How we cite our quotes:
Quote #7
Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but let me not fall into human hands." So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel; and seventy thousand persons fell in Israel. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. (1 Chronicles 21:13-15, NRSV)
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. (1 Chronicles 21:13-15, KJV)
The people of Israel share good times together and bad. When David makes a bad choice, everyone has to suffer for it. David doesn't really think that's fair, but this is kind of the way that God has been working since the beginning of time. Individual sin can affect the entire community. But as a good leader, David takes responsibility for the situation and people know it.
Quote #8
David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, "Is not the Lord your God with you? Has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord." (1 Chronicles 22:17-19, NRSV)
David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, Is not the Lord your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 22:17-19, KJV)
David calls on the people's sense of communal obligation. He knows he won't be around forever and wants to make sure that the nation continues to be united after he's gone. They need to help Solomon because Solomon is the king God picked. God has been good to them and they need to follow through with their end of the bargain. And build a really fabulous temple while they're at it—this will be another shared project.
Quote #9
"Who then will offer willingly, consecrating themselves today to the Lord?" Then the leaders of ancestral houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, and the officers over the king's work. They gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord, into the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with single mind they had offered freely to the Lord; King David also rejoiced greatly. (1 Chronicles 29:5-9, NRSV)
Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord? Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. (1 Chronicles 29:5-9, KJV)
But the Temple isn't just David's pet project. He gets all the plans together, but it's the donations from the people that really make it possible. That makes the Temple a communal monument to God, not just one king's vision. You can see that the people feel really great about being able to do this. There's rejoicing all around. You know that feeling that comes with donation to a good cause.