What Does 1 Chronicles 29:7 Mean?
And they gave for the serving 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.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
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.THE KEY
Here, giving takes shape as placement: immense wealth is directed toward the service it will sustain.
THE MEANING
This verse speaks now through the direction given to abundance: material wealth is placed into service for the work of God’s house. The repeated metals and immense counts let the scale remain visible, while the phrase “for the service” gives the list its center. What is given becomes part of that work.
THE ROOT
וַיִּתְּנוּ
vayyittenu
GROWS FROM
נתן
Give, set, place.
“gave” in this verse is vayyittenu. The verb carries the sense of giving and placing, so the direction of the gift matters: these resources are set toward a defined service. The same root appears in verse 14, where the people say they have given to God what came from God’s hand.
ALSO GROWS
natan: Give, set, place.
נָתַן
This root meaning brings the act of giving together with directing something toward a purpose.
mattanah: Gift.
מַתָּנָה
The related noun shows the gift as something placed into another’s hands.
עֲבוֹדַת
avodat
GROWS FROM
עבד
Work, serve.
“serving” in this verse is avodat. English “service” can sound like a religious category; עֲבוֹדָה also names work and labor. The verse ties the gold, silver, brass, and iron to the work of God’s house, so the inventory is understood by the service it supports.
ALSO GROWS
avad: Work, serve.
עָבַד
The verb shows the active work contained in the service named here.
eved: Servant.
עֶבֶד
This related word names one who serves, linking the work to the one carrying it out.
avodah: Work, service.
עֲבוֹדָה
This is the noun form behind “service,” with the broader sense of work still present.
THE PATTERN
Material gifts become provision when they are directed toward a shared work.
And they came, every one whose heart lifted him, and every one whom his breath made free-hearted, and they brought the LORD's lifted offering for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all its serving, and for the set-apart garments.For this serving, this work of the people, not only fills up the lack of the set-apart ones, but also overflows through many thanks to God.THE THREAD
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should hold the strength to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come from you, and from your hand have we given to you.The same root נתן appears in “we have given thee.” This verse opens the inventory into a movement of receiving and giving: the materials directed to service are named as coming from God’s hand.
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