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¹ THEN David said, This is the house of the LORD God and this is the altar of the burnt offerings for Israel.² And David commanded to gather together all the proselytes who were in the land of Israel, to make some of them stonecutters to hew stones for the house of the LORD;³ And to make some of them blacksmiths to forge iron to make axes and hatchets for hewing stones. And David prepared bars of iron, and brass in abundance without weight;⁴ Also cedar trees in abundance; for the Tyrians and the Sidonians brought much cedar wood to David.⁵ And David said, Solomon my son is still a small boy, and concerning him it is said in the book that he will build a house to the LORD which will be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries; I will therefore prepare everything necessary for it while I am living. So David prepared everything that was needed for the house, and lacked nothing.

⁶ Then he called for Solomon his son and said to him,⁷ You shall build a house for the LORD God of Israel;⁸ For he has sent to me by a prophet, saying, You have shed blood abundantly and have made great wars; you shall not build a house to my name because you have shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.⁹ Behold. a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of peace; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and there shall be peace and quietness to Israel in his days.¹⁰ He shall build a house for my name; and he shall be to me like a son, and I will be to him like a father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.¹¹ Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may prosper, and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has said to me.¹² Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God, just as he has commanded you.¹³ Then you shall prosper if you take heed to observe these commandments and the statutes and judgments just as the LORD charged Moses to teach Israel, then you will be strong and of good courage; fear not, nor be dismayed.¹⁴ Now, behold, I have prepared for you everything necessary for the building of the house of the LORD. I have prepared for you a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver; and brass and iron without weight; no man knows its weight, for it is in abundance; timber also and stones I have prepared; and you may add thereto.¹⁵ Moreover there are workers with you in abundance, stonecutters, masons, and carpenters,¹⁶ Cunning men for every manner of work; of gold, silver, brass, and iron in abundance. Be strong therefore and be doing, and the LORD will help you.

¹⁷ David also commanded all the elders of Israel, saying, You must help Solomon my son.¹⁸ For behold, the LORD your God is with you; and he will help you and relieve you on every side. Behold he has delivered all the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before his people.¹⁹ Now set your heart and your soul to pray before the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, and bring there the ark in which is the covenant of the LORD our God, and the holy vessels of the LORD our God; and build the house because of his great name by which we are known.