[29:20-22a] After “blessing” YHWH
in the preceding section, David now urges “the whole assembly” to bless YHWH
their God. These are David’s last words in the Chronicler’s literary work. His
final act is to inspire his people to praise YHWH’s greatness. Then all the assembly
responded positively to his words and “blessed YHWH, the God of his ancestors,
and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before YHWH and the king.” This
is only the third time in Chronicles that somebody prostrated themselves before
the deity (hithpael of šḥh).
In 1 Chr 16:29 the term was used in the Psalm quotation to encourage the people
to worship God after the ark of the covenant of YHWH was brought to Jerusalem.
In 21:21 Ornan prostrated himself before the king when he came to Ornan’s
threshing floor, to be identified as the site where the temple would be built.
In the present verse, 29:20, “All Israel prostrated themselves before YHWH and
the king,” as mediator of the deity’s presence among them. (Louis C.
Jonker, I & II Chronicles: A Commentary [The Old Testament Library;
Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2026], 304)
On 1 Chron 29:22b:
It is interesting that the
Masoretic Text lets Solomon sit “on the throne of YHWH” 9v. 23). The LXX
replaces this, however, with “the throne of David” (cf. 28:5). The Chronicler’s
narrative in 1 Chr 17, 22, and 28-29 reveal his ideological understanding clearly:
Solomon is portrayed as the representation of YHWH. Although he is the
successor of David, Solomon is revered in Chronicles as the ideal king, as the
one worthy of being the temple builder. (Louis C. Jonker, I & II
Chronicles: A Commentary [The Old Testament Library; Louisville, Ky.:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2026], 305)
