David commanded to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew worked stones to build the house of God.
      II. Preparation made for that building. David must not build it, but he would do all he could towards it: He prepared abundantly before his death,1 Chronicles 22:5; 1 Chronicles 22:5. This intimates that the consideration of his age and growing infirmities, which showed him his death approaching, quickened him, towards his latter end, to be very diligent in making this preparation. What our hands find to do for God, and our souls, and our generation, let us do it with all our might before our death, because, after death, there is no device nor working. Now we are here told,