1 Chronicles 28

1 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.

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.

2 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.

Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yhwh, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:

3 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.'

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

4 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.

Howbeit Yhwh God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:

5 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.

And of all my sons, ( for Yhwh hath given me many sons, ) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Yhwh over Israel.

6 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.

And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

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

Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.

8 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.

Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of Yhwh, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of Yhwh your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

9 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.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for Yhwh searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

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

Take heed now; for Yhwh hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

11 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.

Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

12 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.

And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of Yhwh, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

13 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.

Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yhwh, and for all the vessels of service in the house of Yhwh.

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

He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

15 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.

Even the weight for the lampstands of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every lampstand, and for the lamps thereof: and for the lampstands of silver by weight, both for the lampstand, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every lampstand.

16 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.

And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:

17 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.

Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:

18 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.

And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of Yhwh.

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

All this, said David, Yhwh made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

20 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.

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

21 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.”

And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.