07-17-2022, 05:47 PM
When reading the text, it seems as if the reason King David wasn't allowed to build the Temple was because he had "blood on his hands" as he said himself.
But was that really the reason, or does the text seem to state another reason? Let's look deeper into the verses to see if we can find out!
So there was a desire from King David to build the Temple as he expressed to the prophet Nathan saying the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies. And Nathan responded - "All that is in your heart, go do, for the Lord is with you"
But that very night G-d appeared to Nathan and informed him he had erred. Nathan told King David that G-d would establish a dynasty for him, but it would be his son who would build the Temple. No mention was given of King David being barred from building it due to his having shed blood.
So what is the reason then?
If we look at Deuteronomy 12:9-11, Moses tells the Jewish people -
9 - For you have not yet come to the resting place or to the inheritance, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. 10 -And you shall cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, and He will give you rest from all your enemies surrounding you, and you will dwell securely. 11 -And it will be, that the place the Lord, your God, will choose in which to establish His Name there you shall bring all that I am commanding you: Your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the separation by your hand, and the choice of vows which you will vow to the Lord.
King David's initial proposal noted that he had vanquished the enemies which he thought to be sufficient. But if you look closely at the verse in Deuteronomy, it also includes "and you will dwell securely."
We see in I Kings 5:5 -
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.
There is more but I'm trying (yes, believe it or not!) to keep it short and readable.
So this may be the real reason King David was not allowed to build the Temple. Because all that was written in Deuteronomy was not yet fulfilled. There had to be both rest from the enemies and dwelling in safety.
Portions copied from article by Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky in the Jewish Action magazine.
But was that really the reason, or does the text seem to state another reason? Let's look deeper into the verses to see if we can find out!
So there was a desire from King David to build the Temple as he expressed to the prophet Nathan saying the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies. And Nathan responded - "All that is in your heart, go do, for the Lord is with you"
But that very night G-d appeared to Nathan and informed him he had erred. Nathan told King David that G-d would establish a dynasty for him, but it would be his son who would build the Temple. No mention was given of King David being barred from building it due to his having shed blood.
So what is the reason then?
If we look at Deuteronomy 12:9-11, Moses tells the Jewish people -
9 - For you have not yet come to the resting place or to the inheritance, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. 10 -And you shall cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, and He will give you rest from all your enemies surrounding you, and you will dwell securely. 11 -And it will be, that the place the Lord, your God, will choose in which to establish His Name there you shall bring all that I am commanding you: Your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the separation by your hand, and the choice of vows which you will vow to the Lord.
King David's initial proposal noted that he had vanquished the enemies which he thought to be sufficient. But if you look closely at the verse in Deuteronomy, it also includes "and you will dwell securely."
We see in I Kings 5:5 -
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.
There is more but I'm trying (yes, believe it or not!) to keep it short and readable.
So this may be the real reason King David was not allowed to build the Temple. Because all that was written in Deuteronomy was not yet fulfilled. There had to be both rest from the enemies and dwelling in safety.
Portions copied from article by Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky in the Jewish Action magazine.
