1 Chronicles 28

1 And David got together at Jerusalem all the rulers of Israel, the chiefs of the tribes and the captains of the divisions waiting on the king in turn, and the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and the controllers of all the goods and property of the king and his sons, with the unsexed servants and the great men of war.

David summoned to Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel—the leaders of the tribes, the army division commanders in service to the king, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, along with the court officials, the warriors and all the best fighting men.

2 Then David the king got up and said, Give ear to me, my brothers and my people; it was my desire to put up a house, a resting-place for the ark of the Lord's agreement, and for the foot-rest of our God; and I had got material ready for the building of it.

King David got to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people! I really wanted to build a house as a resting place for the Ark of the Lord's Agreement, as a footstool for our God. So I made plans to build it.

3 But God said to me, You are not to be the builder of a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have taken life;

But God told me, ‘You are not to build a house to honor me because you are a man of war who has spilled blood.’

4 Though the Lord, the God of Israel, took me out of all my father's family, to be king over Israel for ever, marking out Judah to be chief, and, of the people of Judah, my father's family; and among the sons of my father he was pleased to make me king over all Israel;

However, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father's family to be king of Israel forever. For he chose Judah as the leading tribe, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father's family. From among my father's sons he was pleased to chose me as king over the whole of Israel.

5 And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me a great number of sons) he has made selection of Solomon to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

From all my sons (for the Lord gave me many) the Lord has chosen Solomon my child to sit on the throne and to rule over the Lord's kingdom Israel.

6 And he said to me, Solomon your son will be the builder of my house and the open spaces round it; for I have taken him to be my son, and I will be his father.

He told me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who will build my house and my courts, because I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father.

7 I will keep his kingdom in its place for ever, if he is strong at all times to do my orders and keep my rules, as at this day.

I will make sure his kingdom lasts forever if he single-mindedly keeps my commandments and regulations like he does today.

8 So now, before the eyes of all Israel, the people of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, keep and be true to the orders of the Lord your God; so that you may have this good land for yourselves and give it for a heritage to your children after you for ever.

So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and as God listens, be sure to obey all the commandments of the Lord your God so that you may go on possessing this good land and be able to pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

9 And you, Solomon my son, get knowledge of the God of your father, and be his servant with a true heart and with a strong desire, for the Lord is the searcher of all hearts, and has knowledge of all the designs of men's thoughts; if you make search for him, he will be near you; but if you are turned away from him, he will give you up for ever.

Solomon my son, get to know the God of your father. Serve him with complete dedication and with a willing mind, for the Lord examines every motivation and understands the intention of every thought. If you look for him, you will find him; but it you abandon him, he will reject you forever.

10 Now then, take note; for the Lord has made selection of you to be the builder of a house for the holy place. Be strong and do it.

Pay attention now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and take action!”

11 Then David gave to his son Solomon the design of the doorway of the house of God and of its houses and its store-houses, and the higher rooms and the inner rooms and the place for the mercy-seat;

Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the Temple porch, its buildings, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the “place of atonement.”

12 And the design of all he had in his heart for the outer squares of the house of the Lord, and for the rooms all round it, and for the store-houses of the house of the Lord, and for the store-houses for the holy things;

He also gave him everything he had planned for the courts of the house of the Lord, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God and of those things that had been dedicated.

13 And for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work in connection with the worship of the house of the Lord, and all the vessels used in the house of the Lord;

In addition he passed on instructions regarding the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of service of the house of the Lord, and for all that was used for worship in the house of the Lord.

14 Of gold, by weight, for the vessels of gold, for all the vessels of different uses; and silver for all the vessels of silver by weight, for vessels of different uses;

He also laid down how much gold and silver was to be used in making the different objects used in every kind of service,

15 And gold by weight for the light-supports and the vessels for the lights, the weight of gold needed for every support and every vessel for lights; and for the silver light-supports, the weight of silver needed for every support and for the different vessels as every one was to be used;

the weight of the gold and silver lampstands and their lamps, depending on the use of each lampstand;

16 And gold by weight for the tables for the holy bread for every table, and silver for the silver tables;

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

17 Clear gold for the meat-hooks and the basins and the cups; for the gold basins, gold enough by weight for every basin; and silver by weight for every silver basin;

the weight of pure gold for the forks, basins, and cups; the weight of each gold dish; the weight of each silver bowl;

18 And the best gold for the altar of perfumes; and gold for the design of the carriage, for the winged ones whose wings were outstretched covering the ark of the Lord's agreement.

the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense; and lastly plans for a golden chariot of cherubim that spread their wings, covering the Ark of the Lord's Agreement.

19 All this, said David, the design for all these things, has been made dear to me in writing by the hand of the Lord.

“All this is in writing from the hand of the Lord, given to me as instructions—every detail of this plan,” said David.

20 And David said to his son Solomon, Be strong and of a good heart and do your work; have no fear and do not be troubled, for the Lord God, my God, is with you; he will not give you up, and his face will not be turned away from you, till all the work necessary for the house of the Lord is complete.

Then David also told Solomon, “Be strong, be brave, and take action! Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you! He will not let you down or leave you. He will make sure all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

21 And see, there are the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the work of the house of God; and every trained and expert workman will be ready to do for you whatever is needed; and the captains and the people will be under your orders in everything.

The divisions of the priests and the Levites are prepared for all the service of the house of God. People will be willing to use their different skills to help you in all the work—the officials and all the people will do what you tell them.”