1 Chronicles 22

1 Then David said, “Here, [at the edge of Jerusalem, ] is where [we will build] the temple for our God Yahweh, and where [we will make] the altar for burning the offerings that the Israeli [people will bring].”

Then David said, This is the house of Jehovah God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.

2 So David commanded that the foreigners who lived in Israel must gather together. [When they did that, ] he appointed [some of those] men to [cut huge] stones [from the quarries] and to smooth their surfaces, to be used to build the temple of God.

And David commanded to gather together the sojourners that were in the land of Israel. And he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

3 David provided a large amount of iron for making nails and hinges for the doors in the gates of the temple. He also provided so much bronze [for making the altar and various utensils], that no one could weigh it all.

And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings, and brass in abundance without weight,

4 He also provided [money for buying] a large amount of cedar logs. Because there was a huge number of them, no one was able to count them. Those were logs that men from Tyre and Sidon [cities] sent to David.

and cedar trees without number. For the Sidonians and those of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.

5 David [provided all those things because he] thought, “My son Solomon is still young and he does not know what he needs to know [about building], and the temple of Yahweh must be (magnificent/very beautiful). It must be a glorious building that will become famous, and people throughout the world must consider it to be glorious/splendid. So now I will begin to prepare for it to be built, [and Solomon will be responsible for building it].” So David collected a great amount of building materials before he died.

And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Jehovah must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

6 [When] David [was old, he] summoned his son Solomon, and told him that he should arrange for a temple to be built for Yahweh, the God whom the Israelis [worshiped].

Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Jehovah, the God of Israel.

7 He said to him, “I wanted [IDM] to build a temple to honor [MTY] Yahweh, my God.

And David said to Solomon his son, As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Jehovah my God.

8 But Yahweh told [a prophet to tell] me, ‘You have killed many men [MTY] in the battles that you have fought. I have seen the blood of all the people whom you killed, so you will not be the one who will arrange for a temple to be built to honor me [MTY].

But the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Thou have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. Thou shall not build a house to my name because thou have shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

9 But you will have a son [who will be king of Israel after you die]. He will be a man who is peaceful and quiet, [not a man who kills others]. And I will cause that there will be peace between him and his enemies who are in all the nearby lands. His name will be Solomon, [which sounds like the word for peace]. During the time that he is king, people in Israel will be peaceful and safe.

Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest. And I will give him rest from all his enemies round about, for his name shall be Solomon. And I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

10 He is the one who will arrange for a temple to be built to honor me [MTY]. He will be [like] a son to me, and I will cause some of his descendants to rule [MTY] over Israel forever [HYP].’

He shall build a house for my name. And he shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.

11 “So now, my son, I hope/wish that Yahweh will help you, and enable you to be successful in arranging for building the temple of Yahweh, your God, which is what he said that you would do.

Now, my son, Jehovah be with thee, and prosper thou, and build the house of Jehovah thy God as he has spoken concerning thee.

12 I also hope/wish that he will enable you to be wise and to understand what you need to know, and enable you to obey his laws while you rule over Israel.

Only Jehovah give thee discretion and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, so that thou may keep the law of Jehovah thy God.

13 If you carefully obey all the laws and regulations/commands that Yahweh gave to Moses to give to us Israeli people, you will be successful. So be steadfast/strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of anything, and do not become discouraged!

Then thou shall prosper, if thou observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Jehovah charged Moses with concerning Israel. Be strong, and of good courage. Fear not, neither be dismayed.

14 “I have tried hard to provide [materials] for [building] the temple of Yahweh. I have provided nearly 4,000 tons of gold, and nearly 40,000 tons of silver. I have also provided a very large amount of iron and bronze; no one has been able to weigh it all. I have also gathered/provided lumber and stone [for the walls of the temple], but you may need to get some more of those things.

Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Jehovah a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a million talents of silver, and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance. Also I have prepared timber and stone, and thou may add thereto.

15 There are many men [in Israel] who have good ability to cut big stones for making stone walls, and carpenters, and men who are very skilled at making various kinds of things.

Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all men who are skilful in every manner of work.

16 There are many men who know how to make things from gold and silver and bronze and iron. So now [I say to you], begin the work [of building the temple], and I hope/wish that Yahweh will help/be with you.”

Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and Jehovah be with thee.

17 Then David commanded that all the Israeli leaders must assist Solomon. He said to them,

David also commanded all the rulers of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

18 “Yahweh our God is certainly with/helping you [RHQ]. He has allowed you to have peace with all the nearby nations [RHQ]. He has enabled my [army] to conquer [IDM] them, so now Yahweh and my people control them.

Is not Jehovah your God with you? And has he not given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before Jehovah, and before his people.

19 Now you must obey Yahweh completely. Help Solomon to arrange for building the temple for Yahweh God, in order that you can bring the Sacred Chest that contains the Ten Commandments and the other sacred items that belong to God into the temple that you will build to honor Yahweh.”

Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Jehovah your God. Arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of Jehovah God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Jehovah.