1 Chronicles 28

1 And David called together all the rulers of Israel, the rulers of tribes and the rulers of the courses who waited upon the king, —and the rulers of thousands and the rulers of hundreds, and the rulers over all the possessions and substance that belonged to the king and to his sons, with the courtiers and the heroes, even every hero of valour, unto Jerusalem.

David assembled all the officials of Israel at Jerusalem: the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king in their scheduled work, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, the managers over all the property and possessions of the king and of his sons, and the officers and fighting men, including the most skilled of them.

2 Then David the king rose up on his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren and my people, —As for me, it was near 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 ready to build.

Then David the king rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was my intention to build a temple for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; a footstool for our God, and I have made preparations to build it.

3 But, God, said to me, Thou shalt not build a house for my Name, —for, a man of war, thou art, and, blood, hast thou shed.

But God said to me, 'You will not build a temple for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'

4 Howbeit Yahweh, God of Israel, made choice of me, out of all of the house of my father, to become king over Israel unto times age-abiding, for, of Judah, had he made choice to be chief ruler, and, in the house of Judah, the house of my father, —and, among the sons of my father, with me, was he well-pleased, to make me king over all Israel;

Yet Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all my father's family to be king over Israel forever. He has chosen the tribe of Judah as leader. In the tribe of Judah, and in my father's household, out of all my father's sons, he chose me to be king over all Israel.

5 and, from among all my sons, —for, many sons, hath Yahweh given me, —he hath made choice of Solomon my son, to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh, over Israel.

From the many sons whom Yahweh has given me, he chose Solomon, my son, to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh, over Israel.

6 And he said unto am, Solomon thy son—he, shall build my house, and my courts, —for I have made choice of him that he may be my son, and that, I, may be his father.

He said to me, 'Solomon your son will build my house and my courtyards, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

7 So will I establish his kingdom, unto times age-abiding, —if he be strong, to do my commandments and my regulations, as at this day.

I will establish his kingdom forever, if he remains committed to obey my commandments and decrees, as you are this day.'

8 Now, therefore, in the eyes of all Israel—the convocation of Yahweh, and in the ears of our God, Observe and seek all the commandments of Yahweh your God, —to the end that ye may possess the good land, —and suffer your sons after you to inherit it, unto times age-abiding.

Now then, in the sight of all Israel, this assembly for Yahweh, and in the presence of our God, all of you must keep and try to carry out all the commandments of Yahweh your God. Do this so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your children after you forever.

9 Thou, therefore, Solomon my son, Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing soul, for, all hearts, doth Yahweh search, and, every devised purpose, doth he understand, —If thou seek him, He will be found of thee, but, if thou forsake him, He will cast thee off for ever.

As for you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father, and serve him with your whole heart and a willing spirit. Do this because Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every motivation of everyone's thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.

10 See! now, that, Yahweh, hath made choice of thee, to build a house for a sanctuary—be strong and do!

Realize that Yahweh has chosen you to build this temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”

11 Then gave David unto Solomon his son, the plan of the porch, and the recesses thereof, and the treasuries thereof, and the upper rooms thereof, and the inner chambers thereof, and the recess for the propitiatory;

Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the temple portico, the temple buildings, the storerooms, the upper rooms, the inner rooms, and the room with the atonement lid.

12 and the plan of all which had come by the spirit to be with him, for the courts of the house of Yahweh, and for all the rooms round about, —for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of hallowed things;

He gave him the plans he had drawn for the courtyards of Yahweh's house, all the surrounding rooms, the storerooms in God's house, and the treasuries for the things that belong to Yahweh.

13 and for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, —and for all the utensils of the service of the house of Yahweh:

He gave him regulations for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for the assigned responsibilities for the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the objects for the service in Yahweh's house.

14 of gold, by weight, for the gold, for all manner of utensils for each several service, —for all manner of utensils of silver, by weight, for all manner of utensils for each several service;

He determined the weight of all the gold vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service,

15 and a weight, for the lampstands of gold, and their lamps of gold, by the weight of each several lampstand, and the lamps thereof, —and for the lampstands of silver by weight, for each lampstand and the lamps thereof, according to the service of each several lampstand.

the weight of the gold for all the gold articles, to be lampstands and gold lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand, the weight of silver for each silver lampstand, according to the use of each lampstand in the service.

16 And the gold [gave he] by weight for the tables for setting in array, for each several table, —and silver, for the tables of silver;

He gave the weight of the gold for the tables of the bread of the presence, for every table, and the weight of the silver for the silver tables.

17 and the fleshhooks and the bowls and the cups, pure gold, —and for the goblets of gold, by weight for each several goblet, and for the goblets of silver, by weight for each several goblet;

He gave the weight of pure gold for the meat forks, basins, and cups. He gave the weight for each of the gold bowls, and the weight of each of the silver bowls.

18 and, for the altar of incense, refined gold, by weight, —and, for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, gold, for them that were spreading out, and covering the ark of the covenant of Yahweh: —

He gave the weight of refined gold for the incense altar, and of the gold for the design of the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.

19 the whole in writing, From the hand of Yahweh upon me, to give understanding, —all the works of the pattern.

David said, “I have put all this in writing as Yahweh directed me and gave me to understand regarding the design.”

20 Then said David, unto Solomon his son, Be strong and bold, and act, thou mayest not fear nor be dismayed, —for, Yahweh, God, my God, will be with thee, he will not let thee go, neither will he forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh.

David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and brave. Do the work. Do not be afraid or anxious, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you nor abandon you until all the work for the service of Yahweh's temple is finished.

21 And there are the courses of the priests and the Levites, for all the service of the house of God, —and, with thee, in all manner of work, is every willing, skilful man for any service, also the rulers and all the people, for all thine affairs.

See, here are the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the service in God's temple. They will be with you, together with all willing and skillful men, to assist you in the work and to perform the service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your commands.”