1 Chronicles 7-10a

The colossal mass-murder caused by King David in the Old Testament. It often reads as though God wanted him to brutally kill so many tens of thousands of people, but yesterday I came across a tiny little verse from the end of his life:

David said to Solomon, "I wanted in the worst way to build a sanctuary to honor my God. But God prevented me, saying, 'You've killed too many people, fought too many wars. You are not the one to honor me by building a sanctuary—you've been responsible for too much killing, too much bloodshed. But you are going to have a son and he will be a quiet and peaceful man, and I will calm his enemies down on all sides. His very name will speak peace—that is, Solomon, which means Peace—and I'll give peace and rest under his rule. He will be the one to build a sanctuary in my honor.

1 Chronicles 7-10a (Message)

The verse about David being “a man after God’s own heart” is quoted in isolation far more often than this one. I don't understand why, as without the forgiveness of the above excerpt as context, it scarcely makes any sense.