Beginning
Men and Materials
28 Now David assembled all the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem—the tribal officers, the commanders of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and the stewards over all the property and livestock of the king and of his sons, along with the high officials, the mighty warriors and all the men of valor.
2 Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant of Adonai and for the footstool of our God. So I made the preparations for the building. 3 But God said to me, ‘You will not build a House for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4 Yet Adonai, the God of Israel, has chosen me out of all my ancestral house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as ruler, and of the house of Judah, my father’s house, and of my father’s sons, He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5 Moreover, of all my sons—for Adonai has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Adonai over Israel.
6 “He said to me, ‘Solomon your son will build My House and My courts for I have chosen him to be a son to Me and I will be a father to him. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever, if he resolutely observes My mitzvot and My ordinances as at this day.’ 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of Adonai and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek all the mitzvot of Adonai your God so that you may possess this good land and may bequeath it to your children after you forever.
9 “Now you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for Adonai searches all hearts and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you. But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for Adonai has chosen you to build a House for the Sanctuary. Chazak! And do it!”
11 Then David gave Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, its houses, its storerooms, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the place of atonement; 12 and the plan of all that he had by the Ruach for the courts of the House of Adonai and all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the House of God and for the treasuries of the dedicated things; 13 also for the divisions of the kohanim and the Levites, for all the tasks of the avodah of the House of Adonai, and for all the vessels of avodah in the House of Adonai. 14 For gold, the weight of gold for all vessels of every kind of avodah, and silver, the weight of silver for all vessels for every type of avodah; 15 and the weight for the gold menorot and their gold lamps, including the weight of each menorah and its lamps, for the silver menorot, including the weight of each menorah and its lamps according to the use of each menorah; 16 also the weight of gold for the tables of the rows of bread, for every table and silver for the silver tables; 17 and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold, and for the golden bowls with the weight for every bowl, and for the silver bowls with the weight for every bowl; 18 and for the altar of incense with the weight of refined gold; and gold for the form of the chariot—the cheruvim—that spread out their wings covering the Ark of the Covenant of Adonai.
19 “All this I put in writing is from the hand of Adonai upon me as He gave me insight regarding the plan of all the works.”
20 Also David said to his son Solomon: “Chazak! And be courageous, and do it! Do not be afraid or dismayed, for Adonai Elohim my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the avodah of the House of Adonai is finished. 21 Now behold, here are the divisions of the kohanim and the Levites for all the avodah of the House of God, and with you in all the work are willing men, skilled in all types of tasks. Also the officials and all the people are at your command.”
David Commissions His Son
29 Then King David said to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced and the task is great, for the palace is not for man but for Adonai Elohim. 2 Now I have made every effort to prepare for the House of my God gold for the golden objects, silver for silver, copper for copper, iron for iron, and wood for wood; onyx stones and inlay stones, stones of antimony and varigated colors—every kind of precious stones and marble in abundance. 3 Moreover, in my devotion to the House of my God, I have given over my private treasure of gold and silver to the House of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for the holy House: 4 3,000 gold talents of gold from Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver to overlay the walls of the houses— 5 gold for golden objects and silver for silver for all the work—into the hands of craftsmen. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself this day to Adonai?”
6 Then the leaders of the clans, the officials of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and hundreds and the supervisors over the king’s work contributed willingly. 7 They gave for the service of the House of God: 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron. 8 Whoever possessed stones gave them to the treasury of the House of Adonai in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced over their freewill offerings because with a whole heart they offered willingly to Adonai. King David also rejoiced with great joy.
10 David blessed Adonai before the whole congregation saying,
“Blessed are You, Adonai,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity!
11 Yours, Adonai, is the greatness, the power
and the splendor, and the victory and the majesty,
indeed everything in heaven and earth.
Yours is the kingdom, Adonai
and You are exalted above all.
12 Both riches and honor come from You.
You rule over everything.
In Your hand is power and might,
in Your hand, to magnify and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks
and praise Your glorious Name.
14 “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You. 15 For we are sojourners before You, mere transients like our fathers. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, without security. 16 Adonai Eloheinu, all this abundance that we have laid aside to build You a House for Your holy Name is from Your hand; it all belongs to You. 17 I know, my God, that You search the heart and take pleasure in uprightness. With integrity of heart I have willingly offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here willingly contribute to You. 18 Adonai, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel our fathers, preserve forever such motives and thoughts in the heart of Your people and make their heart constant toward You. 19 As for my son Solomon, give him a whole heart to keep Your mitzvot, Your decrees and Your statutes, and to fulfill them all and to build the Temple for which I have made provision.”
20 Then David said to the whole congregation, “Now bless Adonai your God.”
So the whole congregation blessed Adonai, the God of their fathers. They bowed down and fell prostrate before Adonai and the king.
Solomon Acclaimed King
21 The next day, they sacrificed sacrifices to Adonai and offered burnt offerings to Adonai; 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams and 1,000 lambs, along with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 So they ate and drank before Adonai on that day with great joy.
Then they designated Solomon the son of David as king a second time, anointing him before Adonai as ruler and Zadok as kohen. 23 So Solomon sat on the throne of Adonai as king instead of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officials and mighty men, as well as all the sons of King David, pledged their hand in support of King Solomon. 25 Adonai highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had never been on any king before him in Israel.
26 Now David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The length of his reign over Israel was 40 years. He reigned in Hebron seven years and he reigned in Jerusalem 33 years. 28 He died at a good old age, full of days, riches and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place.
29 Now the acts of King David, the first and the last, behold, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer 30 together with all his reign, his power and the events that involved him, Israel and all the kingdoms of the lands.
Solomon Asks for Wisdom at Gibeon
1 Now Solomon the son of David firmly established himself over his kingdom. For Adonai his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.
2 Solomon spoke to all Israel—t0 the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges and to every leader in all Israel, the leading patriarchs— 3 and Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the Tent of Meeting of God was there, which Moses the servant of Adonai had made in the wilderness. 4 Now David had brought up the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur had made was there in front of the Tabernacle of Adonai, and Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there. 6 So Solomon went up before Adonai to the bronze altar that was at the Tent of Meeting and offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask! What should I give you?”
8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great lovingkindness to my father David and now You have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Adonai Elohim, let Your word to my father David be fulfilled for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this people. For who can govern this great people of Yours?”
11 Then God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches, possessions or honor, nor for the life of those who hate you and have not even asked for long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself—so you can govern My people over whom I have made you king— 12 wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. Moreover, I will give you riches, possessions and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you ever had and none after you will have.”
13 Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place that was at Gibeon, from in front of the Tent of Meeting. So he reigned over Israel.
Horses and Chariots from Egypt
14 Solomon accumulated chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the foothills. 16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Keve—the king’s merchants purchased them from Keve at a price. 17 They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 talents of silver and a horse for 150. So by the same means they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
Solomon Prepares to Build
18 Then Solomon vowed to build a House for the Name of Adonai, as well as a royal palace for himself.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.