David’s Instructions to Solomon

2 Now ^(A)the days of David drew near that he should die, and he ^[a]charged Solomon his son, saying: ^2 (B)“I go the way of all the earth; ^(C)be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. ³ And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may ^(D)prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; ⁴ that the Lord may ^(E)fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ^(F)‘If your sons take heed to their way, to ^(G)walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ^(H)‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

⁵ “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah ^(I)did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to ^(J)Abner the son of Ner and ^(K)Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. ⁶ Therefore do ^(L)according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

⁷ “But show kindness to the sons of ^(M)Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who ^(N)eat at your table, for so ^(O)they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

⁸ “And see, you have with you ^(P)Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But ^(Q)he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and ^(R)I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ ⁹ Now therefore, ^(S)do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but ^(T)bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

Death of David^(U)

¹⁰ So ^(V)David ^[b]rested with his fathers, and was buried in ^(W)the City of David. ¹¹ The period that David ^(X)reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.

⁶ Then he called for his son Solomon, and ^[a]charged him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel. ⁷ And David said to Solomon: “My son, as for me, ^(A)it was in my mind to build a house ^(B)to the name of the Lord my God; ⁸ but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ^(C)‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. ^9 (D)Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him ^(E)rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be ^[b]Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. ^10 (F)He shall build a house for My name, and ^(G)he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ ¹¹ Now, my son, may ^(H)the Lord be with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the Lord your God, as He has said to you. ¹² Only may the Lord ^(I)give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. ^13 (J)Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord ^[c]charged Moses concerning Israel. ^(K)Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed. ¹⁴ Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron ^(L)beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them. ¹⁵ Moreover there are workmen with you in abundance: woodsmen and stonecutters, and all types of skillful men for every kind of work. ¹⁶ Of gold and silver and bronze and iron there is no limit. Arise and begin working, and ^(M)the Lord be with you.”

¹⁷ David also commanded all the ^(N)leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸ “Is not the Lord your God with you? ^(O)And 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 the Lord and before His people. ¹⁹ Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. Therefore arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, to ^(P)bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built ^(Q)for the name of the Lord.”