1 Chronicles - Highlights & Notes 1 | 2>>
Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell upon it. And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died. (1Ch 10:4-5, KJV) - King Saul takes his own life.Fasted seven days (1Ch 10:12) - In remembrance of Saul perhaps?
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD, And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? (1Ch 11:17-19) - Three men put their lives at risk to get David water from the well.
In the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam (1Ch 11:23) - A weaver's beam is a cylindrical wooden rod that makes up part of a loom (a spear basically).
The ark of God the Lord, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it. (1Ch 13:6) - People call upon God via the Ark of the Covenant. Joshua and Moses did this also.
Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had. (1Ch 13:9-14) - The Ark is a very mysterious object. There are reports of it levitating, people use it to communicate with God, and anyone who touches it falls dead. Even King David is afraid of it. God did not hate Uzzah for touching the Ark but He had no choice, it would have set a precedent. Any general would have done the same lest there be insubordination. This was often the case in the Old Testament and was the reason for a lot of the smiting; without these strict punishments people would eventually lose respect for God.
David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters. (1Ch 14:3)
None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. (1Ch 15:2) - Only certain people are allowed to carry the Ark.
And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers of the ark. (1Ch 15:24) - Very interesting. Sounds like a select few may have a better understanding of its powers.
Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart. (1Ch 15:29) - David's wife is upset that David is rejoicing because her father Saul is dead.
Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people... (1Ch 16:8) - First psalm of David.
The Lord preserved David whithersoever he went (1Ch 18:6) - David is favoured by God.
Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass. (1Ch 18:8) - Solomon later uses the brass that David took from his enemies.
David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people. (1Ch 18:14)
Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away. (1Ch 19:4) - This was how people were humiliated. David's servants were humiliated here because Hanun thought they were spies.
Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued. (1Ch 20:4) -David vs Goliath: the famous David and Goliath story. Many sons of Goliath were slain also.
And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. (1Ch 20:5) - Weaver's beam again (a very large spear).
And yet again there was a war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant. But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him. (1 Ch 20:6-7) - How tall was Goliath
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. (1Ch 21:1) - A census meant David was planning to govern by number of men at his power. This reliance on human resources is greed and distrust in God's promise.
Joab gave the total number of the people to David. And all of Israel were 1,100,000 who drew the sword, and of Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. (1Ch 21:7) - David was looking for how many men he could summon to battle but is punished because he did not have faith in the Lord to win his battles. There may be other reasons why including exploitation of his people. God warns the Israelites not to do this after delivering them from Egyptian slavery. Solomon also does this in 2 Chronicles 2:17-18 but is not punished.
And God was displeased with this [reliance on human resources], and He smote Israel. (1Ch 21:7)
Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man. So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. (1Ch 21:12-16) - All of Jerusalem was punished for the sins David made. The angel sent to punish is repented of the evil. There was a similar situation with the plagues of Egypt. People are often punished by God for the mistakes our leaders make.
Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord. (1 Chronicals 21:18)
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. (1Ch 21:20) - The angel is near a wheat field and children are afraid of him. What is it about the appearance of this angel that scares people?
That the plague may be stayed from the people. (1Ch 21:22) - The people die from a plague after the angel is seen near a wheat field.