1 Chronicles 29:1-9

Contemporary English Version

Gifts for Building the Temple

29 ^(A) David told the crowd:

God chose my son Solomon to build the temple, but Solomon is young and has no experience. This is not just any building—this is the temple for the Lord God! ² That's why I have done my best to get everything Solomon will need to build it—gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, turquoise, colored gems, all kinds of precious stones, and marble.

³ Besides doing all that, I have promised to give part of my own gold and silver as a way of showing my love for God's temple. ⁴ More than 100 tons of my finest gold and almost 240 tons of my silver will be used to decorate its walls ⁵ and to make the gold and silver objects. Now, who else will show their dedication to the Lord by giving gifts for building his temple?

⁶ After David finished speaking, the family leaders, the tribal leaders, the army commanders, and the government officials voluntarily gave gifts ⁷ for the temple. These gifts included more than 170 tons of gold, over 340 tons of silver, 620 tons of bronze, and more than 3,400 tons of iron. ⁸ Everyone who owned precious stones also donated them to the temple treasury, where Jehiel from the Levite clan of Gershon guarded them.

⁹ David and the people were very happy that so much had been given to the Lord, and they all celebrated.