Study Desk

MOREOVER David the king said to all the assemblies of Israel, This Solomon my son is still a small boy, and yet the LORD has chosen him out of all my sons, because he is wise and has understanding, and this work which is given to him is not small, but it is great; for such a task has never been given to any man; now therefore be strong and of good courage, because the work belongs to the LORD our God.

Now I have provided with all my might and with all my wealth everything which is necessary for the house of the LORD my God: the gold for things to be made of gold, the silver for things of silver, the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; and cedars for things of cedar; precious stones and pearls.

Moreover, everything which is necessary for the house I have provided of my own sacrifices; I have also provided money for the expenses of the house of my God of my own sacrifices;

The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by craftsmen, so that the work may be completed in its month, and that no work should be left undone, but be finished in its due time, according to the expenses thereof.

And gave for the service of the house of the LORD five thousand gold talents and fine tin for the pipes two hundred thousand talents and silver twenty thousand talents and of Corinthian brass seventy thousand talents and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the assemblies of Israel: and David said. Blessed be thou, O LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

For thine, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the beauty and the majesty and the honor; for thou art the ruler over all that is in the heaven and on the earth; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and the wisdom and the might and the knowledge.

For we are like the proverb of vapor and of the potter, and we are sojourners before thee and a small people in the world, but thou didst rule over our fathers of old, and thou didst command them by which way they should walk and live.

And to thee we offer praise, O LORD our God, that thou mightest save us from all those who harm us, for the nations reproach us, saying, Where is your God, whom you serve?

I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have sung all these praises; and now I have seen that thy people who are present here praise thee with a great joy, saying,

O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers kept all these things which thou hast promised us for ever, and now turn away our heart from evil, that we may not sin before thee, and prepare our hearts to worship thee.

And I David answered and said thus: O LORD my God, give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things which I have commanded, and to build the temple for which I have made provision; for thy great name will be hallowed and praised in the world which thou hast created, in the presence of those who worship thee.

And they offered sacrifices to the LORD and offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and on the next day they sacrificed a thousand bullocks and a thousand rams and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrificed in abundance for all Israel;

So Solomon and all the people who were with him went to a great banquet that was at the town of Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of the LORD, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

But David had brought up the ark of the LORD from Koriath-kaproney to the place which David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

Now, O LORD my God, let thy promise to David my father be established; for thou hast made me king over this people, like the dust of the earth in multitude.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this thy people that is so great?

And the LORD said to Solomon, Because this was in your mind, and you have not asked riches, honor, nor the life of your enemies, neither have you asked for long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may judge my people over whom I have made you king;

Also the things for which you have not asked will I grant to you. And I will give you wisdom and knowledge, wealth, riches, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you, neither shall there any after you have the like.

And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and he made cedar as the sand that is by the sea for abundance.