1 Chronicles 22:1 kjv
Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
1 Chronicles 22:1 nkjv
Then David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
1 Chronicles 22:1 niv
Then David said, "The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
1 Chronicles 22:1 esv
Then David said, "Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
1 Chronicles 22:1 nlt
Then David said, "This will be the location for the Temple of the LORD God and the place of the altar for Israel's burnt offerings!"
1 Chronicles 22 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation/Designation of Temple Site | ||
| 1 Chr 21:28 | At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshing floor... | God chose the place via direct response. |
| 2 Sam 24:18 | And Gad came that day to David and said to him, "Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah..." | Parallel account, God commands altar building. |
| Gen 22:2 | He said, "Take your son... go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there..." | Location connects to Abraham's sacrifice. |
| 2 Chr 3:1 | Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah... | Solomon confirms the same Temple site. |
| Temple as God's Dwelling/House | ||
| 2 Sam 7:13 | He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. | God's promise to David regarding the Temple. |
| 1 Kgs 8:13 | I have built for You a house of dwelling, a place for You to dwell forever. | Solomon's dedication prayer. |
| Exod 25:8 | Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. | Precedent for God dwelling with His people. |
| Isa 2:2 | ...the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains... | Prophetic vision of future Temple/Zion. |
| Hag 2:7 | ...and I will fill this house with glory... saith the Lord of hosts. | God's promise to glorify His house. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." ...He was speaking of the temple of His body. | Spiritual Temple and Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...? | Believers as spiritual temples. |
| Rev 21:3 | And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man..." | Ultimate dwelling of God with humanity. |
| Altar of Burnt Offering and Sacrifice | ||
| Lev 1:9 | ...and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering... | Centrality of burnt offerings for atonement. |
| Exod 27:1-2 | "You shall make the altar of acacia wood... with its horns." | Divine blueprint for the altar. |
| Ezra 3:2-3 | Then Jeshua... and his brethren... built the altar of the God of Israel... for the burnt offerings... | Restoration of worship via altar. |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice... | Believers offer spiritual sacrifices. |
| Heb 9:14 | how much more will the blood of Christ... purify our conscience from dead works...? | Christ's perfect sacrifice replaces old system. |
| Significance for Israel | ||
| Deut 12:5-6 | But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. | God chooses a central place for worship. |
| Ps 76:2 | In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. | Jerusalem/Zion as God's chosen place. |
| 1 Kgs 5:3 | You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars... | Explains why David declared, Solomon built. |
| Acts 7:46-47 | ...David found favor in the sight of God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built a house for him. | David's intention and Solomon's execution. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name... | Ultimate worship due to Christ. |
1 Chronicles 22 verses
1 Chronicles 22 1 Meaning
This verse declares King David's profound understanding and designation of the precise location where the future Temple of the Lord God and the altar of burnt offering would be constructed for all Israel. It immediately follows the cessation of the devastating plague upon Israel, which ended only when David offered sacrifices on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, revealing this spot as divinely chosen for Israel's primary place of worship and atonement.
1 Chronicles 22 1 Context
1 Chronicles 22:1 immediately follows one of the most significant and traumatic events in King David's reign: the national census. In 1 Chronicles 21, David, impelled by Satan (v. 1), orders a census against God's direct command (though not explicitly stated in Chronicles, understood from 2 Sam 24). This act of relying on numbers rather than God's power incurs divine wrath, leading to a severe plague that claims seventy thousand lives. The plague halts only when David repents and offers a burnt offering and peace offerings on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, as commanded by the prophet Gad. At that very spot, fire descended from heaven to consume the sacrifice, signaling divine acceptance and the end of the pestilence. This specific site, the threshing floor, is thus sanctified by God's manifest presence and saving intervention. Chapter 22 then opens with David's pronouncement, identifying this exact location as the future permanent worship center for Israel, shifting the divine dwelling from the movable Tabernacle to a designated, fixed site in Jerusalem, marking a critical transition in Israelite religious practice and symbolizing God's stable presence among His people. Historically and culturally, a chosen, sacred spot was vital for establishing religious identity and centralized worship for a people, often connecting to past divine encounters.
1 Chronicles 22 1 Word analysis
- Then (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): A strong temporal and consequential connective. It indicates an immediate, decisive action or statement that directly follows and stems from the preceding events. Specifically, it signifies David's declaration after God's visible intervention in stopping the plague and accepting the sacrifice at Ornan's threshing floor (1 Chr 21:26-28). It emphasizes divine impetus behind the declaration.
- David (דָּוִיד - David): The specific mention of David highlights his central role in the narrative and his unique relationship with God. As the divinely appointed king and a "man after God's own heart," his pronouncement carries immense authority and is understood as Spirit-inspired. He is the figure through whom God begins the process of establishing His permanent dwelling place.
- said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): Implies a formal, authoritative declaration, not a casual remark. It underscores the weight and significance of his words, indicating a divine revelation or inspired recognition.
- This (זֶה - zeh): A demonstrative pronoun, pointing to a specific physical location: the threshing floor of Ornan. It makes clear that David has precisely identified the spot God chose by stopping the plague there. This tangible identification is crucial for the future construction.
- is the house (בֵּית - beit): The word bayit (בַּיִת) means "house" or "dwelling." In a spiritual context, it signifies a place where a deity is believed to reside, hence, a temple. This designation emphasizes permanence, stability, and God's desire to "dwell" among His people, transitioning from the portable tabernacle. It counters the pagan belief in localized, limited gods, as the true God would reside where He chooses, yet his dwelling signifies His presence among His people, not his confinement to the building.
- of the Lord God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים - Yahweh Elohim):
- Lord (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The covenantal, personal name of God, revealing His self-existent and relational nature. It signifies His absolute sovereignty and faithfulness to Israel. The Temple would be for Yahweh, not just any deity.
- God (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): The generic but powerful title for God, emphasizing His role as Creator, Sovereign, and Supreme Being. The combination Yahweh Elohim underscores His supreme authority and His covenant relationship, highlighting that the "house" is for the one true God, distinct from any idols worshipped by surrounding nations.
- and this (וְזֶה - ve'zeh): Repetition of the demonstrative pronoun zeh, emphasizing the direct correspondence between the declared location for the Temple and the declared location for the altar. It points to the same sanctified spot.
- is the altar (מִּזְבֵּחַ - mizbeach): Means "altar," derived from a root meaning "to sacrifice." It is the central piece of worship equipment where sacrifices are offered. The very first thing built, indicating the centrality of atonement.
- of burnt offering (עֹלָה - olah): Literally, "that which goes up" (in smoke). This specifies the type of altar—one designated for burnt offerings, which were completely consumed, symbolizing complete devotion, atonement for sin, and communion with God. This underlines the core function of the future sanctuary as a place of expiation and reconciliation.
- for Israel (לְיִשְׂרָאֵל - le'Yisrael): Signifies that the Temple and its sacrificial system are established for the benefit and spiritual life of the entire nation of Israel. It emphasizes the communal aspect of worship and God's covenant with His people as a whole. The designated spot unites them under God's saving grace.
1 Chronicles 22 1 Bonus section
- Polemic against Pagan Practices: In a world filled with numerous localized deities and their shrines, David's declaration firmly asserts the unique God of Israel (Yahweh Elohim) and His choice of one specific location for His worship, differentiating Israel's monotheistic, covenantal faith from polytheistic practices. It challenges the notion that any high place or grove could serve as a legitimate site for God's presence.
- Significance of the Name "Lord God": The combination of Yahweh (covenant, personal name) and Elohim (powerful Creator God) emphasizes that the House will be for the sovereign, covenant-keeping God who is the sole ruler of all.
- Typological Significance: This act of identifying a divinely chosen site for sacrifice and worship foreshadows not only the construction of Solomon's Temple but also the ultimate 'temple' – Christ Himself (Jn 2:19-21) and the body of believers (1 Cor 6:19). The ultimate sacrifice and reconciliation take place not on an altar made of stone, but through Christ's shed blood.
1 Chronicles 22 1 Commentary
Following the national crisis caused by David's sin in the census, 1 Chronicles 22:1 marks a pivotal moment of divine grace and revelation. David, by inspired insight, declares the exact location of Ornan's threshing floor, where the plague ceased, as the chosen site for the permanent 'House of the Lord God' and its essential 'altar of burnt offering'. This statement isn't a mere proposal but a definitive pronouncement, signifying that God Himself had sanctified this place through His immediate acceptance of David's sacrifice by fire and the cessation of the plague. It underscores the truth that true worship must occur at God's divinely appointed place, not man's. The inclusion of "altar of burnt offering" highlights the centrality of atonement and reconciliation as the primary function of the future sanctuary for the nation of Israel. This verse solidifies the transfer of the divine presence from a movable tabernacle to a designated, fixed point in Jerusalem, aligning with God's intention to dwell stably among His people and establish Jerusalem as the spiritual capital.