Preparations for the Temple
1David said, “This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” 2David gave orders to gather the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, and he appointed stonecutters to cut dressed stones to build the house of God. 3David provided great quantities of iron for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the fittings, and bronze in such quantity it could not be weighed, 4and cedar logs beyond number, for the Sidonians and the Tyrians brought David cedar logs in abundance. 5David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly great, famous, and glorious in all lands. I will therefore make preparations for it.” So David made abundant preparations before his death.
David’s Charge to Solomon
6Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. 7David said to Solomon, “My son, it was in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God. 8But the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and fought great wars; you will not build a house for my name, because you have shed so much blood on the ground before me. 9See, a son will be born to you; he will be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For his name will be Solomon, and I will grant peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10He will build a house for my name; he will be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you, so that you may succeed and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has said concerning you. 12Only may Yahweh give you wisdom and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. 13Then you will succeed, if you are careful to observe the statutes and ordinances that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or dismayed. 14Now see, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Yahweh a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for it is so abundant; and I have prepared timber and stone, and you may add to them. 15You have with you in abundance workmen — stonecutters, masons, carpenters — and every kind of craftsman skilled in every task, 16in gold, silver, bronze, and iron beyond counting. Arise and act, and may Yahweh be with you.”
Charge to the Leaders of Israel
17David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18“Is not Yahweh your God with you? Has he not given you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before his people. 19Now set your heart and your soul to seek Yahweh your God. Arise, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, so that the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy vessels of God may be brought into the house that is to be built for the name of Yahweh.”
