David’s Plans for the Temple

28 David ·commanded [summoned] all the ·leaders [officials] of Israel to come to Jerusalem. There were the ·leaders [officials; commanders; chiefs] of the tribes, ·commanders [officers] of the army divisions serving the king, commanders of a thousand men and of a hundred men, ·leaders [officials; overseers] who took care of the property and animals that belonged to the king and his sons, ·men over the palace [palace officials], the ·powerful [mighty] men, and all the ·brave [valiant] warriors.

² King David stood up and said, “Listen to me, my ·relatives [brothers] and my people. I ·wanted [intended; planned; had my heart set] to build a place to keep the Ark of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] with the Lord. I wanted it to be God’s footstool. So I made ·plans [preparations] to build ·a temple [it]. ³ But God said to me, ‘You must not build a ·temple [^Lhouse] for ·worshiping me [my name/Name], because you are a ·soldier [man of war] and have ·killed many people [shed blood; ^Che completed the conquest of Canaan].’

⁴ “·But [Yet; Nevertheless] the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole ·family [clan; father’s house] to be king of Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to ·lead [rule], and from the ·people [house] of Judah, he chose my father’s ·family [clan; ^Lhouse]. From ·that family [^Lmy father’s sons] God was pleased to make me king ·of [over all] Israel. ⁵ The Lord has given me many sons, and from those sons he has chosen Solomon to ·be the new king [^Lsit on the throne] of Israel. Israel is the Lord’s kingdom. ⁶ The Lord said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my ·Temple [^Lhouse] and ·its courtyards [my courts]. I have chosen Solomon to be my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ He is obeying my laws and commands now. If he continues ·to obey them [resolutely; unswervingly], I will ·make his kingdom strong [establish/secure his kingdom] forever.’”

⁸ David said, “Now, in ·front [the sight] of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of God, I tell you these things: Be careful to ·obey [observe; follow] all the commands of the Lord your God. Then you will ·keep [possess] this good land and ·pass it on [^Lleave it as an inheritance] to your ·descendants [children] forever.

⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, ·accept [acknowledge; ^Lknow] the God of your father. Serve him ·completely and willingly [^Lwith your whole heart and a willing mind/spirit], because the Lord ·knows what is in everyone’s mind [^Lsearches every heart]. He understands ·everything you think [every desire/motive and thought]. If you ·go to him for help [seek him], ·you will get an answer [you will find him; or he will let you find him]. But if you ·turn away from [abandon; forsake] him, he will ·leave [reject] you forever. ¹⁰ Solomon, ·you must understand this [see now]. The Lord has chosen you to build ·the Temple [^La house] as his ·holy place [sanctuary]. Be strong and ·finish the job [do it; go to work].”

¹¹ Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for ·building the Temple [the porch/portico]. They included its buildings, its storerooms, its upper rooms, its inside rooms, and the ·place where the people’s sins were removed [room for atonement/^Tthe mercy seat]. ¹² David gave him plans for everything he had in mind: the courtyards around the Lord’s ·Temple [^Lhouse] and all the rooms around it, the ·Temple treasuries [storehouses of God’s house], and the ·treasuries [storehouse] of the ·holy items used in the Temple [dedicated/consecrated things/gifts]. ¹³ David gave Solomon directions for the ·groups [divisions; orders] of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord, and about the ·items [utensils] to be used for service in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord ¹⁴ that were made of gold or silver. David told Solomon ·how much [the weight of] gold or silver to use to make each thing. ¹⁵ David told him ·how much [the weight of] gold to use for each gold lampstand and its lamps and ·how much [the weight of] silver to use for each silver lampstand and its lamps according to how the lampstands were to be used . ¹⁶ David told ·how much [the weight of] gold to use for each table that held the ·holy [^Tshow] bread and ·how much [the weight of] silver to use for the silver tables. ¹⁷ He told ·how much [the weight of] pure gold to use to make the forks, ·bowls [basins], and pitchers and ·how much [the weight of] gold to use to make each gold ·dish [bowl]. He told ·how much [the weight of] silver to use to make each silver ·dish [bowl] ¹⁸ and ·how much [the weight of] pure gold to use for the altar of incense. He also gave Solomon the plans for the ·chariot [or seat] of the ·golden creatures [cherubim] that spread their wings over the Ark of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] with the Lord.

¹⁹ David said, “All these plans were written with the Lord ·guiding [directing] me. He ·helped me understand [made clear to me; gave me insight into/understanding of] everything in the plans.”

²⁰ David also said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and brave, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, because the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or ·leave [abandon; forsake] you until all the work for the service of the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord is finished. ²¹ The ·groups [divisions; orders] of the priests and Levites are ready for all the ·work on [service of] the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of God. Every skilled worker is ready to help you with all the work. The ·leaders [officials] and all the ·people [nation] will ·obey every command you give [be at your command].”