📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 28:20
What does 1 Chronicles 28:20 mean?
"David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of Yahweh’s house is finished."
— 1 Chronicles 28:20 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
and the forks, the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl;
and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the plans for the chariot, and the cherubim that spread out and cover the ark of Yahweh’s covenant.
“All this”, said David, “I have been made to understand in writing from Yahweh’s hand, even all the works of this pattern.”
David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of Yahweh’s house is finished.
Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the service of God’s house. Every willing man who has skill, for any kind of service, shall be with you in all kinds of work. Also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command.”
Explanation
In this verse, David speaks directly to his son Solomon, giving him a charge to be strong, courageous, and undeterred by fear as he takes on a massive task. The plain meaning is straightforward: David tells Solomon to act boldly and complete the work set before him, backed by the assurance that God himself will be present with him every step of the way, not abandoning him until the task is fully accomplished.
The context is essential to understanding the weight of these words. David is nearing the end of his life and has just finished transferring to Solomon all the plans, materials, and organizational structure for building the temple in Jerusalem — the "house of Yahweh." Though David desired to build this temple himself, God had told him earlier (in 1 Chronicles 22 and 28) that this task would fall to his son, because Solomon would be a man of peace, while David's reign had been marked by war and bloodshed. So this speech in chapter 28 is part of David's public, formal commissioning of Solomon before the assembled leaders of Israel. David has already gathered gold, silver, bronze, iron, and stone, and has handed over detailed architectural plans that he says came from God (28:19). Now, having equipped Solomon materially and spiritually, David gives him this final charge of encouragement.
Theologically, this verse echoes language used elsewhere in Scripture at moments of major transition and daunting responsibility — most notably God's charge to Joshua (Joshua 1:6-9) as he prepared to lead Israel into the promised land after Moses' death. The repetition of this phrase across Sc
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