Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Chronicles 22:2

"And David commanded to gather together the sojourners that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God." — 1 Chronicles 22:2 (ASV)

And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

It is very observable that not the Israelites, but the foreigners, the aliens, the strangers, the remaining Canaanites that were in the land, were set to hew the stones for the house of the Lord. I have heard very good people indeed object to the ungodly giving any money whatever to God's cause. This is all against it; here are the aliens employed to hew the stones for the house of God, and why should they not? It will do them good, at least, to do some good thing or other in their lives. Let them have an opportunity to do so.

But I see here an indication of the calling of the Gentiles, for whenever the Jews said the Gentiles had nothing to do with God, why, the very stones of their temple spoke against them. Were not the timbers brought from Tyre by the Tyrians on rafts? Were not the stones quarried by aliens and foreigners? Oh! the Lord would have his people follow a large, and liberal, and prophetic policy in their dealing with mankind. God forbid that we should shut anybody out from anything that looks like good. Oh! let us not repel them; it may be that in repelling their offerings we may be hardening their hearts.

David was a wiser man than that.

And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

Observe here a very gracious eye to us who are Gentiles. The temple was built on the threshing floor of a Jebusite; Ornan was not of the seed of Israel, but one of the accursed Jebusites. It was his land that must be bought for the temple; and now David would employ the strangers who lived in the midst of Israel, but were not of the chosen race, to quarry the stones for the house of God. There was a place for Gentiles in the heart of God, and they had a share in the building of His temple.