What number verse is 1 Chronicles 28:14 in the Bible?

1 Chronicles 28:14 is the 11,158th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — 1 Chronicles 28:14 sits at position 11,158.

Translation

King James Version

He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

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KJV (with Strong's)

He gave of gold ^H2091 by weight ^H4948 for things of gold ^H2091, for all instruments ^H3627 of all manner of service ^H5656; silver also for all instruments ^H3627 of silver ^H3701 by weight ^H4948, for all instruments ^H3627 of every kind of service ^H5656:

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Complete Jewish Bible

[lists] of the weights of gold needed for the gold items to be used for various purposes, and the weights of silver needed for the silver items to be used for various purposes -

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Berean Standard Bible

the weight of all the gold articles for every kind of service; the weight of all the silver articles for every kind of service;

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American Standard Version

of gold by weight for the vessels of gold, for all vessels of every kind of service; of silver for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service;

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World English Bible Messianic

of gold by weight for the gold, for all vessels of every kind of service; for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service;

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Geneva Bible (1599)

He gaue of golde by weight, for the vessels of gold, for all the vessels of all maner of seruice, and all the vessels of siluer by weight, for all maner vessels of all maner of seruice.

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Young's Literal Translation

even gold by weight, for things of gold, for all instruments of service and service; for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of service and service;

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In the KJVVerse 11,158 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

1 Chronicles 28:14 meticulously details King David's divinely inspired provision of gold and silver, precisely weighed and designated for all the various instruments and vessels required for the sacred service of the First Temple. This verse underscores the unparalleled attention to detail, the immense value, and the profound sanctity placed upon every component dedicated to the worship of God, emphasizing the order, excellence, and divine blueprint inherent in the preparation for His dwelling place.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: This verse is situated within a pivotal moment in Israel's history: King David's final public address and the formal transfer of leadership to his son Solomon. In 1 Chronicles 28, David gathers all the leaders of Israel, presenting Solomon as God's chosen builder of the Temple. Having been forbidden by God to build the Temple himself due to his involvement in warfare, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 22:8, David dedicates his later years to amassing vast quantities of materials and, crucially, receiving the divine blueprint for the Temple's construction. Verses 1 Chronicles 28:11-13 describe David giving Solomon the detailed architectural plans for the Temple, its courts, and chambers, explicitly stating that these plans were "by the Spirit" and "from the hand of the Lord." Verse 14, therefore, is a direct continuation of this detailed instruction, focusing specifically on the precise material provision for the Temple's operational instruments, emphasizing the exactness and comprehensive nature of the divinely revealed pattern.
Historical & Cultural Context: The construction of a central temple was a monumental undertaking in ancient Israel, signifying the establishment of a permanent dwelling place for Yahweh among His people, a concept rooted deeply in the Tabernacle tradition. In the broader ancient Near East, temples were considered the earthly residences of deities, and their construction, materials, and furnishings were often dictated by religious traditions and divine instructions, reflecting the god's power, glory, and specific cultic requirements. The use of vast quantities of precious metals like gold and silver for sacred vessels was common, symbolizing purity, value, and the deity's exalted status. The meticulous weighing of these materials, as emphasized by the phrase "by weight" (Hebrew: mishqal), was not merely an accounting practice but also a profound testament to the sanctity of the objects and the precision expected in all matters pertaining to divine worship. This cultural emphasis on the sacredness of space and objects dedicated to the divine provides a crucial backdrop for understanding the profound significance of David's detailed preparations and the divine standards involved.
Key Themes: This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within 1 Chronicles. The repeated emphasis on "by weight" and the comprehensive nature of the provision for "all instruments of all manner of service" highlights God's demand for Divine Precision and Order in worship, reflecting His character as a God who values excellence and specificity in all things related to His presence, echoing the detailed instructions for the Tabernacle in Exodus 25. This meticulous allocation of precious metals for consecrated vessels underscores the Sacredness of Service and Objects, elevating every item from a mere tool to a holy instrument set apart for God's exclusive use, emphasizing the profound reverence due to Him. Furthermore, David's immense personal contribution and the nation's subsequent freewill offerings, detailed in 1 Chronicles 29:9, demonstrate a spirit of Generous Provision and Exemplary Stewardship, as David ensured the Temple would be built with the finest materials, reflecting God's glory and the devotion of His people. Finally, David's meticulous preparation and transfer of resources and plans to Solomon embody the theme of Legacy and Continuity, ensuring that God's work would continue across generations, even if he himself could not complete the building.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

"gold" (Hebrew, זָהָב, zâhâb): Derived from a root meaning "to shimmer," this word refers to the precious metal, often symbolizing purity, value, and divine glory. In the context of the Temple, gold was the most esteemed material, used for the holiest objects and spaces, signifying the incomparable value and sanctity of God's presence and worship. Its precise weighing underscores its sacredness and the exactness of the divine blueprint.
"instruments" (Hebrew, כְּלִי, kᵉlîy): This comprehensive term refers to any apparatus, implement, utensil, or vessel. In this verse, it encompasses all the diverse tools and objects necessary for the Temple's operations, from sacrificial implements to items for anointing and maintenance. The use of this broad term emphasizes that every single item, regardless of its apparent size or function, was crucial for the proper and holy execution of Temple service.
"service" (Hebrew, עֲבֹדָה, ʻăbôdâh): This word denotes work of any kind, labor, or ministry. In the context of the Temple, it specifically refers to the sacred duties, rituals, and acts of worship performed by the priests and Levites. The phrase "all manner of service" highlights the comprehensive nature of the Temple's functions, implying that every aspect of worship, from the grandest sacrifice to the smallest daily duty, required specific, divinely ordained instruments.
"by weight" (Hebrew, מִשְׁקָל, mishqâl): This term, derived from the verb "to weigh," signifies a precise, numerically estimated quantity. Its repetition in the verse emphasizes that the gold and silver were not merely provided in bulk but were meticulously measured and allocated for specific instruments and purposes. This precision reflects the divine standard for the Temple's construction, underscoring the importance of quality, exactness, and intentionality in all things dedicated to God's service.

Verse Breakdown

"[He gave] of gold by weight for [things] of gold": This initial clause establishes the first category of material: gold. The phrase "of gold... for things of gold" indicates that specific, measured weights of raw gold were meticulously allocated for the creation of various gold objects, implying a precise process of design and fabrication according to the divine pattern for the Temple's furnishings.
"for all instruments of all manner of service": This expands on the purpose of the gold, specifying that it was intended for the entire array of tools and vessels used in the Temple's comprehensive worship and ritual functions. This highlights the all-encompassing nature of the provision and the sacredness of every single item, regardless of its perceived importance.
"[silver also] for all instruments of silver by weight": This introduces the second category of material, silver, and perfectly parallels the structure of the first part of the verse. It demonstrates that the same exacting standard of "by weight" was applied to silver, indicating that its allocation was just as precise and intentional as that of gold, reflecting its significant role in the Temple's furnishings.
"for all instruments of every kind of service": This final clause reinforces the comprehensive scope of the provision for silver instruments, echoing the earlier phrase for gold. The slight variation in wording ("every kind" instead of "all manner") serves to emphasize the exhaustive nature of the provision, ensuring that no type of service or instrument was overlooked in David's divinely inspired preparations for the Temple.

Literary Devices

The verse primarily employs Parallelism and Emphasis through Repetition. The structure of the verse clearly demonstrates parallelism, where the meticulous provision of gold is described, followed by a parallel description for silver, creating a balanced and rhythmic flow that highlights the equal importance and meticulousness applied to both precious metals. The phrase "by weight" is repeated for both gold and silver, serving as a form of Repetition that strongly emphasizes the divine demand for precision and exactness in the Temple's construction and furnishing. Furthermore, the comprehensive phrases "all instruments of all manner of service" and "all instruments of every kind of service" act as a form of Merism, signifying the totality and completeness of the provision. By listing "all manner" and "every kind," the text ensures that every conceivable tool or vessel for the Temple's operations was accounted for and made from the finest, precisely measured materials, leaving no room for omission or oversight.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

1 Chronicles 28:14 speaks profoundly to the nature of God and the character of worship He desires from His people. The meticulous detail and precise weighing of precious metals for the Temple's instruments underscore God's absolute holiness and His demand for excellence in all things dedicated to Him. This is not merely about material wealth, but about the attitude of the heart that offers its very best, recognizing that God is worthy of ultimate reverence and the highest quality of service. The Old Testament repeatedly emphasizes that God's dwelling place and the worship conducted within it must reflect His perfection and glory. This principle extends beyond the physical Temple, teaching us that our worship, our service, and our lives—as spiritual temples—should be offered with intentionality, precision, and a heart fully devoted to God.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The detailed account of David's preparations for the Temple, particularly the precise allocation of materials "by weight" for every instrument of service, offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It reminds us that our service to God is not to be haphazard or half-hearted, but characterized by excellence, intentionality, and a recognition of His supreme worth. Just as every piece of the Temple, no matter how small, was consecrated and precisely crafted, so too should every aspect of our lives be offered to God with care and devotion. This calls us to be good stewards of the resources—time, talents, and finances—He has entrusted to us, allocating them purposefully for His kingdom. It challenges us to reflect on the quality of our worship, our work, and our relationships, ensuring that we are giving our best to the One who gave His all for us. Our lives, as living sacrifices, are meant to be instruments of service, precisely fashioned and wholly dedicated to His glory, reflecting the divine order and beauty that God desires from His people.

Questions for Reflection

In what areas of your life or service do you tend to offer less than your best, and how can you cultivate a spirit of excellence for God's glory?
How does the meticulousness of David's preparations for the Temple inform your understanding of God's character and His expectations for our worship?
Considering your "instruments of service" (your gifts, skills, resources), how are you intentionally allocating them "by weight" for God's purposes?

FAQ

Why did David emphasize such precise measurements ("by weight") for the Temple instruments?

Answer: The emphasis on precise measurements, "by weight," for the Temple instruments was multi-faceted and deeply significant. Firstly, it underscored the divine origin of the Temple's design. David explicitly states that the pattern for the Temple and its furnishings was given to him "by the Spirit" and "from the hand of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 28:11-12). This precision reflected God's own perfect order and holiness, indicating that everything related to His dwelling place must be exact and without flaw, mirroring the heavenly reality. Secondly, it emphasized the immense value and sacredness of the objects themselves. These were not mere tools but consecrated vessels for holy service, and their precise crafting from precious metals highlighted their set-apart nature and the profound reverence due to God. Finally, it demonstrated David's commitment to exemplary stewardship and his desire for the Temple to be built with the utmost integrity and quality, reflecting the glory of the God it was meant to honor.

What does "all instruments of all manner of service" encompass?

Answer: This comprehensive phrase refers to the entire array of vessels, tools, and utensils required for the diverse functions and rituals within the Temple. This would include items for the sacrificial system (e.g., basins for blood, shovels for ashes, flesh hooks for offerings), for the lighting of the menorah, for the presentation of the showbread, for the anointing oils, for the incense offerings, and for various cleaning and maintenance tasks. It signifies that no item, however seemingly minor or mundane, was insignificant in the context of Temple worship. Every instrument, from the largest altar to the smallest spoon, was to be precisely made from the designated precious metal, because it was consecrated for the Lord's service, emphasizing the holistic and detailed nature of worship that God required.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The meticulous precision and costly materials designated for the Temple's instruments in 1 Chronicles 28:14 find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The earthly Temple, with its detailed specifications and sacred instruments, was always a shadow and a copy of a heavenly reality, as Hebrews 8:5 teaches. Jesus Himself is the true and ultimate Temple, the dwelling place of God among humanity, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (John 2:19-21 and Colossians 2:9). The precise "weight" and "manner of service" of the Old Testament instruments foreshadow the perfection and completeness of Christ's work on the cross, where He offered Himself as the flawless, once-for-all sacrifice, perfectly fulfilling every requirement of the Law and every type of service needed for our redemption (Hebrews 10:10-14). Furthermore, in the New Covenant, believers are called to be living stones, built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Our service, no longer bound by physical instruments of gold and silver, is now a spiritual act of worship, offered in spirit and truth through the perfect "instrument" of Christ's finished work (John 4:23-24). He is the ultimate fulfillment of all the Temple's functions, the perfect High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the perfect means by which we draw near to God.

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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 28 verses 11–21

11 ¶ Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.

14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.

16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:

17 Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:

18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

As for the general charge that David gave his son to seek God and serve him, the book of the law was, in that, his only rule, and there needed no other; but, in building the temple, David was now to give him three things: - 1. A model of the building, because it was to be such a building as neither he nor his architects ever saw. Moses had a pattern of the tabernacle shown him in the mount (Heb 8:5), so had David of the temple, by the immediate hand of God upon him, Ch1 28:19. It was given him in writing, probably by the ministry of an angel, or as clearly and exactly represented to his mind as if it had been in writing. But it is said (Ch1 28:12), He had this pattern by the Spirit. The contrivance either of David's devotion or of Solomon's wisdom must not be trusted to in an affair of this nature. The temple must be a sacred thing and a type of Christ; there must be in it not only convenience and decency, but significancy: it was a kind of sacrament, and therefore it must not be left to man's art or invention to contrive it, but must be framed by divine institution. Christ the true temple, the church the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine councils, and the plan laid in the divine wisdom, ordained before the world for God's glory and ours. This pattern David gave to Solomon, that he might know what to provide and might go by a certain rule. When Christ left with his disciples a charge to build his gospel church he gave them an exact model of it, ordering them to observe that, and that only, which he commanded. The particular models are here mentioned, of the porch, which was higher than the rest, like a steeple, - then the houses, both the holy place and the most holy, with the rooms adjoining, which were for treasuries, chambers, and parlours, - especially the place of the mercy-seat (Ch1 28:11), - of the courts likewise, and the chambers about them, in which the dedicated things were laid up. Bishop Patrick supposes that, among other things, the tabernacle which Moses reared and all the utensils of it, which there was now no further occasion for, were laid up here, signifying that in the fulness of time all the Mosaic economy, all the rites and ceremonies of that dispensation, should be respectfully laid aside, and something better come in their room. He gave him a table of the courses of the priests, patterns of the vessels of service (Ch1 28:13), and a pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, Ch1 28:18. Besides the two cherubim over the mercy-seat, there were two much larger, whose wings reached from wall to wall (Kg1 6:23, etc.), and of these David here gave Solomon the pattern, called a chariot; for the angels are the chariots of God, Psa 68:17. 2. Materials for the most costly of the utensils of the temple. That they might not be made any less than the patterns, he weighed out the exact quantity for each vessel both of gold and silver, Ch1 28:14. In the tabernacle there was but one golden candlestick; in the temple there were ten (Kg1 7:49), besides silver ones, which, it is supposed, were hand-candlesticks, Ch1 28:15. In the tabernacle there was but one table; but in the temple, besides that on which the show-bread was set, there were ten others for other uses (Ch2 4:8), besides silver tables; for, this house being much larger than that, it would look bare if it had not furniture proportionable. The gold for the altar of incense is particularly said to be refined gold (Ch1 28:18), purer than any of the rest; for that was typical of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing is more pure and perfect. 3. Directions which way to look for help in this great undertaking. "Fear not opposition; fear not the charge, care, and trouble; fear not miscarrying in it, as in the case of Uzza; fear not the reproach of the foolish builder, that began to build and was not able to finish. Be not dismayed. (1.) God will help thee, and thou must look up to him in the first place (Ch1 28:20): The Lord God, even my God, whom I have chosen and served, who has all along been present with me and prospered me, and to whom, from my own experience of his power and goodness, I recommend thee, he will be with thee, to direct, strengthen, and prosper thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee." Note, We may be sure that God, who owned our fathers and carried them through the services of their day, will, in like manner, if we be faithful to him, go along with us in our day, and will never leave us, while he has any work to do in us or by us. The same that was Joshua's encouragement (Jos 1:5), and Solomon's, is given to all believers, Heb 13:5. He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. God never leaves any unless they first leave him. (2.) "Good men will help thee, Ch1 28:21. The priests and Levites will advise thee, and thou mayest consult them. Thou hast good workmen, who are both willing and skilful;" and these are two very good properties in a workman, especially in those that work at the temple. And, lastly, "The princes and the people will be so far from opposing or retarding the work that they will be wholly at thy command, every one in his place ready to further it." Then good work is likely to go on when all parties concerned are hearty in it, and none secretly clog it, but all drive on heartily in it.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–21. Public domain.

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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.

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