1David assembled all the officials of Israel—the officials of the tribes, the officials of the divisions who served the king, the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds, the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, along with the eunuchs and the mighty men, and every mighty man of valor—at Jerusalem.
2Then David the king rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations to build.
3But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, for you are a man of wars and have shed blood.’
4Yet Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and within the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
5And out of all my sons—for Yahweh has given me many sons—he chose Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel.
6And he said to me, ‘Solomon your son—he shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
7And I will establish his kingdom forever, if he holds firm to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.’
8So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God: keep and seek out all the commandments of Yahweh your God, so that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your children after you forever.
9And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing self, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every inclination of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
10See now that Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for a sanctuary. Be strong and act.
11Then David gave to Solomon his son the plan of the portico and its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and the room for the mercy seat,
12and the plan of all that he had in mind by the Spirit: for the courts of the house of Yahweh, for all the surrounding chambers, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the holy things;
13and for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels for the service of the house of Yahweh.
14He gave the gold by weight for the gold vessels, for all the vessels of each kind of service, and the silver by weight for all the silver vessels, for all the vessels of each kind of service;
15the weight for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and for the silver lampstands, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;
16and the gold by weight for the tables of the rows of bread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables;
17and the forks, the basins, and the cups of pure gold; and for the golden bowls, by weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls, by weight for each bowl;
18and for the altar of incense, refined gold by weight; and the plan of the chariot—the golden cherubim—that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.
19All this, in writing from the hand of Yahweh, he made clear to me—all the works of the plan.
20Then David said to Solomon his son: “Be strong and courageous, and act. Do not fear and do not be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.
21And behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites are ready for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work will be every willing man skilled in any kind of service, and the officials and all the people are at your command.”
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