1 Chronicles 22:12

Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) Only the Lord give thee wisdom.—Better, at least may the Lord give, &c.; restricting the wish to one supremely important point. (For Solomon’s wisdom, comp. 1Kings 3:9-15.)

And give thee charge concerning Israel.—Rather, and appoint thee over Israel (2Samuel 7:11). Solomon had been indicated as David’s successor, and David intended it so; yet his wish and prayer for the Divine ratification of this Divine appointment was by no means superfluous, unless Solomon were exempt from human liability to err.

That thou mayest keep.—Rather, and mayest thou keep (the infinitive construct): a favourite continuative construction with the chronicler.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:6-16 David gives Solomon the reason why he should build the temple. Because 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 and strengthen our religious service. David delivered to Solomon an account of the vast preparations he had made for this building; not from pride and vain-glory, but to encourage Solomon to engage cheerfully in the great work. He must not think, by building the temple, to purchase a 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the names of Solomon, compare 2 Samuel 12:24 note. The former name prevailed, probably on account of this prophecy, which attached to the name the promise of a blessing.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

1Ch 22:6-19. He Instructs Solomon.

6. Then he called for Solomon … and charged him—The earnestness and solemnity of this address creates an impression that it was given a little before the old king's decease. He unfolded his great and long cherished plan, enjoined the building of God's house as a sacred duty on him as his son and successor, and described the resources that were at command for carrying on the work. The vast amount of personal property he had accumulated in the precious metals [1Ch 22:14] must have been spoil taken from the people he had conquered, and the cities he had sacked.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Give thee charge concerning Israel, i.e. give thee instructions or direction rightly to manage and rule his people Israel. Or, and set thee over Israel, as the Syriac renders it, whom the Arabic follows. Or, when (as the Hebrew vau is oft used) he shall set thee over Israel, i.e. when thou shalt be king; for then Solomon would need this wisdom, for which therefore he prayeth, 1 Kings 3:9.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding,.... To manage and conduct an affair of such importance, as well as to govern the people, as follows:

and give thee charge concerning Israel; or, when he gives, commits the charge of them to thee, sets thee king over them:

that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God; have wisdom and understanding to do that, and make that the rule of all thine actions, private and public, in thine own house, in the house of God, and in all things relative to that, and in the government of the nation.

Geneva Study Bible

Only the LORD give thee {f} wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

(f) These are only the means by which kings govern their subjects correctly, and by which the realms prosper and flourish.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. wisdom] R.V. discretion.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - The father's prayer for the son, and in his hearing, will have often recurred to the memory of Solomon, and may have been the germ of the son's own prayer, which "pleased the Lord" (1 Kings 3:5-14; 2 Chronicles 1:7-12). 1 Chronicles 22:12

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After David had so committed to his son Solomon the building of the temple, as task reserved and destined for him by the divine counsel, he wishes him, in 1 Chronicles 22:11, the help of the Lord to carry out the work. והצלחתּ, ut prospere agas et felici successu utaris (J. M. Mich.), cf. Joshua 1:8. על דּבּר of a command from on high; cf. עלי .f, 1 Chronicles 22:8. Above all, however, he wishes (1 Chronicles 22:12) him right understanding and insight from God (וּבינה שׂכל, so connected in 2 Chronicles 2:11 also), and that God may establish him over Israel, i.e., furnish him with might and wisdom to rule over the people Israel; cf. 2 Samuel 7:11. ולשׁמור, "to observe" equals and mayest thou observe the law of Jahve; not thou must keep (Berth.), for ולשׁמור is to be regarded as a continuation of the verb. finit.; cf. Ew. 351, c, S. 840.