Study Desk

And He said to me, 'Solomon your son is the one who will build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him as My son, and I will be his Father.

As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Consider now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it."

Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat.

The plans contained everything he had in mind for the courts of the house of the LORD, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God and of the dedicated things,

for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for all the work of service in the house of the LORD, and for all the articles of service in the house of the LORD:

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

the weight of gold for each table of showbread, and of silver for the silver tables;

the weight of 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 the refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man of every skill will be at your disposal for the work. The officials and all the people are fully at your command."

Then King David said to the whole assembly, "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace will not be for man, but for the LORD God.

Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God-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 for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble-all in abundance.

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

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

Then the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given to the LORD freely and wholeheartedly. And King David also rejoiced greatly.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.

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 from Your own hand we have given to You.

For we are foreigners and sojourners in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.