1 Chronicles 29:23

These verses bring king Solomon to his throne and king David to his grave. Thus the rising generation thrusts out that which went before, and says, "Make room for us." Every one has his day.

I. Here is Solomon rising (Ch1 29:23): Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. Not his throne which he prepared in the heavens, but the throne of Israel is called the throne of the Lord because not only is he King of all nations, and all kings rule under him, but he was in a peculiar manner King of Israel, Sa1 12:12. He had the founding, he had the filling, of their throne, by immediate direction. The municipal laws of their kingdom were divine. Urim and prophets were the privy counsellors of their princes; therefore is their throne called the throne of the Lord. Solomon's kingdom typified the kingdom of the Messiah, and his is indeed the throne of the Lord; for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to him; hence he calls him his King, Psa 2:6. Being set on the throne of the Lord, the throne to which God called him, he prospered. Those that follow the divine guidance may expect success by the divine blessing. Solomon prospered; for, 1. His people paid honour to him, as one to whom honour is due: All Israel obeyed him, that is, were ready to swear allegiance to him (Ch1 29:23), the princes and mighty men, and even the sons of David, though by seniority their title to the crown was prior to his, and they might think themselves wronged by his advancement. God thought fit to make him king, and made him fit to be so, and therefore they all submitted themselves to him. God inclined their hearts to do so, that his reign might, from the first, be peaceable. His father was a better man than he, and yet came to the crown with much difficulty, after long delay, and by many and slow steps. David had more faith, and therefore had it more tried. They submitted themselves (Heb. They gave the hand under Solomon), that is, bound themselves by oath to be true to him (putting the hand under the thigh was a ceremony anciently used in swearing); or they were so entirely devoted that they would put their hand under his feet to serve him. 2. God put honour upon him; for those that honour him he will honour: The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly, Ch1 29:25. His very countenance and presence, I am apt to think, had something in them very great and awful. All he said and all he did commanded respect. None of all the judges or kings of Israel, his predecessors, made such a figure as he did nor lived in such splendour.

II. Here is David's setting, that great man going off the stage. The historian here brings him to the end of his day, leaves him asleep, and draws the curtains about him.

1. He gives a summary account of the years of his reign, Ch1 29:26, Ch1 29:27. He reigned forty years, as did Moses, Othniel, Deborah, Gideon, Eli, Samuel, and Saul, who were before him, and Solomon after him.

2. He gives a short account of his death (Ch1 29:28), that he died full of days, riches, and honour; that is, (1.) Loaded with them. He was very old, and very rich, and very much honoured both of God and man. He had been a man of war from his youth, and, as such, had his soul continually in his hand; yet he was not cut off in the midst of his days, but was preserved through all dangers of a military life, lived to a good old age, and died in peace, died in his bed, and yet in the bed of honour. (2.) Satiated with them. He was full of days, riches, and honour; that is, he had enough of this world and of the riches and honours of it, and knew when he had enough, for he was very willing to die and leave it, having said (Psa 49:15), God shall receive me, and (Psa 23:4), Thou art with me. A good man will soon be full of days, riches, and honour, but will never be satisfied with them; no satisfaction but in God's loving kindness.

3. For a fuller account of David's life and reign he refers to the histories or records of those times, which were written by Samuel while he lived, and continued, after his death, by Nathan and Gad, Ch1 29:29. There was related what was observable in his government at home and his wars abroad, the times, that is, the events of the times, that went over him, Ch1 29:29, Ch1 29:30. These registers were then in being, but are now lost. Note, Good use may be made of those histories of the church which are authentic though not sacred or of divine inspiration.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(23) Then.—And.

Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord.—Comp. 1Ch_28:5.

As king instead of David his father.—It is not meant that David abdicated. 1Ch_29:23-25 are anticipative of the history of Solomon’s reign. At the same time, their introduction here is natural, not only as relating the immediate sequel of Solomon’s coronation, but also as showing how David’s last wishes in regard to his son were realised.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 29:23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

Ver. 23. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord.] Every royal throne is the Lord’s; for he is King of kings, and all kings are a Deo aut missi, aut permissi, God’s substitutes. But the throne of Israel was the Lord’s by a specialty. Josephus calleth that commonwealth a Theocracy, or God government; and the people were called Judge; as Prosper conceiteth - because they received ius Dei, a law given by God, who himself was sovereign Lord and law giver. Solomon also, sitting upon this throne, was a lively type of the Lord Christ and his kingdom. {Luk 1:32}

And prospered.] This was the fruit of his father’s fervent prayers for him. {1Ch 22:11}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch_29:23

And prospered.

A prosperous kingdom

I. For a king and a people to be happy, the king must have a right to his kingdom.

II. The management of the sceptre should be as wise as the tenure is just and royal.

III. The people must be obedient.

IV. National fear of the Lord is essential to national blessing. (Bishop Francis Turner.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 29:23. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord — On the throne of Israel, which is called the throne of the Lord, because the Lord himself was, in a peculiar manner, the king and governor of Israel. He had the founding, he had the filling of their throne, by immediate direction.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This declareth that the Kings of Judah were figures of Christ, who was the true anointed, and to whom God gave the chief government of all things.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord--As king of Israel, he was the Lord's vicegerent.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

23–25. The Beginning of Solomon’s Reign

23. the throne of the Lord] See 1Ch_28:5, note.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And all the princes and the mighty men,.... The princes of the tribes, and the officers of the army:

and all the sons likewise of King David; as many as were living: and though they were elder than Solomon:

they submitted to Solomon the king; or "gave the hand under" (t) him, promised obedience, and swore allegiance to him, see Gen 24:2.

(t) "dederunt manum sub Selomoh", Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The throne of David is called here “the throne of the Lord,” as in 1Ch 28:5 it is called “the throne of the kingdom of the Lord,” because God had set it up and had promised to establish it.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

On the throne of the Lord, i.e. on the throne of Israel, which is called the throne of the Lord, either more generally, as all thrones are the Lord’s, by whom kings reign, Pro 8:15, and magistrates are ordained, Rom 13:1,2; or more specially and peculiarly; either,

1. Because the Lord himself was in a peculiar manner the King and Governor of Israel, not only in the time of the judges, but afterward, Psa 44:4; 89:18; 149:2; Isa 33:22. Or,

2. Because it was the throne of Christ the Lord, whose vicegerents David, and Solomon, and their successors were, for whom this throne was reserved, and by whom it was to be established and enjoyed for ever, Luk 2:32,33. Or,

3. The throne of the Lord is put for the throne of the people of the Lord, by a concise and short manner of speech, which is frequent in the Hebrew language; as when the key of David is put for the key of the house of David; and the mountain of the Lord, for the mountain of the Lord’s house. Or,

4. Because this throne fell to Solomon not by right of inheritance, for he had elder brethren, but by the special appointment and gift of the Lord. And so this of the Lord is the genitive case of the efficient, as the learned call it, and signifies which the Lord gave him.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For the happy expression, the throne of the Lord, see Chronicles 28:5. And for evidence that Solomon did really exercise royal authority before David"s death, see 1Ki_1:32, 45-48 2:1.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And all the princes and the mighty men,.... The princes of the tribes, and the officers of the army:

and all the sons likewise of King David; as many as were living: and though they were elder than Solomon:

they submitted to Solomon the king; or "gave the hand under" (t) him, promised obedience, and swore allegiance to him, see Gen 24:2.

(t) "dederunt manum sub Selomoh", Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

And Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king Here it is appropriate to say that he reigned on the throne of the Lord because the throne is God’s to enthrone upon it whomever He wishes, and in the Midrash (Peskikta d’Rav Kahana p. 53a) it is explained that the throne was full (at its highest level) like the moon on the fifteenth of the month, because from Abraham to Solomon were fifteen generations: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmah, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David, and Solomon, and that is what is written: (Ps. 89:37): “...and his throne is like the sun before Me,” which never diminishes, and if you wish to compare it to the moon, it will be like the moon which will be established in the time to come. But from Solomon and onward, the kings diminished from their greatness like the moon, which continuously diminishes, until Zedekiah, (II Kings 25:7): “...and he blinded Zedekiah’ s eyes.”

and all Israel obeyed him immediately, unlike Saul, about whom it is written: (I Sam. 10:27): “And wicked men said: How will this one save us?” And also David ruled at first only in Hebron for seven years.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.