1 Chronicles Chapter 28
Showing all 21 verses for 1 Chronicles Chapter 28.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And 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 Jerusalem. "
"David called together all the leaders of Israel to Jerusalem - the tribal princes, the division commanders who served the king in rotation, commanders of thousands and hundreds, the officials in charge of the king's and his sons' property, the palace officers, and all his mighty and valiant warriors."
When you pass on responsibility or leadership, do it openly and honestly, in front of the people it will affect - secrecy around succession breeds suspicion and conflict.
"Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: "
"King David stood up and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had set my heart on building a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, a footstool for our God, and I had made preparations to build it.""
I care more about the sincerity of your heart's intention than whether you personally get to finish what you started. David's desire mattered to me even though someone else would complete it.
"But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. "
""But God told me, 'You are not to build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and you have shed blood.'""
Not every good and holy purpose is meant for you to finish personally, even a purpose you love. Sometimes I ask you to prepare the ground for someone else's harvest, and that's still a genuine honour.
"Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: "
""Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of my whole father's family to be king over Israel forever - he chose Judah as the leading tribe, and within Judah's tribe, my father's family, and among my father's sons, he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.""
Where you started in the pecking order, whether last or overlooked, was never a barrier to what I can do through you. I choose based on your heart, not your rank among your siblings.
"And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. "
""And of all my sons - and the LORD has given me many - he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the LORD's kingdom over Israel.""
Whatever authority or influence you're given in life, remember it was lent to you for a purpose bigger than yourself, not handed over as your personal property to use however you like.
"And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. "
""He said to me, 'Solomon your son will build my house and my courts, because I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.'""
I don't relate to you as a distant employer to a worker - I want the closeness of family, where you know you're genuinely cared for, not just managed.
"Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. "
""I will firmly establish his kingdom forever, if he stays committed to keeping my commandments and my laws, as he is doing now.""
I make big promises over your life, but I still need your daily choices to align with them - grace doesn't cancel out the need for your own faithfulness.
"Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. "
""So now, in front of all Israel, the LORD's assembly, and with God himself listening, keep and pursue all the commandments of the LORD your God - so that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your children after you forever.""
What I give you - a home, security, a good life - comes with an invitation to live well within it, not a free pass to do whatever you want once you've received it.
"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. "
""And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him wholeheartedly and willingly - because the LORD searches every heart and understands every thought and intention. If you seek him, you will find him; but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.""
I'm not interested in your performance for other people - I already see straight through to your real intentions. Come to me honestly, even messily, and you will find me; that door is never locked from my side.
"Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. "
""Pay attention now, because the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.""
When I call you to something, I don't always need to explain every detail before you start - sometimes the most loving thing I can say is simply: be strong, and begin.
"Then David gave to Solomon 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, "
"Then David gave Solomon the detailed plans - for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the place for the mercy seat (the Ark's cover)."
If you love the people who will carry on after you, do more than encourage them - leave them something practical and specific they can actually use.
"And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: "
"He also gave Solomon the plans for everything he had in mind through the Spirit - for the courts of the LORD's house, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of God's house, and the treasuries for dedicated gifts."
Don't assume the "spiritual" part of your life is separate from careful planning and hard practical work - I can inspire both a prayer and a blueprint.
"Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD. "
"The plans also covered the divisions of the priests and Levites, and all the work involved in serving the LORD's house, and all the equipment needed for that service."
Don't just build the framework of your plans - think just as carefully about the people who'll actually carry them out day to day.
"He 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: "
"He specified the weight of gold for all the gold items and tools needed for each kind of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver items and tools."
Real love and respect for something show up in the details, not just the big gestures - care enough about what matters to you to get the specifics right.
"Even 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. "
"He specified the weight for the gold lampstands and their lamps, weight for each lampstand and its lamps, and likewise for the silver lampstands and their lamps according to how each would be used."
Ordinary, functional parts of your life - how you light your days, quite literally - deserve thoughtful care too, not just the moments that feel dramatic or spiritual.
"And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver: "
"He specified the weight of gold for the tables of showbread, one for each table, and likewise the weight of silver for the silver tables."
I keep every part of your community, every "tribe" or group you belong to, continually in mind - no one is left off the table.
"Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver: "
"He specified pure gold for the meat forks, basins, and cups; gold by weight for each gold bowl, and silver by weight for each silver bowl."
Prepare well ahead of time for the things that matter most to you - don't leave your most important commitments to be figured out in the moment.
"And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. "
"He specified refined gold, by weight, for the incense altar, and gold for the design of the chariot - the cherubim with wings spread out, covering the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD."
I'm not distant or fixed in one place waiting for you to come to me - I move towards you, present wherever you actually are.
"All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. "
"David said, "All of this, in writing, the LORD made me understand by his hand upon me - all the details of this plan.""
The clearest, most important instructions I give you often come in the quiet, unglamorous work of writing things down and thinking them through carefully, not only in dramatic moments.
"And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. "
"David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the LORD's house is finished.""
I don't just wish you well from a distance and hope you manage - I stay with you through every stage of whatever you're building, especially the long middle stretch where it's not exciting anymore.
"And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee 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 thy commandment. "
""And look - the divisions of the priests and Levites will be with you for all the service of God's house. Every willing and skilled worker will be with you for any kind of work needed, and the leaders and all the people will be entirely at your command.""
When I call you to something big, I usually also provide the people and support you'll need to actually do it - watch for who I've already placed around you, ready and willing to help.