It is a happy scene that the last chapter of 1 Chronicles presents; all the people rejoiced, and they brought offerings willingly to the Lord and praised Him. A variety of building materials and of costly fabrics, and precious stones, gold and silver, had been obtained by David for the temple, and in his affection for the house of his God, he had given largely of his own property.
Some idea of the value of David's gifts of three thousand talents of gold, and seven thousand talents of silver, may be obtained by changing the amounts into American money, the gold representing about eighty five million dollars; and the silver about twelve millions. Many added to David's gifts, the worth of what is mentioned in verse 7 being approximately twice the king's personal offering. All was given without grudging and must have been pleasing to Him of Whom the Scripture records that He loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-156But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 12For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:6‑15) not sufficiently thought upon by many of God's dear people).
David's closing prayer clearly expressed his heart; his course was ended, and He Who had undertaken for him as a boy, had brought him through many trials and much discovery of himself, to a position of great honor; he could now say in the language of the twenty-third Psalm,
"Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
All the wealth was God's, and David and his son, and those present, were strangers and sojourners still.
It will be noted that the Christian hope of the coming of the Lord is never found in the Old Testament (see verse 15).
Amid great sacrifices to God, Solomon was a second time made king, now to reign alone. His position was without parallel in any earlier ruler of Israel.
Thus David's career, as the man of war, closes one day; and Solomon, the man of peace, begins his reign upon the next.
Nathan's and Gad's histories are mentioned at the close; we have seen both of these prophets in David's eventful life, coming in to him with messages from God, but their writings have not been preserved. We are assured that if they had been inspired, and part of what is embraced by the Lord's word in Luke 24:2727And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27); and the Apostle Paul's word in 2 Timothy 3:15-17,15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:15‑17) or in Peter's 2nd Epistle 3:16, they would not have been permitted to be destroyed.
Any intelligent reader of the Scriptures can without difficulty see that the purpose of the Divine Author is never to recite history in the fullest sense; what we are given in the Bible is history most truly, but only that is introduced which serves the purpose of that unerring and most wise Penman, the Holy Spirit. Nathan, Gad and others had compiled records, some of which were extant when the unnamed person used of God for writing the Chronicles completed his narrative, and if you wish to know of other matters than have been brought out here, go to the standard histories lacking inspiration, but truthful as records.