1
Then David said, "The house of the LORD God is to be here,
and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
Preparations for the Temple
2
So David gave orders to assemnle the aliens living in Israel,
and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone
for building the house of God.
3
He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for he doors of the gateways
and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.
4
He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians
and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.
5
David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house
to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificance and frame
and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations
for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.
6
Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house
for the LORD, the God of Israel.
7
David said to Solomon: My son, I had it in my heart to build a house
for the Name of the LORD my God.
8
But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and
have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name,
because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.
9
But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him
rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will
grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.
10
He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son,
and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom
over Israel forever.'
11
"Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success
and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would.
12
May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you
in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.
13
Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees
and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or discouraged.
14
"I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD
a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver,
quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed,
and wood and stone. And you may add to them.
15
You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters
as well as men skilled in every kind of work
16
in gold and silver, bronze and iron - craftsmen beyond number.
Now begin the work, and the LORD be with you."
17
Then David ordered all th leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.
18
He said to them, "Is not the LORD your God with you?
And has he not granted you rest on every side?
For he has handed the inhabitants of the land over to me,
and the land is subject to the LORD and to his people.
19
Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.
Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God,
so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles
belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Number of the LORD."
