And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build God’s house.
- BSB So David gave orders to gather the foreigners in the land of Israel, from whom he appointed stonecutters to prepare finished stones for building the house of God.
- NKJV So David commanded to gather the aliens who were in the land of Israel; and he appointed masons to cut hewn stones to build the house of God.
- NASB So David gave orders to gather the strangers who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to cut out stones to build the house of God.
- NLT So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David organized the resident foreigners to quarry and dress stones for building God's house. He began active, practical preparation for the temple.
Overview
David mustered the non-Israelite laborers in the land to prepare cut stone for the temple. His careful organization shows wise stewardship and forward planning, even though he himself would not build the temple. That foreigners shared in the work hints at God's wider purpose to gather people from all nations into His house, a theme realized in the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 1 Kgs 5:17–18And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
- 2 Chr 2:17And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
- 1 Kgs 9:20–21And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
- Ezra 3:7They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
- 1 Kgs 6:7And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
- 2 Sam 5:11And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
- Isa 61:5–6And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
- 1 Kgs 7:9–12All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
- 2 Kgs 12:12And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
- 2 Chr 8:7–8As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,
- Eph 2:19–22Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
- 1 Chr 14:1Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house.
- 2 Kgs 22:6Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
- Eph 2:12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
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Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
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Original language
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