Study Desk

David assembled all the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem:^(a) the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions in the king's service, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, along with the court officials, the fighting men,^(b) and all the brave warriors.

Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the Lord 's covenant^(c) and as a footstool^(d) for our God. I had made preparations to build,

but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'^(e)

"Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me out of all my father's household^(f) to be king over Israel forever.^(g) For He chose Judah as leader,^(h) and from the house of Judah, my father's household, and from my father's sons,⁽ⁱ⁾ He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.

And out of all my sons^(j)—for the Lord has given me many sons—He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the Lord 's kingdom over Israel.^(k)

He said to me,^(l) ‘Your son Solomon is the one who is to build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father.

I will establish his kingdom forever if he perseveres in keeping My commands and My ordinances as he is today.'^(m)

"So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord , and in the hearing of our God, observe and follow all the commands of the Lord your God so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

"As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind,⁽ⁿ⁾ for the Lord searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought.^(o) If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.^(p)

Realize now that the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it."^(q)

Then David gave his son Solomon the plans^(r) for the portico^(s) of the temple and its buildings, treasuries, upper rooms, inner rooms, and a room for the mercy seat.^(t)

The plans contained everything he had in mind^[a](u) for the courts of the Lord 's house, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries^(v) of God's house, and the treasuries for what is dedicated.

Also included were plans for the divisions of the priests and the Levites; all the work of service in the Lord 's house; all the articles of service of the Lord 's house;

the weight of gold for all the articles for every kind of service; the weight of all the silver articles for every kind of service;

the weight of the gold lampstands^(w) and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; the weight of each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the service of each lampstand;

the weight of gold for each table for the rows of the bread of the Presence and the silver for the silver tables;

the pure gold for the forks, sprinkling basins, and pitchers; the weight of each gold dish; the weight of each silver bowl;

the weight of refined gold for the altar of incense;^(x) and the plans for the chariot of^[b](y) the gold cherubim that spread out their wings and cover the ark of the Lord 's covenant.^(z)

David concluded, "By the Lord 's hand on me, He enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan."^[c]

Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous,^(aa) and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He won't leave you or forsake you^(ab) until all the work for the service of the Lord 's house is finished.

Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of God's house.^(ac) Every willing man of any skill^(ad) will be at your disposal for the work, and the leaders and all the people are at your every command."

Then King David said to all the assembly, "My son Solomon—God has chosen him alone—is young and inexperienced. The task is great^(a) because the temple will not be for man but for the Lord God.^(b)

So to the best of my ability I've made provision for the house of my God:^(c) gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting,^[a] antimony,^[b](d) stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble.

Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the house of my God over and above all that I've provided for the holy house:

100 tons^[c](e) of gold (gold of Ophir^(f)) and 250 tons^[d] of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings,

the gold for the gold work and the silver for the silver, for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the Lord today?"

Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds,^(g) and the officials in charge of the king's work^(h) gave willingly.

For the service of God's house they gave 185 tons^[e] of gold and 10,000 gold coins,^[f](i) 375 tons^[g] of silver, 675 tons^[h] of bronze, and 4,000 tons^[i] of iron.

Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Lord 's house under the care of Jehiel^(j) the Gershonite.

Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders' willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord with a whole heart.^(k) King David also rejoiced greatly.

Then David praised the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said, May You be praised, Lord God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity.

Yours, Lord , is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord , is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.^(l)

Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything.^(m) Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.⁽ⁿ⁾

Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name.

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.^[j]

For we live before You as foreigners and temporary residents in Your presence as were all our ancestors.^(o) Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.^(p)

Yahweh our God, all this wealth that we've provided for building You a house for Your holy name comes from Your hand; everything belongs to You.

I know, my God, that You test the heart^(q) and that You are pleased with what is right.^(r) I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present^[k] here giving joyfully and^[l] willingly to You.

Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the hearts of Your people, and confirm their hearts toward You.

Give my son Solomon a whole heart to keep and to carry out all Your commands, Your decrees, and Your statutes,^(s) and to build the temple for which I have made provision.^(t)

Then David said to the whole assembly, "Praise the Lord your God." So the whole assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors.^(u) They bowed down and paid homage to the Lord and the king.^(v)

The following day they offered sacrifices to the Lord and burnt offerings to the Lord : 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, along with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.^(w)

They ate and drank with great joy in the Lord 's presence that day. Then, for a second time,^(x) they made David's son Solomon king; they anointed him^[m] as the Lord 's ruler,^(y) and Zadok as the priest.

Solomon sat on the Lord 's throne as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.^(z)

All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David's sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.

The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel^(aa) and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been bestowed on any king over Israel before him.^(ab)

David son of Jesse was king over all Israel.^(ac)

The length of his reign over Israel was 40 years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for 33.^(ad)

He died at a ripe old age,^(ae) full of days,^(af) riches, and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place.

As for the events of King David's reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of Samuel the Seer,^(ag) the Events of Nathan the Prophet,^(ah) and the Events of Gad the Seer,^(ai)

along with all his reign, his might, and the incidents that affected him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands.