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David's Plans for the Temple

¹ David commanded all the leaders of Israel to come to Jerusalem. There were the leaders of the tribes, commanders of the divisions serving the king, commanders of a thousand men and of a hundred men, leaders who took care of the property and animals that belonged to the king and his sons, men over the palace, the powerful men, and all the brave warriors.

² King David stood up and said, "Listen to me, my relatives and my people. I wanted to build a place to keep the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord. I wanted it to be God's footstool. So I made plans to build a temple. ³ But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple for worshiping me, because you are a soldier and have killed many people.'

⁴ "But the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king of Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to lead, and from the people of Judah, he chose my father's family. From that family God was pleased to make me king of Israel. ⁵ The Lord has given me many sons, and from those sons he has chosen Solomon to be the new king of Israel. Israel is the Lord's kingdom. ⁶ The Lord said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards. I have chosen Solomon to be my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ He is obeying my laws and commands now. If he continues to obey them, I will make his kingdom strong forever.'"

⁸ David said, "Now, in front of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of God, I tell you these things: Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God. Then you will keep this good land and pass it on to your descendants forever.

⁹ "And you, my son Solomon, accept the God of your father. Serve him completely and willingly, because the Lord knows what is in everyone's mind. He understands everything you think. If you go to him for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from him, he will leave you forever. ¹⁰ Solomon, you must understand this. The Lord has chosen you to build the Temple as his holy place. Be strong and finish the job."

¹¹ Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for building the Temple and the courtyard around the Temple. They included its buildings, its storerooms, its upper rooms, its inside rooms, and the place where the people's sins were removed. ¹² David gave him plans for everything he had in mind: the courtyards around the Lord's Temple and all the rooms around it, the Temple treasuries, and the treasuries of the holy items used in the Temple. ¹³ David gave Solomon directions for the groups of the priests and Levites. David told him about all the work of serving in the Temple of the Lord and about the items to be used in the Temple service ¹⁴ that were made of gold or silver. David told Solomon how much gold or silver should be used to make each thing. ¹⁵ David told him how much gold to use for each gold lampstand and its lamps and how much silver to use for each silver lampstand and its lamps. The different lampstands were to be used where needed. ¹⁶ David told how much gold should be used for each table that held the holy bread and how much silver should be used for the silver tables. ¹⁷ He told how much pure gold should be used to make the forks, bowls, and pitchers and how much gold should be used to make each gold dish. He told how much silver should be used to make each silver dish ¹⁸ and how much pure gold should be used for the altar of incense. He also gave Solomon the plans for the chariot of the golden creatures that spread their wings over the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord.

¹⁹ David said, "All these plans were written with the Lord guiding me. He helped me understand everything in the plans."

²⁰ David also said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and brave, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, because the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or leave you until all the work for the Temple of the Lord is finished. ²¹ The groups of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the Temple of God. Every skilled worker is ready to help you with all the work. The leaders and all the people will obey every command you give."