Add parallel Print Page Options

22 Then David said, “This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build God’s house. David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and bronze in abundance without weight; and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David. David said, “Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David prepared abundantly before his death. Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God. But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for my name; and he will 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 Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. 13 Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed. 14 Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents[a] of gold, one million talents[b] of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them. 15 There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work; 16 of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may Yahweh be with you.”

17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Isn’t Yahweh your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Yahweh, and before his people. 19 Now set your heart and your soul to follow Yahweh your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of Yahweh’s covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for Yahweh’s name.”

Footnotes

  1. 22:14 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 100,000 talents is about 3 metric tons
  2. 22:14 about 30,000 metric tons

In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word, seeing your pure behavior in fear. Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing; but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For this is how in the past, the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands. So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,

“He who would love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good.
    Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears open to their prayer;
    but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”Psalm 34:12-16

13 Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”Isaiah 8:12 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear, 16 having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, 19 in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

Yahweh’s[a] word that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear, you peoples, all of you.
    Listen, O earth, and all that is therein:
and let the Lord[b] Yahweh be witness against you,
    the Lord from his holy temple.
For, behold,[c] Yahweh comes out of his place,
    and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
The mountains melt under him,
    and the valleys split apart,
    like wax before the fire,
    like waters that are poured down a steep place.

“All this is for the disobedience of Jacob,
    and for the sins of the house of Israel.
What is the disobedience of Jacob?
    Isn’t it Samaria?
And what are the high places of Judah?
    Aren’t they Jerusalem?
Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field,
    like places for planting vineyards;
and I will pour down its stones into the valley,
    and I will uncover its foundations.
All her idols will be beaten to pieces,
    and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire,
    and all her images I will destroy;
for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them,
    and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.”

For this I will lament and wail;
    I will go stripped and naked;
    I will howl like the jackals,
    and moan like the daughters of owls.
For her wounds are incurable;
    for it has come even to Judah.
It reaches to the gate of my people,
    even to Jerusalem.
10 Don’t tell it in Gath.
    Don’t weep at all.
    At Beth Ophrah[d] I have rolled myself in the dust.
11 Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame.
    The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out.
    The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good,
    because evil has come down from Yahweh to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish.
    She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion;
    For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14 Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath.
    The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah, him who will possess you.
    He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
16 Shave your heads,
    and cut off your hair for the children of your delight.
Enlarge your baldness like the vulture;
    for they have gone into captivity from you!

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
  2. 1:2 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
  3. 1:3 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
  4. 1:10 Beth Ophrah means literally “House of Dust.”

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh.

102 Hear my prayer, Yahweh!
    Let my cry come to you.
Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
    Turn your ear to me.
    Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
For my days consume away like smoke.
    My bones are burned as a torch.
My heart is blighted like grass, and withered,
    for I forget to eat my bread.
By reason of the voice of my groaning,
    my bones stick to my skin.
I am like a pelican of the wilderness.
    I have become as an owl of the waste places.
    I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
My enemies reproach me all day.
    Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
    and mixed my drink with tears,
10     because of your indignation and your wrath;
    for you have taken me up and thrown me away.
11 My days are like a long shadow.
    I have withered like grass.

12 But you, Yahweh, will remain forever;
    your renown endures to all generations.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
    for it is time to have pity on her.
    Yes, the set time has come.
14 For your servants take pleasure in her stones,
    and have pity on her dust.
15 So the nations will fear Yahweh’s name,
    all the kings of the earth your glory.
16 For Yahweh has built up Zion.
    He has appeared in his glory.
17 He has responded to the prayer of the destitute,
    and has not despised their prayer.
18 This will be written for the generation to come.
    A people which will be created will praise Yah,
19 for he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary.
    From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoner,
    to free those who are condemned to death,
21 that men may declare Yahweh’s name in Zion,
    and his praise in Jerusalem,
22 when the peoples are gathered together,
    the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

23 He weakened my strength along the course.
    He shortened my days.
24 I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the middle of my days.
    Your years are throughout all generations.
25 Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth.
    The heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will endure.
    Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.
    You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
27 But you are the same.
    Your years will have no end.
28 The children of your servants will continue.
    Their offspring will be established before you.”