1 Chronicles 22
The Voice
22 David: Now this is the house of the Eternal God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel. We will no longer need to travel to Gibeon to sacrifice to God.
2 Having purchased a location for the new temple, David began preparations for its construction. He gathered the foreigners who were in Israel so they could help build the temple. He appointed stonecutters for the house of God; 3 and he prepared large quantities of iron (to cast the nails for the gate doors and the hinges), immeasurable amounts of bronze, 4 and enormous quantities of cedar logs (brought to David by the Sidonians and Tyrians).
Everyone in the region participates in building the Lord’s Jerusalem temple.
David: 5 Solomon, my dear son, is so young for such a grand project as the Eternal’s house. He does not have the experience required for a job that should be known throughout the nations as wondrous. I will prepare for the temple construction before Solomon ascends in my place. So David made all the preparations before his death.
6 Then David called for his son, Solomon, and instructed him to build a house for the Eternal God of Israel.
David: 7 My son, I had intended to build a house honoring the reputation of the Eternal One my God, 8 but the Eternal spoke to me.
The blood on David’s hands makes him ritually impure to build a holy structure and house like the Jerusalem temple.
Eternal One: You have shed much blood and waged great wars, My wars. But because of your conquests and the amount of blood you spilled on My behalf, you will not build a house honoring My reputation. 9 You will have a son named Solomon, who will be a man of rest. He will not fight wars for Me—I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.
The name “Solomon” has a similar spelling and sound to Shalom, the word for “peace.”
10 He will build a house honoring My reputation, a place where I shall dwell and where your people will worship Me. He will be My son and I will be his Father. I will establish his kingdom as My representative of My rule in Israel forever.
David: 11 My son, you will need His help to build the house of the Eternal One your God successfully, just as He plans and as I have prepared for you. 12 May He give you discretion, understanding, and command over Israel, for you will need to keep the laws of the Eternal One your God if you are to finish His temple. 13 Only then you will prosper, by following these statutes and ordinances for Israel, which the Eternal gave to Moses. You must be strong and courageous—never fear or be distraught.
14 I have meticulously prepared for the house of the Eternal.
David has already received a divine blueprint, has gathered materials, and has solicited international workers.
I have collected 3,750 tons of gold, 37,500 tons of silver, bronze, and iron (they are more readily available to us than gold is), and timber and stone. You may easily add to these materials as you need to because 15-16 there is no limit to the gold, silver, bronze, and iron. I have hired many workmen: stonecutters, stonemasons, carpenters, and tradesmen. Go now and work; build this magnificent, world-renowned temple, and may the Eternal be with you as you do it.
17 Having completed his instructions to Solomon, David then commanded all the tribal leaders of Israel to help Solomon.
David: 18 The Eternal One your God is with you. Now that He has provided the land for Israel, He has given you peace with your enemies on every border. 19 Now prepare yourself mentally and emotionally to follow the Eternal One your God. Go and build the temple of the Eternal God, so you may bring the covenant chest of the Eternal to rest there and take the holy vessels of God into His house for us to use in sacrifice.
1 Chronicles 22
English Standard Version
22 Then David said, (A)“Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
David Prepares for Temple Building
2 David commanded to gather together the (B)resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he (C)set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, (D)as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar timbers without number, (E)for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, (F)“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.
Solomon Charged to Build the Temple
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, (G)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, (H)‘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 on the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. (I)I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. (J)For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 (K)He shall build a house for my name. (L)He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, (M)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 (N)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 (O)Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. (P)Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. 14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord (Q)100,000 talents[a] of gold, a million talents of silver, and (R)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 work! (S)The Lord be with you!”
17 David also commanded (T)all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Is not the Lord your God with you? And (U)has he not given you peace[b] 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 (V)set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, (W)so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built (X)for the name of the Lord.”
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 22:14 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
- 1 Chronicles 22:18 Or rest (see 22:9)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
