SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:14
He aquí, yo en mi estrechez he prevenido para la Casa del SEÑOR cien mil talentos de oro, y un millar de millares de talentos de plata; no tiene peso el bronce ni el hierro, porque es mucho. Asimismo he preparado madera y piedra, a lo cual tú añadirás.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 22:14
Verse 14. In my trouble I have prepared] Notwithstanding ail the wars in which I have been engaged, all the treacheries with which I have been surrounded, all the domestic troubles with which I have been overwhelmed, I never lost sight of this great object, the building of a house for God, that his worship might be established in the land. I have curtailed my expenses, and have lived in comparative poverty that I might save all I possibly could for this building. A hundred thousand talents of gold] A talent of gold weighed three thousand shekels, and was worth five thousand and seventy-five pounds, fifteen shillings, and seven pence half- penny. One hundred thousand such talents would therefore amount to five hundred and seven millions, five hundred and seventy-eight thousand, one hundred and twenty-five pounds sterling. These sums are variously computed by several writers.
A thousand thousand talents of silver] A talent of silver weighed three thousand shekels, and was worth three hundred and fifty-three pounds, eleven shillings, and ten pence. A thousand thousand, or a million, of such talents would amount to the immense sum of three hundred and fifty-three millions, five hundred and ninety-one thousand, six hundred and sixty- six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence, sterling; both sums amounting to eight hundred and sixty-one millions, one hundred and sixty-nine thousand, seven hundred and ninety-one pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence.
Thou mayest add thereto.] Save as I have saved, out of the revenues of the state, and thou mayest also add something for the erection and splendour of this house. This was a gentle though pointed hint, which was not lost on Solomon.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. Now, behold, in my trouble , etc.] Or affliction, which had attended him, through the greater part of his reign, partly through wars abroad, and partly through rebellions and insurrections at home: or, in my poverty f92 ; living in a frugal way, as if he had been a poor man, in order to lay up money for this purpose: I have prepared for the house of the Lord ; for the building of it, and for things to be used in it: an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver ; a prodigious sum, be it reckoned as it will; the gold, according to Scheuchzer was answerable to 1,222,000,000 ducats of gold; according to Waserus the talents of gold made six hundred millions of Hungarian pieces of gold, or 6000 tons of gold; our Brerewood makes them to amount to 450,000,000 pounds; but this being a sum so excessive large as what exceeds the riches of any monarch read of in history, he thinks the word “kikkar” signifies a mass or cake of gold of an uncertain value; or that this talent was of a lesser value than the Mosaic one, as there were small talents in the times of Homer f97 , as he observes, and some of different worth in various countries. The silver, taking gold to be in proportion to silver as ten to one, as it formerly was, is just of the same value with the gold; but Brerewood, who takes it to be as twelve to one, computes it at 375,000,000 pounds; but the proportion of gold to silver is now grown, as Bishop Cumberland observes f98 , to above fourteen to one.
According to Scheuchzer the silver talents amounted to 4,500,000,000 imperials or rix dollars; according to Witsius the gold and silver both amounted to 3000 and nine hundred millions of pieces of gold; but Josephus has reduced these sums very much, making them to be 10,000 talents of gold, and 100,000 of silver. Dr. Prideaux says that what is said to be given by David here, and in ( 1 Chronicles 29:3-5) and by his princes, ( 1 Chronicles 29:6-8) if valued by the Mosaic talent, exceeded the value of eight hundred million of our money, which was enough to have built the whole temple of solid silver: and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance ; there was so much of both, that it was too much trouble to take the weight and value of them: timber also and stone have I prepared ; (see 1 Chronicles 22:2-4) and thou mayest add thereunto ; which might easily be obtained, there being not a sufficiency of either of them prepared for the work.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-16 - David gives Solomon the reason why he should build the temple. Becaus God named him. Nothing is more powerful to engage us in any service for God, than to know that we are appointed thereto. Because he would have leisure and opportunity to do it. He should have peace and quietness Where God gives rest, he expects work. Because God had promised to establish his kingdom. God's gracious promises should quicken an strengthen our religious service. David delivered to Solomon an accoun of the vast preparations he had made for this building; not from prid and vain-glory, but to encourage Solomon to engage cheerfully in the great work. He must not think, by building the temple, to purchase dispensation to sin; on the contrary, his doing that would not be accepted, if he did not take heed to fulfil the statutes of the Lord In our spiritual work, as well as in our spiritual warfare, we have need of courage and resolution. (1Ch 22:17-19)
Original Hebrew
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