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David’s Charge to Solomon

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every plan and all thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever. 10 Look now, for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it!”

11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, and of the house of the lid of the ark, 12 and the plan of all that he had in mind[a] for the courtyards of the house of Yahweh and for all the surrounding storage rooms, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for sanctified objects, 13 and for the working groups of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels for the service of the house of Yahweh, 14 and for the gold, according to the weight of the gold for all the vessels of the service, and the service of all the vessels of silver according to the weight of all the vessels for every kind of service.[b] 15 And the weight of the golden lampstands and the golden lamps, the weight of each lampstand and each lamp,[c] and the silver according to the weight of a lampstand and its lamp, according to the use of each lampstand,[d] 16 and the weight of gold for the tables of the arranged bread, each table,[e] and silver for the tables of silver, 17 and pure gold for the three-pronged meat forks, and the bowls and the pitchers, and for the golden bowls, by weight for each bowl,[f] and for the silver bowls, by weight for each bowl,[g] 18 and for the altar of incense made of refined gold, by weight, and gold for the plan for the chariot—the cherubim with outspread and covering wings over the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. 19 “All this I give you in writing; from the hand of Yahweh he instructed me about all the workings of this plan.”

20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do this! Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you and will not forsake you until all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh is finished. 21 And behold, the working groups of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work for all those willing with the skill for every service, and the commanders and all the people for all your commands.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 28:12 Literally “that was in the spirit with him”
  2. 1 Chronicles 28:14 Literally “service and service”
  3. 1 Chronicles 28:15 Literally “by weight of lampstand and lampstand, with its lamp and to the lamps”
  4. 1 Chronicles 28:15 Literally “lampstand and lampstand”
  5. 1 Chronicles 28:16 Literally “to table and table”
  6. 1 Chronicles 28:17 Literally “for bowl and bowl”
  7. 1 Chronicles 28:17 Literally “for bowl and bowl”

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion(A) and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart(B) and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,(C) he will be found by you; but if you forsake(D) him, he will reject(E) you forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans(F) for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. 12 He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit(G) had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.(H) 13 He gave him instructions for the divisions(I) of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service. 14 He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service: 15 the weight of gold for the gold lampstands(J) and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; 16 the weight of gold for each table(K) for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables; 17 the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls(L) and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish; 18 and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense.(M) He also gave him the plan for the chariot,(N) that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow(O) the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details(P) of the plan.(Q)

20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous,(R) and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake(S) you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.(T) 21 The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled(U) in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.”

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