Bible in 90 Days

24 The courses or divisions of the priests, the sons of Aaron, were these: The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.

³ And David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided and distributed them according to their assigned duties.

⁴ Since there were more chief men found among the sons of Eleazar [because of the misfortunes of Eli, and Saul’s slaughter of the priests at Nob] than among the sons of Ithamar, they were divided thus: sixteen heads of fathers’ houses of the sons of Eleazar and eight of the sons of Ithamar according to their fathers’ houses.

⁵ Thus were they divided by lot, one group with the other, for there were chiefs of the sanctuary and chiefs of God [high priests] drawn both from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar.

⁶ Shemaiah the scribe, son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar [the priest who escaped being killed at Nob by Saul and fled to David], and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites—one father’s house being taken alternately for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.

⁷ The lots fell, the first one to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

⁸ The third to Harim, the fourth to Se-orim,

⁹ The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰ The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹ The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

¹² The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³ The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebe-ab,

¹⁴ The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵ The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶ The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷ The twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸ The twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹ This was their order for coming on duty to serve in the house of the Lord, according to the procedure ordered for them by their [forefather] Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

²⁰ As for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram: Shubael; of the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

²¹ Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah: Isshiah the chief.

²² Of the Izharites: Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

²³ The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴ The son of Uzziel: Micah; of the sons of Micah: Shamir.

²⁵ The brother of Micah: Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah: Zechariah.

²⁶ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The son of Jaaziah: Beno.

²⁷ The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸ Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹ Of Kish: the son of Kish: Jerahmeel.

³⁰ The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites, according to their fathers’ houses.

³¹ These likewise cast lots, as did their kinsmen the sons of Aaron, in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites—the head of each father’s house and his younger brother alike.

25 Also David and the chiefs of the host [of the Lord] separated to the [temple] service some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who should prophesy [being inspired] with lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of the musicians according to their service was:

² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied (witnessed and testified under divine inspiration) in keeping with the king’s order.

³ Of the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who witnessed and prophesied under divine inspiration with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.

⁴ Of Heman: the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

⁵ All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer [his mediator] in the words and things of God to exalt Him; for God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters,^(A)

⁶ All of whom were [in the choir] under the direction of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king.

⁷ So the number of them [who led the remainder of the 4,000], with their kinsmen who were specially trained in songs for the Lord, all who were talented singers, was 288.^(B)

⁸ [The musicians] cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and scholar alike.

⁹ The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, to him, his brethren and his sons, twelve;

¹⁰ The third to Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹¹ The fourth to Izri, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹² The fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹³ The sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁴ The seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁵ The eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁶ The ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁷ The tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁸ The eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁹ The twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁰ The thirteenth to Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²¹ The fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²² The fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²³ The sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁴ The seventeenth of Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁵ The eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁶ The nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁷ The twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁸ The twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁹ The twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

³⁰ The twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

³¹ The twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.

26 For the divisions of the gatekeepers: Of the Korahites was: Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

² And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

³ Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.

⁴ Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

⁵ Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him.

⁶ Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born, who were rulers in their fathers’ houses, for they were mighty men of ability and courage.

⁷ The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brethren were strong and able men, Elihu and Semachiah.

⁸ All these were sons of Obed-edom [in whose house the ark was kept], with their sons and brethren, strong and able men for the service—sixty-two in all.^(C)

⁹ Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong and able men—eighteen in all.

¹⁰ Also Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief),

¹¹ Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen in all.

¹² Of these were the divisions of the gatekeepers, even of the chief men, having duties, as did their brethren, to minister in the house of the Lord.

¹³ And they cast lots by fathers’ houses, small and great alike, for every gate.

¹⁴ The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the north.

¹⁵ To Obed-edom it came out for the south, and to his sons the storehouse was allotted.

¹⁶ To Shuppim and Hosah the lot fell for the west, by the refuse gate that goes into the ascending highway, post opposite post.

¹⁷ On the east were six Levites, on the north four a day, on the south four a day, and two by two at the storehouse.

¹⁸ At the ^[a]colonnade on the west side [of the outer court of the temple], there were four at the road and two at the colonnade.

¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Korahites and the sons of Merari.

²⁰ Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts.

²¹ The sons of Ladan, the descendants of Gershon through Ladan, the heads of families of Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli,

²² The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and Joel his brother, who were over the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

²³ Of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites:

²⁴ Shebuel son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasuries.

²⁵ His brethren from Eliezer were his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth.

²⁶ This Shelomoth and his brethren were over all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts, which King David, the heads of the fathers’ houses, the officers over thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the army had dedicated.

²⁷ From spoil won in battles they dedicated gifts to maintain the house of the Lord.

²⁸ Also all that Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah had dedicated, and whatever anyone had dedicated, it was in the charge of Shelomoth and his brethren.

²⁹ Of the Izharites: Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to outside duties for Israel, as officers and judges.

³⁰ Of the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his brethren, men of courage and ability, 1,700 in all, were officers over Israel on the west side of the Jordan in all the Lord’s business and the king’s service.

³¹ Of the Hebronites: Jerijah was the chief, according to their generations by fathers’ houses. In the fortieth year of David’s reign a search was made, and men of great courage and ability were found among them at Jazer in Gilead.

³² Jerijah’s kinsmen, men of courage and ability, were 2,700 heads of fathers’ houses; King David made them overseers of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for everything pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

27 This is the list of the Israelites, the heads of fathers’ houses, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters of the divisions that came and went, month by month throughout the year, each division numbering 24,000.

² Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam son of Zabdiel. In his division were 24,000.

³ He was descended from Perez and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month.

⁴ Over the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite; and of his division Mikloth was the chief officer. In his division were 24,000.

⁵ The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest, as chief. In his division were 24,000.

⁶ This is the Benaiah who was a mighty man of the Thirty and over the Thirty; and in his division was Ammizabad his son.

⁷ The fourth, for the fourth month, Asahel brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him. In his division were 24,000.

⁸ The fifth, for the fifth month, Shamhuth the Izrahite. In his division were 24,000.

⁹ The sixth, for the sixth month, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. In his division were 24,000.

¹⁰ The seventh, for the seventh month, Helez the Pelonite, of the Ephraimites. In his division were 24,000.

¹¹ The eighth, for the eighth month, Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarahites. In his division were 24,000.

¹² The ninth, for the ninth month, Abiezer of Anathoth, a Benjamite. In his division were 24,000.

¹³ The tenth, for the tenth month, Maharai from Netophah, of the Zerahites. In his division were 24,000.

¹⁴ The eleventh, for the eleventh month, Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the sons of Ephraim. In his division were 24,000.

¹⁵ The twelfth, for the twelfth month, Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel. In his division were 24,000.

¹⁶ Also over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites: Eliezer son of Zichri was chief officer; of the Simeonites: Shephatiah son of Maachah;

¹⁷ Of Levi: Hashabiah son of Kemuel; of Aaron: Zadok;

¹⁸ Of Judah: Elihu, one of David’s brothers; of Issachar: Omri son of Michael;

¹⁹ Of Zebulun: Ishmaiah son of Obadiah; of Naphtali: Jerimoth son of Azriel;

²⁰ Of the Ephraimites: Hoshea son of Azaziah; of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Joel son of Pedaiah;

²¹ Of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo son of Zechariah; of Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner;

²² Of Dan: Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.

²³ But David did not number those under twenty years of age, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as the stars of the heavens.

²⁴ Joab son of Zeruiah began a census but did not finish, because the census brought wrath upon Israel, and the number was not recorded in the chronicles of King David.

²⁵ Over the king’s treasuries was Azmaveth son of Adiel; and over the treasuries in the country, cities, villages, and towers or forts was Jonathan son of Uzziah;

²⁶ Over those who did the work of the field of tilling the soil was Ezri son of Chelub;

²⁷ Over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite; over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars, Zabdi the Shiphmite;

²⁸ Over the olive and sycamore trees in the low plains, Baal-hanan the Gederite; over the stores of oil, Joash;

²⁹ Over the herds pasturing in Sharon, Shitrai the Sharonite; over the herds in the valleys, Shaphat son of Adlai;

³⁰ Over the camels, Obil the Ishmaelite; over the she-donkeys, Jehdeiah the Meronothite;

³¹ And over the flocks, Jaziz the Hagrite. All these were stewards of King David’s property.

³² Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a wise man and a scribe; he and Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended the king’s sons [as tutors].^(D)

³³ Ahithophel was the king’s counselor; Hushai the Archite was the king’s companion and friend.

³⁴ Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar. Joab was the commander of the king’s army.

28 David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel and of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king in courses, and those over thousands and hundreds, and the stewards over all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, with the palace officers, the mighty men, and all the mighty warriors.

² Then David the king rose to his feet and said, Hear me, my brethren and my people. I myself intended to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as a footstool for our God, and I prepared materials for the building.

³ But God said to me, You shall not build a house for My Name [and Presence], because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.

⁴ However, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me before all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah he chose the house of my father; and among the sons of my father He was pleased to make me king over all Israel;

⁵ And of all my sons, for the Lord has given me many sons, He has chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

⁶ And He said to me, Solomon your son shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father.

⁷ I will establish his kingdom forever if he loyally and continuously obeys My commandments and My ordinances, as he does today.

⁸ Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek [to be familiar with] all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.

⁹ And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts and minds and understands all the wanderings of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] you will find Him; but ^[b]if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever!

¹⁰ Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it!

¹¹ Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner rooms, and of the place for the [ark and its] mercy seat;

¹² And the plan of all that he had in mind [by the Spirit] for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for the dedicated gifts;

¹³ The plan for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service in the house of the Lord; for all the vessels for service in the house of the Lord:

¹⁴ The weight of gold and silver for all the gold and silver articles of every kind of service—

¹⁵ The weight of the golden lampstands and their lamps, the weight of gold or silver for each lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;

¹⁶ The gold by weight for each table of showbread, and the silver for the tables of silver;

¹⁷ Also pure gold for the forks, basins, and cups; for the golden bowls by weight of each; for the silver bowls by weight of each;

¹⁸ For the incense altar refined gold by weight, and gold for the plan of the chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the Lord’s covenant.

¹⁹ All this the Lord made me understand by the writing by His hand upon me, all the work to be done according to the plan.

²⁰ Also David told Solomon his son, Be strong and courageous, and do it. Fear not, be not dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail or forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

²¹ And see, [you have] the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the service of God’s house, and with you in all the kinds of work will be every willing, skillful man for any kind of service. Also the officers and all the people will be wholly at your command.

29 And King David said to all the assembly, Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young, tender, and inexperienced; and the work is great, for the palace is not to be for man but for the Lord God.

² So I have provided with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood, as well as onyx or beryl stones, stones to be set, stones of antimony, stones of various colors, and all sorts of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

³ Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, in addition to all I have prepared for the holy house, I have a private treasure of gold and silver which I give for the house of my God:

⁴ It is 3,000 talents of gold, gold of Ophir, 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the house,

⁵ Gold for the uses of gold, silver for the uses of silver, and for every work to be done by craftsmen. Now who will offer willingly to fill his hand [and consecrate it] today to the Lord [like one consecrating himself to the priesthood]?

⁶ Then the chiefs of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly

⁷ And gave for the service of the house of God—of gold 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics, of silver 10,000 talents, of bronze 18,000 talents, and 100,000 talents of iron.

⁸ And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite.

⁹ Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with a whole and blameless heart they had offered freely to the Lord. King David also rejoiced greatly.

¹⁰ Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly and said, Be praised, adored, and thanked, O Lord, the God of Israel our [forefather], forever and ever.

¹¹ Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.

¹² Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.

¹³ Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes.

¹⁴ But who am I, and what are my people, that we should retain strength and be able to offer thus so willingly? For all things come from You, and out of Your own [hand] we have given You.

¹⁵ For we are strangers before You, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope or expectation of remaining.

¹⁶ O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy Name and the token of Your presence comes from Your hand, and is all Your own.

¹⁷ I know also, my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here offer voluntarily and freely to You.

¹⁸ O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the minds of Your people, and direct and establish their hearts toward You.

¹⁹ And give to Solomon my son a blameless heart to keep Your commandments, testimonies, and statutes, and to do all that is necessary to build the palace [for You] for which I have made provision.

²⁰ And David said to all the assembly, Now adore (praise and thank) the Lord your God! And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and did obeisance to the Lord and to the king [as His earthly representative].

²¹ The next day they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.

²² They ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great rejoicing. They made Solomon son of David king a second time, and anointed him as prince for the Lord and Zadok to be high priest.

²³ Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.

²⁴ All the leaders and mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged allegiance to King Solomon.

²⁵ And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

²⁶ Thus David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

²⁷ The time he reigned over Israel was forty years—he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

²⁸ He died in a good old age [his seventy-first year], full and satisfied with days, riches, and honor. Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

²⁹ Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the recorded words of Samuel the seer, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer,

³⁰ With accounts of all his reign and his might, and the times through which he and Israel passed, as did all the kingdoms of the countries.

1 Solomon son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

² Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.

³ And Solomon and all the assembly [a united nation] with him went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the Tent of Meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there [where the Canaanites had habitually worshiped].

⁴ But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

⁵ Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was there before the tabernacle of the Lord, and Solomon and the assembly sought [the Lord].

⁶ Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord 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 I shall give you.

⁸ And Solomon said to God, You have shown great mercy and loving-kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.

⁹ Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

¹⁰ Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this Your people who are so great?

¹¹ God replied to Solomon, Because this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches, possessions, honor, and glory, or the life of your foes, or even for long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may rule and judge My people over whom I have made you king,

¹² Wisdom and knowledge are granted you. And I will give you riches, possessions, honor, and glory, such as none of the kings had before you, and none after you shall have their equal.

¹³ Then Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

¹⁴ Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, which he placed in the cities [suited for the use] of chariots and with the king at Jerusalem.

¹⁵ And the king made silver and gold in Jerusalem as common as stones, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamores of the lowland.

¹⁶ Solomon’s horses were brought out of Egypt; the king’s merchants received them in droves, ^[c]each drove at a price.

¹⁷ They imported from Egypt a chariot for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; so they brought out horses for all the Hittite and Syrian kings as export agents.

2 Solomon determined to build a temple for the ^[d]Name of the Lord and a royal capitol.

² And Solomon counted out 70,000 men to bear burdens, 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hill country, and 3,600 overseers.

³ And Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying, As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build himself a house in which to dwell, even so deal with me.

⁴ Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God, dedicated to Him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before Him, for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.

⁵ The house which I am to build is great, for our God is greater than all gods.

⁶ But who is able to build Him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain Him? Who am I to build Him a house, except as a place to burn incense in worship before Him?

⁷ Now therefore, send a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue colors, who is a trained engraver, to work with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.

⁸ Send me also from Lebanon cedar, cypress, and algum timber, for I know your servants can skillfully cut timber in Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants,

⁹ To prepare for me timber in abundance, for the house I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.

¹⁰ And I will give to your servants who cut timber 20,000 measures of crushed wheat and also of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and also of oil.

¹¹ Then Hiram king of Tyre replied in writing sent to Solomon, Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.

¹² Hiram said also, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who made heaven and earth, Who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, who should build a house for the Lord and a royal palace as his capitol.

¹³ Now I have sent a skilled man, endued with understanding, even Huram-abi, my trusted counselor,

¹⁴ The son of a woman of the daughters of ^[e]Dan; his father was a man of Tyre. He is a trained worker in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood; in purple, blue, and crimson colors, and in fine linen; and also to engrave any type of engraving and to carry out any design given him, with your skilled men and those of my lord, David your father.

¹⁵ Now therefore, the wheat, barley, oil, and wine of which my lord has spoken, let him send them to his servants,

¹⁶ And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so you may take it up to Jerusalem.

¹⁷ Then Solomon took a census of all the aliens in the land of Israel, like the census of them which his father David had taken. They were found to be 153,600.

¹⁸ And he assigned 70,000 of them to be burden bearers, 80,000 to work in the mountain quarries, and 3,600 as overseers to direct the people’s work.

3 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.^(E)

² And Solomon began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

³ Now these are the measurements for the foundations which Solomon laid for the house of God. The length in cubits by the former measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

⁴ The porch or vestibule across the front of the house was the same length as the house’s breadth, twenty cubits, and the ^[f]height 120 cubits. He overlaid it inside with pure gold.

⁵ And the greater house (the Holy Place) he lined with cypress and overlaid it with fine gold and made palm trees and chains on it.

⁶ And he adorned the house with precious stones for beauty; and the gold was gold of Parvaim.

⁷ He lined the house (the Holy Place), its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls.

⁸ He made the Most Holy Place, its length equaling the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and its breadth twenty cubits; he overlaid it with 600 talents of fine gold.

⁹ The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he lined the upper chambers with gold.

¹⁰ And in the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of image work, and they were overlaid with gold.

¹¹ And the wings of the cherubim [combined] extended twenty cubits: one wing of one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and its other wing of five cubits touched the other cherub’s wing.

¹² And of the other cherub one wing of five cubits touched the wall of the house, and the other wing, also five cubits, joined the wing of the first cherub.

¹³ The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits; the cherubim stood on their feet, their faces toward the Holy Place.

¹⁴ And he made the veil [between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place] of blue, purple, and crimson colors, and fine linen, and embroidered cherubim on it.

¹⁵ Before the house he made two pillars, 35 cubits high, with a capital on the top of each which was five cubits.

¹⁶ He made chains like a necklace and put them on the heads of the pillars, and he made 100 pomegranates and put them on the chains.

¹⁷ He erected the pillars before the temple, one on the right, the other on the left, and called the one on the right Jachin [he shall establish] and the one on the left Boaz [in it is strength].

4 Also Solomon made an altar of bronze, its top twenty by twenty cubits and its height ten cubits.

² Also he made a round Sea of molten metal, ten cubits from brim to brim and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured around it.

³ Under it were figures of oxen encircling it, ten to a cubit. The oxen were in two rows, cast in one piece with it.

⁴ It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking north, three west, three south, three east; and the Sea rested upon them, and all their hind parts were inward.

⁵ Its thickness was a handbreadth; its brim was like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held 3,000 baths (measures).

⁶ He made also ten lavers in which to wash and put five on the right (south) side and five on the left (north). Such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them, but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.

⁷ And he made ten golden lampstands as directed and set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left.

⁸ He made also ten tables and placed them in the temple, five each on the right and left sides, and 100 basins of gold.

⁹ Moreover, he made the priests’ court, and the great court and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze.

¹⁰ And he set the Sea at the southeast corner of the house.

¹¹ And Huram made the pots, shovels, and basins. So Huram finished the work of God’s house that he did for King Solomon:

¹² The two pillars; the bowls; the capitals on top of the two pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals on top of the pillars;

¹³ And 400 pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals upon the pillars.

¹⁴ He made also bases or stands and lavers upon the bases;

¹⁵ One Sea and the twelve oxen under it;

¹⁶ The pots, shovels, and fleshhooks, and all their equipment Huram his trusted counselor made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord.

¹⁷ In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

¹⁸ Solomon made all these things in such great numbers that the weight of the bronze was not computed.

¹⁹ And Solomon made all the vessels for the house of God: the golden altar also; and the tables for the showbread (the bread of the Presence);

²⁰ And the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn before the inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies) as directed;

²¹ The flowers, lamps, and tongs, of purest gold;

²² The snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and firepans, of pure gold; and for the temple entry, the inner doors for the Most Holy Place and the doors of the Holy Place were of gold.

5 Thus all the work that Solomon did for the house of the Lord was finished. He brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated, and the silver, the gold, and all the vessels he put in the treasuries of the house of God.

² Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chiefs of the fathers’ houses of the Israelites, to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the City of David, which is Zion.

³ All the men of Israel gathered to the king at the feast in the seventh month.

⁴ And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark.

⁵ And the priests and Levites brought up the ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent.

⁶ Also King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel who were gathered to him before the ark sacrificed sheep and oxen so numerous that they could not be counted or reported.

⁷ And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, to the sanctuary of the house, into the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim;

⁸ For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, making a covering above the ark and its poles.

⁹ And they drew out the poles of the ark, so that the ends of the poles protruding from the ark were visible from the front of the Holy of Holies, but were not visible from without. It is there to this day.

¹⁰ There was nothing in the ark except the two tables [the Ten Commandments] which Moses put in it at Mount Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.

¹¹ And when the priests had come out of the Holy Place—for all the priests present had sanctified themselves, separating themselves from everything that defiles, without regard to their divisions;

¹² And all the Levites who were singers—all of those of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, with their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, having cymbals, harps, and lyres—stood at the east end of the altar, and with them 120 priests blowing trumpets;

¹³ And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud,

¹⁴ So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

6 Then Solomon said, The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness;

² I have built You a house, [in which the dark Holy of Holies seems] a [fitting] abode for You, a place for You to dwell in forever.

³ And the king turned his face and blessed all the assembly of Israel, and they all stood.

⁴ And he said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has fulfilled with His hands what He promised with His mouth to David my father, saying,

⁵ Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that My Name might be there, ^[g]neither chose I any man to be a ruler over My people Israel;

⁶ But I have chosen Jerusalem, that My Name [and the symbol of My presence] might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.

⁷ Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the Name and renown of the Lord, the God of Israel.

⁸ But the Lord said to David my father, Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name and renown, you did well that it was in your heart.

⁹ Yet you shall not build the house, but your son, who shall be born to you—he shall build the house for My Name.

¹⁰ The Lord therefore has performed His word that He has spoken, for I have risen up in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

¹¹ In it have I put the ark [the symbol of His presence], in which is the covenant of the Lord [the Ten Commandments] which He made with the people of Israel.

¹² And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread forth his hands.

¹³ For he had made a bronze scaffold, five cubits square and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; upon it he stood, and he knelt upon his knees before all the assembly of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

¹⁴ And said, O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in the heavens or in the earth, keeping covenant and showing mercy and loving-kindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts,

¹⁵ You Who have kept Your promises to my father David and fulfilled with Your hand what You spoke with Your mouth, as it is today.

¹⁶ Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You promised him, saying, There shall not fail a man in My sight to sit on the throne of Israel, provided your children are careful to walk in My law as you, David, have walked before Me.

¹⁷ Now then, O Lord, God of Israel, let Your word to Your servant David be verified.

¹⁸ But will God actually dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!

¹⁹ Yet have respect for the prayer of Your servant and for his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant prays before You,

²⁰ That Your eyes may be open upon this house day and night, toward the place in which You have said You would put Your Name [and the symbol of your presence], to listen to and heed the prayer which Your servant prays facing this place.

²¹ So listen to and heed the requests of Your servant and Your people Israel which they shall make facing this place. Hear from Your dwelling place, heaven; and when You hear, forgive.

²² If a man sins against his neighbor, and he is required to take an oath, and the oath comes before Your altar in this house,

²³ Then hear from heaven and do; and judge Your servants, requiting the wicked by bringing his conduct upon his own head, and justifying the [uncompromisingly] righteous by giving him according to his righteousness (his uprightness and right standing with God).

²⁴ If Your people Israel have been defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against You, and shall return, confess Your name [and You Yourself], and pray and make supplication before You in this house,

²⁵ Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel and bring them again to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.

²⁶ When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, yet if they pray toward this place, confess your name [and You Yourself], and turn from their sin when You afflict them,

²⁷ Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, [all of] Your people Israel, when You have taught them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain upon Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

²⁸ If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locusts, or caterpillars, if their enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever plague or sickness there may be,

²⁹ Then whatever prayer or supplication any man or all of Your people Israel shall make—each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house—

³⁰ Then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; for You, You only, know men’s hearts,

³¹ That they may fear You and walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

³² Also concerning the stranger who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your mighty power and Your outstretched arm—if he comes and prays toward this house,

³³ Hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do all for which the stranger calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You [reverently and worshipfully], as do Your people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by Your Name.

³⁴ If Your people go out to war against their enemies by the way that You send them, and they pray to You facing this city [Jerusalem] which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your Name,

³⁵ Then hear from heaven their prayer and supplication, and maintain their cause.

³⁶ If they sin against You—for there is no man who does not sin—and You are angry with them and give them to enemies who take them captive to a land far or near;

³⁷ Yet if they repent in the land to which they have been carried captive, and turn and pray there, saying, We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have dealt wickedly;

³⁸ If they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity, and pray facing their land which You gave to their fathers and toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your Name;

³⁹ Then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and supplications, and maintain their cause; and forgive Your people, who have sinned against You.

⁴⁰ Now, O my God, I beseech You, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this temple.

⁴¹ So now arise, O Lord God, and come into Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength and power. Let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints (Your zealous ones) rejoice in good and in Your goodness.

⁴² O Lord God, ^[h]turn not away the face of [me] Your anointed one; [earnestly] remember Your good deeds, mercy, and steadfast love for David Your servant.

7 When Solomon had finished praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

² The priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.

³ And when all the people of Israel saw how the fire came down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed with their faces upon the pavement and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

⁴ Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord.

⁵ King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated God’s house.

⁶ The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites also, with instruments of music to the Lord, which King David had made to praise and give thanks to the Lord—for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever—whenever David praised through their ministry; the priests blew trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

⁷ Moreover, Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which [he] had made was not sufficient to receive the burnt offerings, the cereal offerings, and the fat.

⁸ At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt.

⁹ The eighth day they made a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication of the altar and the feast, each for seven days.

¹⁰ And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their homes, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shown to David, to Solomon, and to Israel His people.