. Leadership passes to imperfect hands. The answer is not to delay forever but to prepare thoroughly and entrust confidently. David does both.
Leaders, people, and a shared yoke David turns to the commanders and officials: “Is not the Lord your God with you?… Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build” (1 Chronicles 22:18–19, New International Version). Temple-building is corporate. No king, pastor, or visionary builds alone. The repeated Chronicler word here is kun—prepare/establish. David prepares materials; God establishes the work; the people prepare their hearts. Establishment outside must be matched by establishment inside.
Christ the true temple—and our part As we’ve traced throughout this book, the temple is a signpost. Jesus speaks of “the temple of his body” (John 2:21). By his death and resurrection the place of sacrifice becomes a person, and then a people: “In him the whole building is joined together… and in him you too are being built together” (Ephesians 2:21–22, New International Version; cf. 1 Peter 2:5). In other words, 1 Chronicles 22 still speaks. We prepare, give, and serve so that the living temple—the church—may be strong, beautiful, and hospitable to the nations. We build from rest: forgiveness received, enmity ended, a steady courage rooted in the Word.
Historical voices have read this chapter as a call to ordered love: the active life (David) serves the contemplative life (Solomon), so that worship and communion can flourish. Calvin emphasizes the moral lesson: zeal alone is not authorization; God assigns tasks to different seasons and hands. The Chronicler himself keeps pointing forward: David’s “house” (2 Samuel 7) and God’s house move together until they meet in Christ.
Practices for today - Prepare what others will use. Kingdom work often outlives us. Stock the lumberyard. - Seek God’s wisdom before you pick up a tool. Success is wise obedience, not mere outcomes. - Build from rest. Reconciliation first; then strategy. - Welcome the nations’ gifts. Expect outsiders to become co-laborers in God’s house.
Suggested cross-references - Promise and builder: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Kings 5–8 - The site and its meaning: 2 Chronicles 3:1; Psalm 132:7–8 - Build from rest: Psalm 127 (A Song of Solomon) - The living temple: John 2:19–22; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:4–9 - Courage and law: Joshua 1:7–9; Psalm 1
A Hebrew note - Shelomoh (Solomon) from shalom: peace/wholeness. The builder’s name is the mission. - Menuchah: rest, settling; the temple as God’s “resting place” (Psalm 132:8). - Kun: to prepare/establish; David “prepares,” God “establishes”—human diligence under divine stability.
A hymn to carry the theme - “The Church’s One Foundation” (Samuel J. Stone). Christ the true builder, one people from all nations.
Prayer Lord of peace, establish our hearts in your rest. Give us wisdom to prepare faithfully, courage to obey your Word, and humility to entrust the future to hands younger than ours. Make us living stones, joined to Christ, for a house that welcomes the nations. Strengthen our leaders, steady our labors, and let your beauty fill your church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Narrated version of this devotional on 1 Chronicles Chapter 22