1 Chronicles 22
Good News Translation
22 So David said, “This is where the Temple of the Lord God will be. Here is the altar where the people of Israel are to offer burnt offerings.”
Preparations for Building the Temple
2 King David gave orders for all the foreigners living in the land of Israel to assemble, and he put them to work. Some of them prepared stone blocks for building the Temple. 3 He supplied a large amount of iron for making nails and clamps for the wooden gates, and so much bronze that no one could weigh it. 4 He had the people of Tyre and Sidon bring him a large number of cedar logs. 5 David thought, “The Temple that my son Solomon is to build must be splendid and world-famous. But he is young and inexperienced, so I must make preparations for it.” So David got large amounts of the materials ready before he died.
6 He sent for his son Solomon and commanded him to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 (A)David said to him, “Son, I wanted to build a temple to honor the Lord my God. 8 But the Lord told me that I had killed too many people and fought too many wars. And so, because of all the bloodshed I have caused, he would not let me build a temple for him. 9 He did, however, make me a promise. He said, ‘You will have a son who will rule in peace, because I will give him peace from all his enemies. His name will be Solomon,[a] because during his reign I will give Israel peace and security. 10 He will build a temple for me. He will be my son, and I will be his father. His dynasty will rule Israel forever.’”
11 David continued, “Now, son, may the Lord your God be with you, and may he keep his promise to make you successful in building a temple for him. 12 And may the Lord your God give you insight and wisdom so that you may govern Israel according to his Law. 13 (B)If you obey all the laws which the Lord gave to Moses for Israel, you will be successful. Be determined and confident, and don't let anything make you afraid. 14 As for the Temple, by my efforts I have accumulated almost four thousand tons of gold and nearly forty thousand tons of silver to be used in building it. Besides that, there is an unlimited supply of bronze and iron. I also have wood and stone ready, but you must get more. 15 You have many workers. There are stonecutters to work in the quarries, and there are masons and carpenters, as well as a large number of skilled workers of every sort who can work 16 with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Now begin the work, and may the Lord be with you.”
17 David commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon. 18 He said, “The Lord your God has been with you and given you peace on all sides. He let me conquer all the people who used to live in this land, and they are now subject to you and to the Lord. 19 Now serve the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Start building the Temple, so that you can place in it the Covenant Box of the Lord and all the other sacred objects used in worshiping him.”
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 22:9 This name is formed from the Hebrew word “shalom,” which means “peace and security.”
1 Chronicles 22
New King James Version
David Prepares to Build the Temple
22 Then David said, (A)“This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” 2 So David commanded to gather the (B)aliens who were in the land of Israel; and he appointed masons to (C)cut hewn stones to build the house of God. 3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails of the doors of the gates and for the joints, and bronze in abundance (D)beyond measure, 4 and cedar trees in abundance; for the (E)Sidonians and those from Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.
5 Now David said, (F)“Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it.” So David made abundant preparations before his death.
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, (G)it was in my mind to build a house (H)to the name of the Lord my God; 8 but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, (I)‘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 (J)Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him (K)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 (L)He shall build a house for My name, and (M)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 (N)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 (O)give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 (P)Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord [c]charged Moses concerning Israel. (Q)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 (R)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 (S)the Lord be with you.”
17 David also commanded all the (T)leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Is not the Lord your God with you? (U)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 (V)bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built (W)for the name of the Lord.”
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 22:6 com-manded
- 1 Chronicles 22:9 Lit. Peaceful
- 1 Chronicles 22:13 commanded
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)
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. 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.
