David Commissions Solomon

1And David assembled all the heads of Israel, the heads of the tribes, and the heads of the divisions who served the king, and the heads of the thousands, and the heads of the hundreds, and the heads of all the property and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, and all the mighty men of valor at Jerusalem.

2And King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of YHWH, and for the footstool of our God, and I had made preparations to build it. 3And God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you are a man of war, and you have shed blood.’

4And YHWH, God of Israel, chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For among Judah he chose for a leader, and in the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel. 5And of all my sons—for many sons YHWH has given me—also He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of YHWH 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 even to forever, if he is strong to do My commandments and My ordinances, as this day.’

8And now in the eyes of all Israel the assembly of YHWH, and in the ears of our God, be careful and seek out all the commandments of YHWH your⁺ God, that you⁺ may possess the good land for your⁺ children and leave it as an inheritance after you⁺ even to forever. 9And as for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for YHWH searches all hearts, and He understands all the intent of thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 10See now, for YHWH has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”

The Plans for the Temple

11And David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch of the temple,† and its houses, and its treasuries, and its upper chambers, and its inner chambers, and the house of the mercy seat,† 12and the pattern of all that was by the Spirit with him,† of the courts of the house of YHWH, and of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things, 13and for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of YHWH, and for all the articles of service in the house of YHWH:

14Even the gold by weight for the gold, for all articles of every kind of service;

and for all articles of silver by weight, and for all articles of every kind of service;

15and the weight for the lampstands of gold, and their lamps of gold, by weight of each lampstand and for each lampstand, and its lamps;

and for the lampstands of silver, by weight for the lampstand and its lamps, according to the service of each lampstand and for each lampstand;

16and the gold by weight for the tables of the showbread, for each table; and the silver for the tables of silver;

17and the forks, and the sprinkling bowls, and the pitchers of pure gold;

and the golden bowls by weight for every bowl;

and for the silver bowls, by weight for every bowl;

18and for the altar of incense, the refined gold by weight;

and for the pattern of the chariot of the gold cherubim, spreading and covering over the ark of the covenant of YHWH.

19“The entirety is in writing from the hand of YHWH upon me. He has made me understand all the works of the pattern.”

20And David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and be courageous and do it. Do not fear and do not be dismayed, for YHWH God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you and he will not forsake you until the completion of all the work of the service of the house of YHWH. 21And behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and with you for all manner of workmanship is every willing one with wisdom for every service, and the heads and all the people are according to all your command.”