Old/New Testament
22 David: Now this is the house of the Eternal God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel. We will no longer need to travel to Gibeon to sacrifice to God.
2 Having purchased a location for the new temple, David began preparations for its construction. He gathered the foreigners who were in Israel so they could help build the temple. He appointed stonecutters for the house of God; 3 and he prepared large quantities of iron (to cast the nails for the gate doors and the hinges), immeasurable amounts of bronze, 4 and enormous quantities of cedar logs (brought to David by the Sidonians and Tyrians).
Everyone in the region participates in building the Lord’s Jerusalem temple.
David: 5 Solomon, my dear son, is so young for such a grand project as the Eternal’s house. He does not have the experience required for a job that should be known throughout the nations as wondrous. I will prepare for the temple construction before Solomon ascends in my place. So David made all the preparations before his death.
6 Then David called for his son, Solomon, and instructed him to build a house for the Eternal God of Israel.
David: 7 My son, I had intended to build a house honoring the reputation of the Eternal One my God, 8 but the Eternal spoke to me.
The blood on David’s hands makes him ritually impure to build a holy structure and house like the Jerusalem temple.
Eternal One: You have shed much blood and waged great wars, My wars. But because of your conquests and the amount of blood you spilled on My behalf, you will not build a house honoring My reputation. 9 You will have a son named Solomon, who will be a man of rest. He will not fight wars for Me—I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.
The name “Solomon” has a similar spelling and sound to Shalom, the word for “peace.”
10 He will build a house honoring My reputation, a place where I shall dwell and where your people will worship Me. He will be My son and I will be his Father. I will establish his kingdom as My representative of My rule in Israel forever.
David: 11 My son, you will need His help to build the house of the Eternal One your God successfully, just as He plans and as I have prepared for you. 12 May He give you discretion, understanding, and command over Israel, for you will need to keep the laws of the Eternal One your God if you are to finish His temple. 13 Only then you will prosper, by following these statutes and ordinances for Israel, which the Eternal gave to Moses. You must be strong and courageous—never fear or be distraught.
14 I have meticulously prepared for the house of the Eternal.
David has already received a divine blueprint, has gathered materials, and has solicited international workers.
I have collected 3,750 tons of gold, 37,500 tons of silver, bronze, and iron (they are more readily available to us than gold is), and timber and stone. You may easily add to these materials as you need to because 15-16 there is no limit to the gold, silver, bronze, and iron. I have hired many workmen: stonecutters, stonemasons, carpenters, and tradesmen. Go now and work; build this magnificent, world-renowned temple, and may the Eternal be with you as you do it.
17 Having completed his instructions to Solomon, David then commanded all the tribal leaders of Israel to help Solomon.
David: 18 The Eternal One your God is with you. Now that He has provided the land for Israel, He has given you peace with your enemies on every border. 19 Now prepare yourself mentally and emotionally to follow the Eternal One your God. Go and build the temple of the Eternal God, so you may bring the covenant chest of the Eternal to rest there and take the holy vessels of God into His house for us to use in sacrifice.
23 When David was old, full of years, and near death, he appointed his son Solomon to succeed him as king over Israel. 2 Then David gathered together all the leaders of Israel, including the priests and the Levites.
The Israelites can now be blessed by David’s organization in two ways. First, as they begin rebuilding the temple, his preparations are practical: they explain what tools and artisans and materials are needed to build God’s house. But his organization blesses the Israelites another way: he shows what consistent devotion to God looks like. Even though David knows he won’t see the temple with his own eyes, he is no less committed to doing God’s work.
The process of rebuilding Jerusalem is an arduous one, one that will take more than one lifetime to complete. So the Israelites cannot become complacent about God’s work just because they may not see it come to fruition themselves. They must work for the advancement of His kingdom because that is what He desires.
3 At that time, there were 38,000 Levites 30 years of age and older, an employable age. 4 Of these, 24,000 directed the work of the temple of the Eternal, 6,000 were officers and judges, 5 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 were musicians, praising Him with the instruments David made. 6 David divided the Levites into their families, the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 The Gershonites had two families: Ladan and Shimei. 8 Ladan had three sons: Jehiel (the first), Zetham, and Joel. 9 Shimei had three sons also: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. These men were the chiefs of Ladan’s family. 10 Shimei’s other four sons were Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. 11 Jahath was the first and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have strong lineages. Eventually their families combined to make one family.
12 The Kohathites had four families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 13 Amram had two sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron’s lineage was chosen to ordain and cleanse themselves as the most holy among the Levites forever. They were charged with burning incense before the Eternal, ministering to Him, and blessing in His name forever. Because they were set apart, their lineage is not included in this genealogy. 14 Moses, the man of God, had two sons whose family lineages were included in this genealogy of the tribe of Levi. 15 Moses’ sons were Gershom and Eliezer. 16 Gershom’s son was Shebuel (the chief). 17 Eliezer had only one son: Rehabiah (the chief). Rehabiah had many sons. 18 Izhar (the son of Kohath) had one son: Shelomith (the chief). 19 Hebron (the son of Kohath) had four sons: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20 Uzziel (the son of Kohath) had two sons: Micah the first and Isshiah the second.
21 The Merarites had two families: Mahli and Mushi. Mahli had two sons: Eleazar and Kish. 22 When Eleazar died he had no sons, only daughters. These women maintained their father’s line by marrying their relatives, the sons of Kish. 23 Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.
24 This is the genealogy of Levi according to their families. The leaders of the families were counted along with all those working for the Eternal who were 20 years of age and older.
David: 25 Since the Eternal God now lives in His tent in Jerusalem forever and has given rest to His people Israel, 26 the Levites will no longer need to carry the congregation tent and all the vessels for its service. The tent will rest in Jerusalem along with God’s people.
27 These final words of King David changed who was included in the census. From this point forward, the sons of Levi who were 20 years of age and older were included in the genealogies.
This alteration of age from 30 years in 1 Chronicles 23:3 to 20 years of age here may indicate that more workers were needed from the Levite tribe for the temple since the change from a moveable tent for worship to the continual service in the permanent structure.
28 The Levites help Aaron’s family with their duties in the temple of the Eternal, purifying all the things dedicated to spiritual service in the courts and in the chambers of the temple, and preparing for services in the temple: 29 making the loaves of unleavened bread, selecting the fine flour for a grain offering, making the unleavened wafers, or preparing anything else that is baked in the pan or well-mixed, regardless of the amount and size. 30 They stand and testify about the Eternal regularly, every morning and evening. 31 They offer all the burnt offerings to Him on the Sabbath days, the new moons, and the holidays according to the law given to Moses. 32 In these ways, they are responsible for the congregation tent and the holy utensils within the sanctuary. They are helpers of Aaron’s family, and they help maintain the temple of the Eternal.
24 Because Aaron’s family was set apart by God for the service of the temple, his family’s genealogy is separated from the other Levites. The Aaronites were divided into families based on the sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 The two oldest, Nadab and Abihu, died before their father did, and they had no sons. So Aaron’s youngest sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, became the priests.
3 King David, with the help of Zadok (from the line of Eleazar) and Ahimelech (from the line of Ithamar), divided the Levites by the duties they performed in the temple. 4 Since the descendants of Eleazar boasted more chiefs than the descendants of Ithamar did, the three men divided the Levites accordingly. In Eleazar’s line, sixteen families were distinguished, in Ithamar’s line, eight families were distinguished. 5 The divisions were determined by a system of lots, one way that God’s will was revealed to men. The descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar filled two positions: officers of the sanctuary and officers of God.
6 Shemaiah (son of Nethanel the scribe, a Levite) recorded the results of the lots in front of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech (son of Abiathar), and the heads of the Levite families. As the men drew their lots, they formed two lines: one representing the line of Eleazar and one representing the line of Ithamar. 7 Now the first lot went to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, 16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, 17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19 They performed their appointed offices when they entered the temple of the Eternal in two-week shifts each year as the law requires according to the Eternal God of Israel’s command through their father Aaron. The rest of the year, the Levites served God in their hometowns.
20 This is the continuation of the Levites from Kohath’s line: Shubael (son of Amram) fathered Jehdeiah. 21 Rehabiah (son of Eliezer) fathered Isshiah (the first). 22 Shelomoth (son of Izhar) fathered Jahath. 23 Hebron (son of Kohath) fathered Jeriah first, Amariah second, Jahaziel third, and Jekameam fourth. 24 Micah (son of Uzziel) fathered Shamir. 25 Isshiah (brother of Micah) fathered Zechariah.
26-27 From Merari’s line were Mahli and Mushi; Jaaziah fathered Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri. 28 Mahli fathered Eleazar, who had no sons. 29 Kish fathered Jerahmeel. 30-31 Mushi fathered Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These Levites, according to their families, also determined their divisions by the system of lots (as their relatives, the sons of Aaron had done) in the presence of King David, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the priests’ families and of the Levites (the leaders of all the families and those of his younger brother).
Jesus: 28 Whenever the day comes and you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He. It will be clear then that I am not acting alone, but that I am speaking the things I have learned directly from the Father. 29 The One who sent Me is with Me; He has not abandoned Me because I always do what pleases Him.
30 As Jesus was speaking, many in the crowd believed in Him.
Even though many believe, they can not imagine what He means about the lifting up of the Son of Man.
Jesus (to the new Jewish believers): 31 If you hear My voice and abide in My word, you are truly My disciples; 32 you will know the truth, and that truth will give you freedom.
Jewish Believers: 33 We are Abraham’s children, and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say to us, “You will be set free”?
Jesus: 34 I tell you the truth: everyone who commits sin surrenders his freedom to sin. He is a slave to sin’s power. 35 Even a household slave does not live in the home like a member of the family, but a son belongs there forever. 36 So think of it this way: if the Son comes to make you free, you will really be free.
Jesus notices that some of His opponents are listening, so He speaks louder and turns His remarks to them.
37 I know you are descendants of Abraham, but here you are plotting to murder Me because you do not welcome My voice into your lives. 38 As I speak, I am painting you a picture of what I have seen with My Father; here you are repeating the things you have seen from your father.
Jews: 39 Abraham is our father.
Jesus: If you are truly Abraham’s children, then act like Abraham! 40 From what I see you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that comes from the Father. This is not something Abraham would do, 41 but you are doing what you have learned from your father.
Jews: We were not born from adulterous parents; we have one Father: God.
Jesus: 42 I come from the one True God, and I’m not here on My own. He sent Me on a mission. If God were your Father, you would know that and would love Me. 43 You don’t even understand what I’m saying. Do you? Why not? It is because You cannot stand to hear My voice. 44 You are just like your true father, the devil; and you spend your time pursuing the things your father loves. He started out as a killer, and he cannot tolerate truth because he is void of anything true. At the core of his character, he is a liar; everything he speaks originates in these lies because he is the father of lies. 45 So when I speak truth, you don’t believe Me. 46-47 If I speak the truth, why don’t you believe Me? If you belong to God’s family, then why can’t you hear God speak? The answer is clear; you are not in God’s family. I speak truth, and you don’t believe Me. Can any of you convict Me of sin?
Jews: 48 We were right when we called You a demon-possessed Samaritan.
Jesus: 49-50 I’m not taken by demons. You dishonor Me, but I give all glory and honor to the Father. But I am not pursuing My own fame. There is only One who pursues and renders justice. 51 I tell you the truth, anyone who hears My voice and keeps My word will never experience death.
Jews: 52 We are even more confident now that You are demon-possessed. Just go down the list: Abraham died, the prophets all died. Yet You say, “If you keep My word, you will never taste death.” 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died; remember? Prophets—are any of them still alive? No. Who do You think You are?
Jesus: 54 If I were trying to make Myself somebody important, it would be a waste of time. That kind of fame is worth nothing. It is the Father who is behind Me, urging Me on, giving Me praise. You say, “He is our God,” 55 but you are not in relationship with Him. I know Him intimately; even if I said anything other than the truth, I would be a liar, like you. I know Him, and I do as He says. 56 Your father Abraham anticipated the time when I would come, and he celebrated My coming.
Jews: 57 You aren’t even 50 years old, yet You have seen and talked with Abraham?
Jesus: 58 I tell you the truth; I AM before Abraham was born.
59 The people picked up stones to hurl at Him, but Jesus slipped out of the temple. Their murderous rage would have to wait.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.