“As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet.
Parallel translations
- WEB “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
- KJV Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
- NKJV You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the Lord put his foes under the soles of his feet.
- NASB “You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
- NLT “You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies.
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
Solomon explains that David could not build the temple because he was occupied with constant wars. The wars had to end before the house of God could rise.
Overview
David had longed to build the temple but was prevented because he was a man of war and bloodshed (1 Chronicles 22:8). The phrase about enemies under his feet recalls God's promises and echoes language later applied to Christ's victory (Psalm 110:1). The temple awaited a season of rest, pointing to the peace secured by the true Son of David.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Chr 28:3but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a man of war who has spilled blood.’
- 1 Chr 22:8but this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for My Name because you have shed so much blood on the ground before Me.
- Ps 110:1A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
- Ps 8:6You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet:
- 1 Chr 22:4–6and more cedar logs than could be counted; for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large quantity of cedar logs to David.
- 1 Cor 15:25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
- Mal 4:3Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- 2 Sam 7:5–11“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in?
- 2 Chr 6:6–8But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
- Josh 10:24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.
- Eph 1:22And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 5:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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