1 Chronicles 22

1 And David said, “This is the house of God, and this is the altar for the holocaust of Israel.”

Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar for Israel's burned offerings.

2 And he instructed them to gather all the new converts from the land of Israel. And from these he appointed stoneworkers, to hew stones and to polish them, so that he might build the house of God.

And David gave orders to get together all the men from strange lands who were in the land of Israel; and he put stone-cutters to work, cutting stones for building the house of God.

3 Also, David prepared very much iron to use for the nails of the gates, and for the seams and joints, as well as an immeasurable weight of brass.

And he got together a great store of iron, for the nails for the doors and for the joins; and brass, more in weight than might be measured;

4 Also, the cedar trees, which the Sidonians and Tyrians had transported to David, were not able to be counted.

And cedar-trees without number, for the Zidonians and the men of Tyre came with a great amount of cedar-trees for David.

5 And David said: “My son Solomon is a young and tender boy. But the house that I desire to be built to the Lord ought to be so great that it is renowned in every region. Therefore, I will prepare what will be necessary for him.” And for this reason, before his death, he prepared all the expenses.

And David said, Solomon my son is young and untested, and the house which is to be put up for the Lord is to be very great, a thing of wonder and glory through all countries; so I will make ready what is needed for it. So David got ready a great store of material before his death.

6 And he called for Solomon, his son. And he instructed him to build a house to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Then he sent for his son Solomon, and gave him orders for the building of a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.

7 And David said to Solomon: “My son, it was my will that I build a house to the name of the Lord my God.

And David said to Solomon, My son, it was my desire to put up a house for the name of the Lord my God.

8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘You have shed much blood, and you have battled in many wars. You are not able to build a house to my name, so great was the shedding of blood before me.

But the word of the Lord came to me saying, You have taken lives without number and made great wars; I will not let you be the builder of a house for my name, because of the lives you have taken on the earth before my eyes.

9 The son who shall be born to you will be a very quiet man. For I will cause him to have rest from all his enemies on every side. And for this reason, he shall be called Peaceful. And I will grant peace and tranquility to Israel during all his days.

But you will have a son who will be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from wars on every side. His name will be Solomon, and in his time I will give Israel peace and quiet;

10 He shall build a house to my name. And he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel unto eternity.’

He will be the builder of a house for my name; he will be to me a son, and I will be to him a father; and I will make the seat of his rule over Israel certain for ever.

11 Now then, my son, may the Lord be with you, and may you prosper and build a house to the Lord your God, just as he has spoken concerning you.

Now, my son, may the Lord be with you; and may you do well, and put up the house of the Lord your God, as he has said of you.

12 Also, may the Lord give you prudence and understanding, so that you may be able to rule Israel and to guard the law of the Lord your God.

Only may the Lord give you wisdom, and knowledge of his orders for Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God.

13 For then you will be able to advance, if you keep the commandments and judgments that the Lord instructed Moses to teach to Israel. Be strengthened and act manfully. You should not fear, and you should not dread.

And all will go well for you, if you take care to keep the laws and the rules which the Lord gave to Moses for Israel: be strong and take heart; have no fear and do not be troubled.

14 Behold, in my poverty I have prepared the expenses for the house of the Lord: one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million of talents of silver. Yet truly, there is no measuring the brass and the iron. For their magnitude is beyond numbering. And I have prepared the timber and the stones for the entire project.

Now see, poor though I am, I have got ready for the house of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold and a million talents of silver; and a weight of brass and iron greater than may be measured; and wood and stone have I made ready, and you may put more to it.

15 Also, you have very many artisans: stoneworkers, and builders of walls, and craftsmen of wood, and those most prudent in doing the work of every art,

And you have a great number of workmen, cutters and workers of stone and wood, and experts in every sort of work,

16 with gold and silver, and with brass and iron, of which there is no number. Therefore, rise up and act. And the Lord will be with you.”

In gold and silver and brass and iron more than may be numbered. Up! then, and to work; and may the Lord be with you.

17 Also, David instructed all the leaders of Israel, so that they would assist his son Solomon,

Then David gave orders to all the chiefs of Israel to give their help to Solomon his son, saying,

18 saying: “You discern that the Lord your God is with you, and that he has given you rest on all sides, and that he has delivered all your enemies into your hands, and that the land has been subdued before the Lord and before his people.

Is not the Lord your God with you? and has he not given you rest on every side? for the Lord has given the people of the land into my hands, and the land is overcome before the Lord and before his people.

19 Therefore, offer your hearts and your souls, so that you seek the Lord your God. And rise up and build a sanctuary to the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the vessels consecrated to the Lord, may be brought into the house that is built to the name of the Lord.”

Now give your heart and soul to the worship of the Lord your God; and get to work on the building of the holy place of the Lord God, so that you may put the ark of the Lord's agreement and the holy vessels of God in the house which is to be made for the name of the Lord.