📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 22:9
What does 1 Chronicles 22:9 mean?
"Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days."
— 1 Chronicles 22:9 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.
David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God.
But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.
Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.
He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.’
Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you.
May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.
Explanation
This verse records words that King David relays to his son Solomon, recounting what God had told him regarding the future of the kingdom. In plain language, God is announcing that a son will be born to David who will be characterized by peace rather than warfare, and that during this son's reign, Israel will finally experience rest from the conflicts and enemies that had troubled the nation for so long. The name "Solomon" is directly tied to the Hebrew word "shalom," meaning peace, so the verse ties the child's very identity to the calling God has placed on his life.
The context is David's later years, as he prepares for the transition of the kingdom to his son and lays the groundwork for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. First Chronicles was likely written after the Babylonian exile, compiled to remind the returning Jewish community of God's covenant faithfulness to the line of David and the significance of proper worship centered on the Temple. In the verses surrounding this one, David explains to Solomon why he himself was not permitted to build the Temple: he had been a man of war, with much bloodshed on his hands, and God had reserved that honor for a son who would reign in peace. This passage, then, is David passing on both a personal explanation and a divine commission — explaining the past and preparing Solomon for his future role.
Theologically, this verse highlights several important themes. First, it shows God's sovereign hand in shaping history and raising up specific people for specific purposes — Solomon's role and reign are announced by God before his birth. Second, it draws a contrast between David, the warrior-king who established and defended the k
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