1 Chronicles 28

1 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.

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the divisions that ministered to the king, and the captains of the thousands, and the captains of the hundreds, and the rulers of all the property and the cattle of the king and of his sons, with the court-servants, and the mighty men, and with all the valiant men of the army, unto Jerusalem.

2 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.

Then arose king David upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people! I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and I had made preparations to build;

3 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.’

But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build a house unto my name; because thou art a man of war, and blood hast thou shed.

4 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.

Yet the Lord the God of Israel made choice of me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever; for of Judah had he made choice as ruler, and among the house of Judah, of the house of my father; and among the sons of my father had he pleasure in me to make [me] king over all Israel:

5 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.

And of all my sons, —for the Lord hath given me many sons, — hath he made choice of Solomon my son, to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

6 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.

And he hath said unto me, Solomon thy son it is that shall build my house and my courts; for I have made choice of him to be as a son unto me, and I will be indeed to him as a father.

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

Moreover, I will firmly establish his kingdom for everlasting, if he be strong to execute my commandments and my ordinances as it is this day.

8 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.

And now before the eyes of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, [I admonish you] observe and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: in order that ye may keep possession of this good land, and leave it for an inheritance unto your children after you forever.

9 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.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with an entire heart and with a willing soul; for all hearts doth the Lord search, and every imagination of the thoughts doth he understand; if thou seek him, he will let himself be found by thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

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

See now that the Lord hath made choice of thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong and do it.

11 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.”

Then gave David to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of its apartments, and of its treasuries, and of upper chambers, and of its inner chambers, and of the place of the cover of the ark.

12 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.

And the pattern of all that he had in his spirit, concerning the courts of the house of the Lord, and concerning all the chambers round about, concerning the treasuries of the house of God, and concerning the treasuries of the holy things:

13 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.

Also concerning the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and concerning all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and concerning all the vessels of service of the house of the Lord;

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

Concerning the golden vessels, after the weight of the gold, for all the vessels of all manner of service; concerning all the vessels of silver after the weight, for all the vessels of every kind of service;

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

Also the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, after the weight for every candlestick, and for its lamps; and concerning the candlesticks of silver after the weight, for the candlestick, and for its lamps, according to the use of every candlestick;

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

And the gold after the weight for the tables of the rows of shewbread, for every table; and the silver for the tables of silver;

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

Also [concerning] the forks, and the bowls, and the supporters of pure gold; and concerning the golden cups after the weight for every cup; and concerning the silver cups after the weight for every cup;

18 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.

And concerning the altar of incense the refined gold after the weight; and concerning the pattern of the chariot of the golden cherubim, which spread out [their wings], and over the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

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

All [this, said David, ] was put in writing from the hand of the Lord, who gave me instruction [respecting] all the works of the pattern.

20 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.

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong, and of good courage, and do [the work]; fear not, and be not dismayed; for the Lord God, [yea, ] my God is with thee: he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

21 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.”

And, behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites are there for all the service of the house of God; and with thee are in all manner of workmanship all kinds of men distinguished in wisdom, for every manner of service; and the princes and all the people are ready [to obey] all thy words.