1 Chronicles 22
Complete Jewish Bible
22 Then David said, “This is the house of Adonai, God; and this is the altar Isra’el is to use for burnt offerings.” 2 David ordered that the foreigners in the land of Isra’el should be assembled, and he appointed stone-workers to shape stones for building the house of God. 3 David prepared a large store of iron from which to make nails and clamps for the gateway doors and, a quantity of bronze too great to weigh, 4 and cedar logs beyond numbering — because the Tzidonim and the people from Tzor brought cedar logs in abundance to David.
5 David said, “Shlomo my son is young and inexperienced, while the house to be built for Adonai must be so magnificent and splendid that its fame and glory will be known in every country; so I will make preparations for him.” Therefore David made extensive preparations before his death. 6 Then he summoned Shlomo his son and charged him to build a house for Adonai, the God of Isra’el. 7 “My son,” said David to Shlomo, “my heart was set on building a house for the name of Adonai my God. 8 But a message from Adonai came to me, ‘You have shed much blood and fought great wars. You are not to build a house for my name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies that surround him; for his name is to be Shlomo, and during his reign I will give peace [a] and quiet to Isra’el. 10 It is he who will build a house for my name. He will be my son and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Isra’el forever.’
11 “Now, my son, may Adonai be with you and give you success as you build the house of Adonai your God, in keeping with what he said about you. 12 May Adonai give you common sense and understanding, and may he give you his orders concerning Isra’el, so that you will observe the Torah of Adonai your God. 13 Then you will succeed, if you take care to obey the laws and rulings that Adonai ordered Moshe concerning Isra’el. Be strong, be bold; don’t be afraid or become discouraged!
14 “Now look: despite my difficulties, I have prepared for the house of Adonai 3,300 tons of gold, 33,000 tons of silver, and so much bronze and iron that it can’t be weighed. I’ve also prepared timber and stone, and you can add to it. 15 Moreover, you have plenty of workers — quarrymen, stone-workers, lumbermen, and all kinds of skilled craftsmen to do whatever has to be done with 16 the gold, silver, bronze and iron — they’re beyond number. So get up, and get to work! And may Adonai be with you.”
17 David also ordered all the leaders of Isra’el to help Shlomo his son: 18 “Isn’t Adonai your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has put the inhabitants of the land under my power — the land has been subdued before Adonai and his people. 19 Now set your heart and being on seeking Adonai your God. Get up, and build the sanctuary for Adonai, God. Then you can bring the ark for the covenant of Adonai and the holy articles of God into the house that will be built for the name of Adonai.”
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 22:9 Hebrew: shalom
1 Chronicles 22
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
22 1 Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
David Prepares to Build the Temple
2 David commanded to gather together the aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar timbers without number; for the Sido′nians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.
David’s Charge to Solomon and the Leaders
6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. 8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me upon the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel for ever.’ 11 Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong, and of good courage. Fear not; be not dismayed. 14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone too I have provided. To these you must add. 15 You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working 16 gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and be doing! The Lord be with you!”
17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. 19 Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.