David Gives Solomon the Plans for the Temple
1 David called a meeting in Jerusalem for all of Israel's leaders, including the tribal leaders, the government officials, the army commanders, the officials in charge of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, and the brave warriors.
2 After everyone was there, David stood up and said:
Listen to me, my people. I wanted to build a place where the sacred chest would be kept, so we could go there and worship the Lord our God. I have prepared all the supplies for building a temple, 3 but the Lord has refused to let me build it, because he said I have killed too many people in battle.
4 The Lord God chose Judah to be the leading tribe in Israel. Then from Judah, he chose my father's family, and from that family, he chose me to be the king of Israel, and he promised that my descendants will also rule as kings. 5 The Lord has blessed me with many sons, but he chose my son Solomon to be the next king of Israel. 6 The Lord said to me, “Your son Solomon will build my temple, and it will honor me. Solomon will be like a son to me, and I will be like a father to him. 7 If he continues to obey my laws and commands, his kingdom will never end.”
8 My friends, you are the Lord's people. And now, with God as your witness, I want you to promise that you will do your best to obey everything the Lord God has commanded us. Then this land will always belong to you and your descendants.
9 Solomon, my son, worship God and obey him with all your heart and mind, just as I have done. He knows all your thoughts and your reasons for doing things, and so if you turn to him, he will hear your prayers. But if you ignore him, he will reject you forever. 10 The Lord has chosen you to build a temple for worshiping him. Be confident and do the work you have been assigned.
11 After David finished speaking, he gave Solomon the plans for building the main rooms of the temple, including the porch, the storerooms, the rooms upstairs and downstairs, as well as the most holy place. 12 He gave Solomon his plans for the courtyards and the open areas around the temple, and for the rooms to store the temple treasures and gifts that had been dedicated to God.
13 David also gave Solomon his plans for dividing the priests and the Levites into groups, as well as for the work that needed to be done at the temple and for taking care of the objects used for worship. 14 He told Solomon how much gold and silver was to be used in making the sacred objects, 15 including the lampstands and lamps, 16 the gold table which held the sacred loaves of bread, the tables made of silver, 17 the meat forks, the bowls and cups, 18 the gold incense altar, and the gold statue of a chariot for the winged creatures which were on the lid of the sacred chest.
19 David then said to Solomon:
The Lord showed me how his temple is to be built. 20 But you must see that everything is done according to these plans. Be confident, and never be afraid of anything or get discouraged. The Lord my God will help you do everything needed to finish the temple, so it can be used for worshiping him. 21 The priests and Levites have been assigned their duties, and all the skilled workers are prepared to do their work. The people and their leaders will do anything you tell them.
1 Nowe Dauid assembled all the princes of Israel: the princes of the tribes, and the captaines of the bandes that serued the King, and the captaines of thousands and the captaines of hundreths, and the rulers of all the substance and possession of the King, and of his sonnes, with the eunuches, and the mightie, and all the men of power, vnto Ierusalem. 2 And King Dauid stoode vp vpon his feete; and saide, Heare ye me, my brethren and my people: I purposed to haue buylt an house of rest for the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, and for a footestoole of our God, and haue made ready for the building, 3 But God sayde vnto me, Thou shalt not buylde an house for my Name, because thou hast bene a man of warre, and hast shed blood. 4 Yet as the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father, to be King ouer Israel for euer (for in Iudah woulde he chuse a prince, and of the house of Iudah is the house of my father, and among the sonnes of my father he delited in me to make me King ouer all Israel) 5 So of all my sonnes (for the Lord hath giuen me many sonnes) he hath euen chosen Salomon my sonne to sit vpon the throne of the kingdome of the Lord ouer Israel. 6 And he sayd vnto me, Salomon thy sonne, he shall build mine house and my courtes: for I haue chosen him to be my sonne, and I will be his father. 7 I will stablish therefore his kingdome for euer, if he endeuour himselfe to do my commandements, and my iudgements, as this day. 8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the Congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keepe and seeke for all the commandements of the Lord your God, that ye may possesse this good lande, and leaue it for an inheritance for your children after you for euer. 9 And thou, Salomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfit heart, and with a willing minde: For the Lord searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts: if thou seeke him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for euer. 10 Take heede now, for the Lord hath chosen thee to buylde the house of the Sanctuarie: be strong therefore, and doe it. 11 Then Dauid gaue to Salomon his sonne the paterne of the porch and of the houses thereof, and of the closets thereof, and of the galleries thereof, and of the chambers thereof that are within, and of the house of the mercieseate, 12 And the paterne of all that he had in his minde for the courtes of the house of the Lord, and for all the chambers round about, for the treasures of the house of God, and for the treasures of the dedicate things, 13 And for the courses of the Priestes, and of the Leuites, and for all the woorke for the seruice of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of the ministerie of the house of the Lord. 14 He gaue of golde by weight, for the vessels of gold, for all the vessels of all maner of seruice, and all the vessels of siluer by weight, for all maner vessels of all maner of seruice. 15 The weight also of golde for the candlestickes, and gold for their lampes, with the weight for euery candlesticke, and for the lampes thereof, and for the candlestickes of siluer by the weight of the candlesticke, and the lampes thereof, according to the vse of euery candlesticke, 16 And the weight of the gold for the tables of shewbread, for euery table, and siluer for the tables of siluer, 17 And pure golde for the fleshhookes, and the bowles, and plates, and for basens, golde in weight for euery basen, and for siluer basens, by weight for euery basen, 18 And for the altar of incense, pure golde by weight, and golde for the paterne of the charet of the Cherubs that spread themselues, and couered the Arke of the couenant of the Lord: 19 All, said he, by writing sent to me by the hand of the Lord, which made me vnderstand all the workemanship of the paterne. 20 And Dauid said to Salomon his sonne, Be strong, and of a valiant courage and doe it: feare not, nor be afraide: for the Lord God, euen my God is with thee: he will not leaue thee nor forsake thee till thou hast finished all the worke for the seruice of the house of the Lord. 21 Beholde also, the companies of the Priests and the Leuites for all the seruice of the house of God, euen they shall be with thee for the whole worke, with euery free heart that is skilfull in any maner of seruice. The princes also and all the people will be wholy at thy commandement.