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¹ Then David said, This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.² And David commanded to gather together the sojourners that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut wrought stones to build the house of God.³ And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and bronze in abundance without weight;⁴ and cedar-trees without number: for the Sidonians and those of Tyre brought cedar-trees in abundance to David.⁵ And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

⁶ Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.⁷ And David said to Solomon his son, As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God.⁸ But the word of Yahweh came to me, 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 on the earth in my sight.⁹ Look, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days:¹⁰ he shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.¹¹ Now, my son, Yahweh be with you; and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you.¹² Only may Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.¹³ Then you shall prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; don't be afraid, neither be dismayed.¹⁴ Now, look, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Yahweh a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and of bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone I have prepared; and you may add thereto.¹⁵ Moreover there are workmen with you in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all men that are skillful in every manner of work:¹⁶ of the gold, the silver, and the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and do it, and Yahweh be with you.

¹⁷ David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, [saying],¹⁸ Isn't Yahweh your God with you? and has he not given you rest on every side? for he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Yahweh, and before his people.¹⁹ Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Yahweh your God; arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Yahweh.