1 Chronicles 21:18-22:19

New International Reader's Version

David Builds an Altar

¹⁸ Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up to the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. He wanted David to build an altar there to honor the Lord. ¹⁹ So David went up and did it. He obeyed the message that Gad had spoken in the Lord’s name.

²⁰ Araunah was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel. Araunah’s four children were with him. They hid themselves. ²¹ David approached the threshing floor. Araunah looked up and saw him. So Araunah left the threshing floor. He bowed down to David with his face toward the ground.

²² David said to him, “Let me have the property your threshing floor is on. I want to build an altar there to honor the Lord. When I do, the plague on the people will be stopped. Sell the threshing floor to me for the full price.”

²³ Araunah said to David, “Take it! King David, you are my master. Do what you please. I’ll even provide the oxen for the burnt offerings. Use boards from the threshing sleds for the wood. Use the wheat for the grain offering. I’ll give it all to you.”

²⁴ But King David replied to Araunah, “No! I want to pay the full price. I won’t take what belongs to you and give it to the Lord. I won’t sacrifice a burnt offering that hasn’t cost me anything.”

²⁵ So David paid Araunah 15 pounds of gold for the property. ²⁶ David built an altar there to honor the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings. He called out to the Lord. The Lord answered him by sending fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.

²⁷ Then the Lord spoke to the angel. And the angel put his sword away. ²⁸ When the angel did that, David was still at the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. David saw that the Lord had answered him. So he offered sacrifices there. ²⁹ At that time, the Lord’s holy tent was at the high place in Gibeon. The altar for burnt offerings was there too. Moses had made the holy tent in the desert. ³⁰ David couldn’t go to the tent to pray to God. That’s because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

22 David announced, “The house of the Lord God will be built here. Israel’s altar for burnt offerings will also be here.”

David Makes Plans for Building the Temple

² David gave orders to bring together the outsiders who were living in Israel. He appointed some of them to cut stones. He wanted them to prepare blocks of stone for building the house of God. ³ David provided a large amount of iron to make nails. They were for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings. He provided more bronze than anyone could weigh. ⁴ He also provided more cedar logs than anyone could count. The people of Sidon and Tyre brought large numbers of logs to David.

⁵ David said, “My son Solomon is young. He’s never done anything like this before. The house that will be built for the Lord should be very grand and wonderful. All the nations should consider it to be famous and beautiful. I’ll get things ready for it.” So David got many things ready before he died.

⁶ Then he sent for his son Solomon. He told him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ David said to Solomon, “My son, with all my heart I wanted to build a house for the Lord my God. That’s where his Name will be. ⁸ But a message from the Lord came to me. It said, ‘You have spilled the blood of many people. You have fought many wars. You are not the one who will build a house for my Name. That is because I have seen you spill the blood of many people on the earth. ⁹ But you are going to have a son. He will be a man of peace. And I will give him peace and rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon. I will give Israel peace and quiet while he is king. ¹⁰ He will build a house for my Name. He will be my son. And I will be his father. I will make his kingdom secure over Israel. It will last forever.’

¹¹ “My son, may the Lord be with you. May you have success. May you build the house of the Lord your God, just as he said you would. ¹² May the Lord give you good sense. May he give you understanding when he makes you king over Israel. Then you will keep the law of the Lord your God. ¹³ Be careful to obey the rules and laws the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Then you will have success. Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope.

¹⁴ “I’ve tried very hard to provide for the Lord’s temple. I’ve provided 3,750 tons of gold and 37,500 tons of silver. I’ve provided more bronze and iron than anyone can weigh. I’ve also given plenty of wood and stone. You can add to it. ¹⁵ You have a lot of workers. You have people who can cut stones and people who can lay the stones. You have people who can work with wood. You also have people who are skilled in every other kind of work. ¹⁶ Some of them can work with gold and silver. Others can work with bronze and iron. There are more workers than anyone can count. So begin the work. May the Lord be with you.”

¹⁷ Then David ordered all Israel’s leaders to help his son Solomon. ¹⁸ He said to them, “The Lord your God is with you. He’s given you peace and rest on every side. He’s handed over to me the people who are living in the land. The land has been brought under the control of the Lord and his people. ¹⁹ So be committed to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Start building the temple of the Lord God. Then bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord into it. Also bring in the sacred objects that belong to God. The temple will be built for the Name of the Lord.”