Daruri pentru construirea Casei Domnului

29 Apoi regele David a zis întregii adunări:

„Fiul meu Solomon, singurul pe care l-a ales Dumnezeu, este tânăr şi plăpând, iar lucrarea este atât de mare, căci Templul[a] nu este pentru un om, ci pentru Însuşi Domnul Dumnezeu. Am pregătit din răsputeri pentru Casa lui Dumnezeu aur pentru ce este din aur, argint pentru ce este din argint, bronz pentru ce este din bronz, fier pentru ce este din fier, lemn pentru ce este din lemn, pietre de onix de fixat pe monturi, pietre de antimoniu[b], tot felul de pietre preţioase, pietre de diferite culori, precum şi pietre de alabastru din belşug. De asemenea, în râvna mea pentru Casa lui Dumnezeu, pe lângă toate pregătirile pe care le-am făcut pentru Sfântul Lăcaş, ofer pentru Casa Dumnezeului meu bogăţiile mele în aur şi argint – trei mii de talanţi[c] de aur, aur de Ofir, şi şapte mii de talanţi[d] de argint pur – pentru poleirea pereţilor clădirilor şi pentru întreaga lucrare pe care o vor face meşteşugarii; ofer aur pentru lucrările din aur şi argint pentru lucrările din argint. Aşadar, cine îşi mai aduce contribuţia, dedicându-se astăzi Domnului?“

Răspunsul poporului la mesajul regelui

Căpeteniile familiilor, căpeteniile seminţiilor lui Israel, căpeteniile peste mii şi peste sute şi căpeteniile responsabile cu lucrarea regelui şi-au adus contribuţia. Ei au dat pentru lucrarea de la Casa lui Dumnezeu:

cinci mii de talanţi[e] de aur

şi zece mii de darici[f] de aur,

zece mii de talanţi[g] de argint,

optsprezece mii de talanţi[h] de bronz

şi o sută de mii de talanţi[i] de fier.

Cine a avut pietre preţioase le-a dăruit pentru vistieria Casei Domnului, de care avea grijă gherşonitul Iehiel. Poporul s-a bucurat de darurile pe care le-a făcut, căci le-a dăruit Domnului din toată inima; de asemenea, şi regele David s-a bucurat nespus de mult.

Rugăciunea lui David

10 David a binecuvântat pe Domnul înaintea întregii adunări, zicând astfel:

„Binecuvântat să fii Tu, Doamne, Dumnezeul lui Israel, Părintele nostru, pentru veci de veci! 11 Ale Tale sunt, Doamne, măreţia, puterea, gloria, biruinţa şi maiestatea, atât în ceruri, cât şi pe pământ! A Ta, Doamne, este stăpânirea şi Tu Te înalţi ca suveran peste toate! 12 Bogăţia şi slava vin dinaintea Ta. Tu stăpâneşti peste toate. În mâna Ta este puterea şi tăria; mâna Ta poate să înalţe şi să întărească pe oricine. 13 Acum, Dumnezeul nostru, noi Îţi aducem mulţumiri şi lăudăm slăvitul Tău Nume. 14 Căci ce sunt eu şi ce este poporul meu, ca să putem fi în stare să-Ţi oferim aceste daruri? De la Tine le avem pe toate şi ceea ce Ţi-am oferit a fost primit din mâna Ta. 15 Înaintea Ta noi suntem doar nişte străini şi peregrini, la fel ca şi strămoşii noştri. Zilele noastre pe pământ sunt ca o umbră, fără nădejde. 16 Doamne, Dumnezeul nostru, tot acest belşug pe care l-am strâns ca să zidim o Casă Numelui Tău cel sfânt, vine din mâna Ta şi totul Îţi aparţine Ţie. 17 Dumnezeul meu, ştiu că Tu cercetezi inima, iar curăţia Îţi este plăcută. Eu am dăruit toate acestea în curăţie de inimă şi am privit cu bucurie la poporul Tău, care se află aici, aducându-Ţi darurile lui. 18 Doamne, Dumnezeul lui Avraam, Isaac şi Israel, strămoşii noştri, păstrează această dorinţă în inima poporului Tău pe vecie şi ţine-le inima aproape de Tine! 19 Iar fiului meu Solomon, dă-i o inimă dedicată întru totul, ca să păzească poruncile Tale, mărturiile Tale şi rânduielile Tale, să le împlinească pe toate şi să zidească Templul pentru care am făcut pregătiri.“

20 Apoi David i-a zis întregii adunări: „Binecuvântaţi pe Domnul, Dumnezeul vostru!“ Şi toată adunarea a binecuvântat pe Domnul, Dumnezeul strămoşilor lor; ei s-au închinat cu toţii, plecându-se înaintea Domnului şi a regelui.

Solomon recunoscut drept rege

21 În ziua următoare au adus jertfe Domnului şi au oferit ca arderi de tot Domnului o mie de boi, o mie de berbeci şi o mie de miei, împreună cu jertfe de băutură şi o mulţime de alte jertfe aduse din partea întregului Israel. 22 În ziua aceea au mâncat şi au băut în prezenţa Domnului cu mare bucurie, l-au făcut rege a doua oară pe Solomon, fiul lui David, şi l-au uns drept conducător al[j] Domnului, iar pe Ţadok – ca preot. 23 Solomon s-a aşezat pe tronul Domnului, ca să domnească în locul lui David, tatăl său; el a avut izbândă şi întregul Israel a ascultat de el. 24 Toate căpeteniile, vitejii şi toţi fiii regelui David, s-au supus regelui Solomon. 25 Domnul l-a înălţat pe Solomon înaintea întregului Israel şi i-a făcut parte de o domnie mai strălucită decât a oricărui alt rege al lui Israel care a fost înainte de el.

Necrologul lui David

26 David, fiul lui Işai, a domnit peste întregul Israel. 27 El a domnit peste Israel timp de patruzeci de ani: la Hebron a domnit timp de şapte ani, iar la Ierusalim a domnit timp de treizeci şi trei de ani. 28 David a murit după o bătrâneţe fericită, sătul de zile, de bogăţie şi de slavă. În locul lui a domnit fiul său Solomon. 29 Faptele regelui David, cele dintâi şi cele de pe urmă, sunt scrise în „Cronicile văzătorului Samuel“, în „Cronicile profetului Natan“ şi în „Cronicile văzătorului Gad“, 30 împreună cu toată domnia şi puterea lui şi cu evenimentele care au avut loc în viaţa lui, în Israel şi în toate regatele celorlalte ţări.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Cronici 29:1 Termenul ebraic tradus aici cu Templu este birah, termen care de obicei desemna o clădire mare, impunătoare; tradus în alte contexte cu citadelă; şi în v. 19
  2. 1 Cronici 29:2 Sensul termenului în ebraică este nesigur
  3. 1 Cronici 29:4 Aproximativ 100 t
  4. 1 Cronici 29:4 Aproximativ 210 t
  5. 1 Cronici 29:7 Aproximativ 150 t
  6. 1 Cronici 29:7 Aproximativ 84 kg
  7. 1 Cronici 29:7 Aproximativ 300 t
  8. 1 Cronici 29:7 Aproximativ 550 t
  9. 1 Cronici 29:7 Aproximativ 3000 t
  10. 1 Cronici 29:22 Cu sensul de: din partea; sau: şi l-au uns înaintea Domnului drept conducător

29 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.

Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:

The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?

Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,

And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.

Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.

21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:

22 And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.

23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.

25 And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

Offerings for the Temple

29 And David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is (A)young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for (B)the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God. So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of (C)onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: (D)3,000 talents[a] of gold, of the gold of (E)Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house,[b] and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself[c] today to the Lord?”

Then (F)the leaders of fathers' houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and (G)the officers over the king's work. They gave for the service of the house of God 5,000 talents and 10,000 (H)darics[d] of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron. And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord, in the care of (I)Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a (J)whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

David Prays in the Assembly

10 Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: (K)“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 (L)Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 (M)Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. (N)In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 (O)For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are (P)like a shadow, and there is no abiding.[e] 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. 17 I know, my God, (Q)that you test the heart and (R)have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. 18 O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. 19 (S)Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may (T)build the palace (U)for which I have made provision.”

20 Then David said to all the assembly, (V)“Bless the Lord your God.” And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, (W)and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Lord and to the king. 21 And they offered sacrifices to the Lord, and on the next day offered burnt offerings to the Lord, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their (X)drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness.

Solomon Anointed King

And they made Solomon the son of David king (Y)the second time, and they (Z)anointed him as prince for the Lord, and (AA)Zadok as priest.

23 (AB)Then Solomon sat on the (AC)throne of the Lord as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25 And the Lord made Solomon very (AD)great in the sight of all Israel and (AE)bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

The Death of David

26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The (AF)time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 28 Then he died (AG)at a good age, (AH)full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. 29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles (AI)of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of (AJ)Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of (AK)Gad the seer, 30 with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances (AL)that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 29:4 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  2. 1 Chronicles 29:4 Septuagint; Hebrew houses
  3. 1 Chronicles 29:5 Or ordaining himself; Hebrew filling his hand
  4. 1 Chronicles 29:7 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams
  5. 1 Chronicles 29:15 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew hope, or prospect