David’s Plans for the Temple

28 David summoned^(A) all the officials^(B) of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the warriors and all the brave fighting men.

² King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart^(C) to build a house as a place of rest^(D) for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool^(E) of our God, and I made plans to build it.^{(F) 3} But God said to me,^(G) ‘You are not to build a house for my Name,^(H) because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’^(I)

⁴ “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me^(J) from my whole family^(K) to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah^(L) as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.^{(M) 5} Of all my sons—and the Lord has given me many^(N)—he has chosen my son Solomon^(O) to sit on the throne^(P) of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. ⁶ He said to me: ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build^(Q) my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son,^(R) and I will be his father. ⁷ I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws,^(S) as is being done at this time.’

⁸ “So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel^(T) and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands^(U) of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.^(V)

⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion^(W) and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart^(X) and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,^(Y) he will be found by you; but if you forsake^(Z) him, he will reject^(AA) you forever. ¹⁰ Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

¹¹ Then David gave his son Solomon the plans^(AB) for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. ¹² He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit^(AC) had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.^{(AD) 13} He gave him instructions for the divisions^(AE) of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service. ¹⁴ He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service: ¹⁵ the weight of gold for the gold lampstands^(AF) and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; ¹⁶ the weight of gold for each table^(AG) for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables; ¹⁷ the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls^(AH) and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish; ¹⁸ and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense.^(AI) He also gave him the plan for the chariot,^(AJ) that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow^(AK) the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

¹⁹ “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details^(AL) of the plan.^(AM)”

²⁰ David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous,^(AN) and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake^(AO) you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.^{(AP) 21} The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled^(AQ) in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.”

Gifts for Building the Temple

29 Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced.^(AR) The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. ² With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold^(AS) for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise,^[a](AT) stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities.^{(AU) 3} Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided^(AV) for this holy temple: ⁴ three thousand talents^[b] of gold (gold of Ophir)^(AW) and seven thousand talents^[c] of refined silver,^(AX) for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, ⁵ for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”

⁶ Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials^(AY) in charge of the king’s work gave willingly.^{(AZ) 7} They^(BA) gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents^[d] and ten thousand darics^[e] of gold, ten thousand talents^[f] of silver, eighteen thousand talents^[g] of bronze and a hundred thousand talents^[h] of iron. ⁸ Anyone who had precious stones^(BB) gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.^{(BC) 9} The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly^(BD) to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

Intelligibility in Worship

14 Follow the way of love^(A) and eagerly desire^(B) gifts of the Spirit,^(C) especially prophecy.^{(D) 2} For anyone who speaks in a tongue^[a](E) does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;^(F) they utter mysteries^(G) by the Spirit. ³ But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,^(H) encouraging^(I) and comfort. ⁴ Anyone who speaks in a tongue^(J) edifies^(K) themselves, but the one who prophesies^(L) edifies the church. ⁵ I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,^[b] but I would rather have you prophesy.^(M) The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues,^[c] unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.^(N)

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation^(O) or knowledge^(P) or prophecy or word of instruction?^{(Q) 7} Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? ⁸ Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?^{(R) 9} So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.^{(S) 12} So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit,^(T) try to excel in those that build up^(U) the church.

¹³ For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.^{(V) 14} For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,^(W) but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,^(X) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing^(Y) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶ Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,^[d] say “Amen”^(Z) to your thanksgiving,^(AA) since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.^(AB)

¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.^(AC)

David’s Prayer

¹⁰ David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

¹⁴ “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?^(F) Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.^{(G) 15} We are foreigners and strangers^(H) in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow,^(I) without hope. ¹⁶ Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. ¹⁷ I know, my God, that you test the heart^(J) and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.^{(K) 18} Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. ¹⁹ And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion^(L) to keep your commands, statutes and decrees^(M) and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”^(N)

²⁰ Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.

Solomon Acknowledged as King^(O)

²¹ The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him:^(P) a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.^{(Q) 22} They ate and drank with great joy^(R) in the presence of the Lord that day.

Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the Lord to be ruler and Zadok^(S) to be priest. ²³ So Solomon sat^(T) on the throne^(U) of the Lord as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him. ²⁴ All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons,^(V) pledged their submission to King Solomon.

²⁵ The Lord highly exalted^(W) Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor^(X) such as no king over Israel ever had before.^(Y)

The Death of David^(Z)

²⁶ David son of Jesse was king^(AA) over all Israel.^{(AB) 27} He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron^(AC) and thirty-three in Jerusalem.^{(AD) 28} He died^(AE) at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.^(AF)

²⁹ As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer,^(AG) the records of Nathan^(AH) the prophet and the records of Gad^(AI) the seer, ³⁰ together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.^{(A) 12} The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’^(B) So he divided his property^(C) between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth^(D) in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.^{(E) 16} He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned^(F) against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.^(G)

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.^(H) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe^(I) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger^(J) and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(K) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.^(L)

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry^(M) and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property^(N) with prostitutes^(O) comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”^(P)