Bible in 90 Days
David Organizes the Priests
24 The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows:
The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father did; they had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
3 David, Zadok (a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech (a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities.[a] 4 The descendants of Eleazar had more leaders than the descendants of Ithamar, so they divided them up accordingly; the descendants of Eleazar had sixteen leaders, while the descendants of Ithamar had eight.[b] 5 They divided them by lots, for there were officials of the Holy Place and officials designated by God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.[c] 6 The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote down their names before the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the priestly and Levite families. One family was drawn by lot from Eleazar, and then the next from Ithamar.[d]
7 The first lot went to Jehoiarib,
the second to Jedaiah,
8 the third to Harim,
the fourth to Seorim,
9 the fifth to Malkijah,
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 Jeshebeab,
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 Jakin,
the twenty-second to Gamul,
18 the twenty-third to Delaiah,
the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
19 This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor[e] Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him.[f]
Remaining Levites
20 The rest of the Levites included:[g]
Shubael[h] from the sons of Amram,
Jehdeiah from the sons of Shubael,
21 the firstborn Isshiah from Rehabiah and the sons of Rehabiah,
22 Shelomoth from the Izharites,
Jahath from the sons of Shelomoth.
23 The sons of Hebron:[i] Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
24 The son[j] of Uzziel: Micah;
Shamir from the sons of Micah.
25 The brother of Micah: Isshiah.
Zechariah from the sons of Isshiah.
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.
The son of Jaaziah: Beno.[k]
27 The sons of Merari, from Jaaziah: Beno,[l] Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
29 From Kish: Jerahmeel.[m]
30 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the Levites, listed by their families.
31 Like their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, they also cast lots before King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, the leaders of families, the priests, and the Levites. The families of the oldest son cast lots along with those of the youngest.[n]
David Organizes the Musicians
25 David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals.[o] The following men were assigned this responsibility:[p]
2 From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.[q]
3 From the sons of Jeduthun:[r] Gedaliah, Zeri,[s] Jeshaiah,[t] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all,[u] under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.
4 From the sons of Heman:[v] 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 prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious.[w] God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the supervision of their fathers; they were musicians in the Lord’s temple, playing cymbals and stringed instruments as they served in God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the supervision of the king. 7 They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord, numbered 288.[x]
8 They cast lots to determine their responsibilities—oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student.[y]
9 The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph and his relatives and sons—twelve in all,[z]
the second to Gedaliah and his relatives and sons—twelve in all,
10 the third to Zaccur and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
11 the fourth to Izri[aa] and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
12 the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
13 the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
14 the seventh to Jesharelah[ab] and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
16 the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
17 the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
18 the eleventh to Azarel[ac] and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
20 the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
23 the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
25 the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
26 the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
27 the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
28 the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
29 the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,
31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives—twelve in all.
Divisions of Gatekeepers
26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:
From the Korahites: Meshelemiah, son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
2 Meshelemiah’s sons:
The firstborn Zechariah, the second Jediael, the third Zebadiah, the fourth Jathniel, 3 the fifth Elam, the sixth Jehohanan, and the seventh Elihoenai.
4 Obed-Edom’s sons:
The firstborn Shemaiah, the second Jehozabad, the third Joah, the fourth Sakar, the fifth Nethanel, 5 the sixth Ammiel, the seventh Issachar, and the eighth Peullethai. (Indeed, God blessed Obed-Edom.[ad])
6 His son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders of their families, for they were highly respected. 7 The sons of Shemaiah:
Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. His relatives[ae] Elihu and Semakiah were also respected.
8 All these were the descendants of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were respected men, capable of doing their responsibilities. There were sixty-two of them related to Obed-Edom.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives who were respected—eighteen in all.
10 Hosah, one of the descendants of Merari, had sons:
The firstborn Shimri (he was not actually the firstborn, but his father gave him that status), 11 the second Hilkiah, the third Tebaliah, and the fourth Zechariah. All Hosah’s sons and relatives numbered thirteen.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had assigned responsibilities, like their relatives, as they served in the Lord’s temple.
13 They cast lots, both young and old, according to their families, to determine which gate they would be responsible for.[af] 14 The lot for the east gate went to Shelemiah.[ag] They then cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise adviser, and the lot for the north gate went to him. 15 Obed-Edom was assigned the south gate, and his sons were assigned the storehouses. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate, along with the Shalleketh gate on the upper road. One guard was adjacent to another.[ah] 17 Each day there were six Levites posted on the east, four on the north, and four on the south. At the storehouses they were posted in pairs. 18 At the court on the west there were four posted on the road and two at the court. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.
Supervisors of the Storehouses
20 Their fellow Levites were[ai] in charge of the storehouses[aj] in God’s temple and the storehouses containing consecrated items. 21 The descendants of Ladan,[ak] who were descended from Gershon through Ladan and were leaders of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, included Jehieli[al] 22 and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the storehouses in the Lord’s temple.
23 As for the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites:
24 Shebuel[am] son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was the supervisor of the storehouses. 25 His relatives through Eliezer included: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son, and Shelomith[an] his son. 26 Shelomith[ao] and his relatives were in charge of all the storehouses containing the consecrated items dedicated by King David, the family leaders who led units of a thousand and a hundred, and the army officers. 27 They had dedicated some of the plunder taken in battles to be used for repairs on the Lord’s temple. 28 They were also in charge of everything dedicated by Samuel the prophet,[ap] Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah; Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of everything that had been dedicated.
29 As for the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were given responsibilities outside the temple[aq] as officers and judges over Israel.
30 As for the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 respected men, were assigned responsibilities in Israel west of the Jordan; they did the Lord’s work and the king’s service.
31 As for the Hebronites: Jeriah was the leader of the Hebronites according to the genealogical records. In the fortieth year of David’s reign, they examined the records and discovered[ar] there were highly respected men in Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jeriah had 2,700 relatives who were respected family leaders.[as] King David placed them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh; they took care of all matters pertaining to God and the king.[at]
Leaders of the Army
27 What follows is a list of Israelite family leaders and commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, as well as their officers who served the king in various matters. Each division was assigned to serve for one month during the year; each consisted of 24,000 troops.[au]
2 Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division, which was assigned the first month. His division consisted of 24,000 troops. 3 He was a descendant of Perez; he was in charge of all the army officers for the first month.
4 Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division assigned the second month; Mikloth was the next in rank.[av] His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
5 The third army commander, assigned the third month, was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. He was the leader of his division, which consisted of 24,000 troops. 6 Benaiah was the leader of the thirty warriors and his division; his son was Ammizabad.[aw]
7 The fourth, assigned the fourth month, was Asahel, brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah succeeded him.[ax] His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
8 The fifth, assigned the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
9 The sixth, assigned the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
10 The seventh, assigned the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
11 The eighth, assigned the eighth month, was Sibbekai the Hushathite, a Zerahite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
12 The ninth, assigned the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
13 The tenth, assigned the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
14 The eleventh, assigned the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
15 The twelfth, assigned the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, a descendant of Othniel. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.
16 The officers of the Israelite tribes:
Eliezer son of Zikri was the leader of the Reubenites,
Shephatiah son of Maacah led the Simeonites,
17 Hashabiah son of Kemuel led the Levites,
Zadok led the descendants of Aaron,
18 Elihu, a brother of David, led Judah,
Omri son of Michael led Issachar,
19 Ishmaiah son of Obadiah led Zebulun,
Jerimoth son of Azriel led Naphtali,
20 Hoshea son of Azaziah led the Ephraimites,
Joel son of Pedaiah led the half-tribe of Manasseh,
21 Iddo son of Zechariah led the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead,
Jaasiel son of Abner led Benjamin,
22 Azarel son of Jeroham led Dan.
These were the commanders of the Israelite tribes.
23 David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah started to count the men but did not finish. God was angry with Israel[ay] because of this, so the number was not recorded in the scroll[az] called The Annals of King David.
Royal Officials
25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the king’s storehouses;
Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the field, in the cities, in the towns, and in the towers.
26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the field workers who farmed the land.[ba]
27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards;
Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the wine stored in the vineyards.[bb]
28 Baal Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the foothills;[bc]
Joash was in charge of the storehouses of olive oil.
29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the cattle grazing in Sharon;
Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the cattle in the valleys.
30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels;
Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.
31 Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the sheep.
All these were the officials in charge of King David’s property.
32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a wise adviser and scribe;[bd]
Jehiel son of Hacmoni cared for[be] the king’s sons.
33 Ahithophel was the king’s adviser;
Hushai the Arkite was the king’s confidant.[bf]
34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.
Joab was the commanding general of the king’s army.
David Commissions Solomon to Build the Temple
28 David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them.
2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord’s covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God.[bg] I have made the preparations for building it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me,[bh] for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’ 4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty.[bi] Indeed,[bj] he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel.[bk] 5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel.[bl] 6 He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.’[bm] 8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord’s assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this:[bn] Carefully observe[bo] all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you.
9 “And you, Solomon my son, obey[bp] the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit,[bq] for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him,[br] but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. 10 Realize[bs] now that the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!”
11 David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch,[bt] its buildings, its treasuries,[bu] its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room[bv] for atonement. 12 He gave him[bw] the blueprints of all he envisioned[bx] for the courts of the Lord’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items.
13 He gave him the regulations[by] for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the Lord’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the Lord’s temple.
14 He gave him[bz] the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the Lord’s temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service,[ca] 15 for the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, for the silver lampstands, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 16 for the gold used in the display tables, including the amount to be used in each table, for the silver to be used in the silver tables, 17 for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls, and jars, for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including the weight for each bowl, 18 and for the refined gold of the incense altar.
He gave him[cb] the blueprint for the seat[cc] of the gold cherubim that spread their wings[cd] and provide shelter for the ark of the Lord’s covenant.
19 David said,[ce] “All this I put in writing as the Lord directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints.”[cf]
20 David said to his son Solomon: “Be strong and brave! Do it! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![cg] For the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you or abandon you before all the work for the service of the Lord’s temple is finished. 21 Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites who will perform all the service of God’s temple. All the willing and skilled men are ready to assist you in all the work and perform their service.[ch] The officials and all the people are ready to follow your instructions.”[ci]
The People Contribute to the Project
29 King David said to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is just an inexperienced young man,[cj] and the task is great, for this palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. 2 So I have made every effort[ck] to provide what is needed for the temple of my God, including the gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood,[cl] as well as a large amount of onyx, settings of antimony and other stones, all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster. 3 Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple. 4 This includes 3,000 talents[cm] of gold from Ophir and 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, 5 for gold and silver items, and for all the work of the craftsmen. Who else wants to contribute to the Lord today?”
6 The leaders of the families, the leaders of the Israelite tribes, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, and the supervisors of the king’s work contributed willingly. 7 They donated for the service of God’s temple 5,000 talents[cn] and 10,000 darics[co] of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron. 8 All who possessed precious[cp] stones donated them to the treasury of the Lord’s temple, which was under the supervision of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people were delighted with their donations, for they contributed to the Lord with a willing attitude;[cq] King David was also very happy.[cr]
David Praises the Lord
10 David praised the Lord before the entire assembly:[cs]
“O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore! 11 O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign[ct] over all the sky and earth! You, Lord, have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler[cu] of all. 12 You are the source of wealth and honor;[cv] you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and give strength to all.[cw] 13 Now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name!
14 “But who am I and who are my people, that we should be in a position to contribute this much?[cx] Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours.[cy] 15 For we are resident foreigners and temporary settlers[cz] in your presence, as all our ancestors were;[da] our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security.[db] 16 O Lord our God, all this wealth, which we have collected to build a temple for you to honor your holy name, comes from you; it all belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you examine thoughts[dc] and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives[dd] I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you. 18 O Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, always maintain these motives of your people and keep them devoted to you.[de] 19 Make my son Solomon willing to obey your commands, rules, and regulations, and to complete building the palace for which I have made preparations.”[df]
20 David told the entire assembly: “Praise the Lord your God!” So the entire assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors; they bowed down and stretched out flat on the ground before the Lord and the king.
David Designates Solomon King
21 The next day they made sacrifices and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord (1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, 1,000 lambs), along with their accompanying drink offerings and many other sacrifices for all Israel. 22 They held a feast[dg] before the Lord that day and celebrated.[dh]
Then they designated Solomon, David’s son, as king a second time;[di] before the Lord they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest. 23 Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him.[dj] 24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.[dk] 25 The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him.[dl]
David’s Reign Comes to an End
26 David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 He reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 28 He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor.[dm] His son Solomon succeeded him. 29 King David’s accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Samuel the prophet, the Annals of Nathan the prophet, and the Annals of Gad the prophet.[dn] 30 Recorded there are all the facts about his reign and accomplishments, and an account of the events that involved him, Israel, and all the neighboring kingdoms.[do]
The Lord Gives Solomon Wisdom
1 Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority,[dp] for[dq] the Lord his God was with him and magnified him greatly.
2 Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families. 3 Solomon and the entire assembly went to the worship center[dr] in Gibeon, for the tent where they met God[ds] was located there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 4 (Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the Lord’s tabernacle.[dt] Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him[du] there.) 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord which was at the meeting tent, and he offered up 1,000 burnt sacrifices.
7 That night God appeared[dv] to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me[dw] what I should give you.” 8 Solomon replied to God, “You demonstrated[dx] great loyalty to my father David and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, may your promise[dy] to my father David be realized,[dz] for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Now give me wisdom and discernment so[ea] I can effectively lead this nation.[eb] Otherwise[ec] no one is able[ed] to make judicial decisions for[ee] this great nation of yours.”[ef]
11 God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this,[eg] and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies,[eh] and because you did not ask for long life,[ei] but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king, 12 you are granted wisdom and discernment.[ej] Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you.”[ek]
13 Solomon left the meeting tent at the worship center in Gibeon and went to Jerusalem, where he reigned over Israel.[el]
Solomon’s Wealth
14 Solomon accumulated[em] chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses . He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.[en] 15 The king made silver and gold as plentiful[eo] in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was[ep] as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the foothills.[eq] 16 Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt[er] and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que. 17 They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria.[es]
Solomon Gathers Building Materials for the Temple
2 (1:18)[et] Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.[eu] 2 (2:1) Solomon had[ev] 70,000 common laborers[ew] and 80,000 stonecutters[ex] in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors.[ey]
3 Solomon sent a message to King Huram[ez] of Tyre: “Help me[fa] as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs[fb] for the construction of his palace.[fc] 4 Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor[fd] the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed,[fe] and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis.[ff] 5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky[fg] and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him.[fh]
7 “Now send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple-, crimson-, and blue-colored fabrics, and who knows how to engrave. He will work with my skilled craftsmen here in Jerusalem and Judah, whom my father David provided. 8 Send me cedars, evergreens, and algum[fi] trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adept[fj] at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants 9 to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple. 10 Look, I will pay your servants who cut the timber 20,000 cors[fk] of ground wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 120,000 gallons[fl] of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
11 King Huram[fm] of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.” 12 Huram also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given King David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.[fn] 13 Now I am sending you Huram Abi,[fo] a skilled and capable man, 14 whose mother is a Danite and whose father is a Tyrian.[fp] He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stones, and wood, as well as purple, blue, white, and crimson fabrics. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and understands any design given to him. He will work with your skilled craftsmen and the skilled craftsmen of my lord David your father. 15 Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he has promised; 16 we will get all the timber you need from Lebanon[fq] and bring it[fr] in raft-like bundles[fs] by sea to Joppa. You can then haul it on up to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon took a census of[ft] all the male resident foreigners[fu] in the land of Israel, after the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 in all. 18 He designated[fv] 70,000 as common laborers,[fw] 80,000 as stonecutters[fx] in the hills, and 3,600 as supervisors to make sure the people completed the work.[fy]
The Building of the Temple
3 Solomon began building the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord[fz] had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan[ga] the Jebusite. 2 He began building on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign.[gb]
3 Solomon laid the foundation for God’s temple;[gc] its length (determined according to the old standard of measure) was 90 feet, and its width 30 feet.[gd] 4 The porch in front of the main hall was 30 feet long, corresponding to the width of the temple,[ge] and its height was 30 feet.[gf] He plated the inside with pure gold. 5 He paneled[gg] the main hall[gh] with boards made from evergreen trees[gi] and plated it with fine gold, decorated with palm trees and chains.[gj] 6 He decorated the temple with precious stones; the gold he used came from Parvaim.[gk] 7 He overlaid the temple’s rafters, thresholds, walls and doors with gold; he carved decorative cherubim on the walls.
8 He made the Most Holy Place;[gl] its length was 30 feet,[gm] corresponding to the width of the temple, and its width 30 feet.[gn] He plated it with 600 talents[go] of fine gold. 9 The gold nails weighed 50 shekels; he also plated the upper areas with gold. 10 In the Most Holy Place he made two images of cherubim and plated them with gold. 11 The combined wing span of the cherubim was 30 feet.[gp] One of the first cherub’s wings was 7½ long and touched one wall of the temple; its other wing was also 7½ long and touched one of the second cherub’s wings.[gq] 12 Likewise one of the second cherub’s wings was 7½ long and touched the other wall of the temple; its other wing was also 7½ long and touched one of the first cherub’s wings.[gr] 13 The combined wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet.[gs] They stood upright, facing inward.[gt] 14 He made the curtain out of blue, purple, crimson, and white fabrics, and embroidered on it decorative cherubim.
15 In front of the temple he made two pillars which had a combined length[gu] of 52½ feet,[gv] with each having a plated capital 7½ high.[gw] 16 He made ornamental chains[gx] and put them on top of the pillars. He also made 100 pomegranate-shaped ornaments and arranged them within the chains. 17 He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right side and the other on the left.[gy] He named the one on the right Yakin,[gz] and the one on the left Boaz.[ha]
4 He made a bronze altar, 30 feet[hb] long, 30 feet[hc] wide, and 15 feet[hd] high. 2 He also made the big bronze basin called “The Sea.”[he] It measured 15 feet[hf] from rim to rim, was circular in shape, and stood 7½[hg] high. Its circumference was 45 feet.[hh] 3 Images of bulls were under it all the way around, ten every 18 inches[hi] all the way around. The bulls were in two rows and had been cast with “The Sea.”[hj] 4 “The Sea” stood on top of twelve bulls. Three faced northward, three westward, three southward, and three eastward. “The Sea” was placed on top of them, and they all faced outward.[hk] 5 It was four fingers thick, and its rim was like that of a cup shaped like a lily blossom. It could hold 18,000 gallons.[hl] 6 He made ten washing basins; he put five on the south side and five on the north side. In them they rinsed the items used for burnt sacrifices; the priests washed in “The Sea.”
7 He made ten gold lampstands according to specifications and put them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. 8 He made ten tables and set them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. He also made 100 gold bowls. 9 He made the courtyard of the priests and the large enclosure and its doors;[hm] he plated their doors with bronze. 10 He put “The Sea” on the south side, in the southeast corner.
11 Huram Abi[hn] made the pots, shovels, and bowls. He finished all the work on God’s temple he had been assigned by King Solomon.[ho] 12 He made[hp] the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped tops of the pillars, the latticework for the bowl-shaped tops of the two pillars, 13 the 400 pomegranate-shaped ornaments for the latticework of the two pillars (each latticework had two rows of these ornaments at the bowl-shaped top of the pillar), 14 the ten[hq] movable stands with their ten[hr] basins, 15 the big bronze basin called “The Sea” with its twelve bulls underneath, 16 and the pots, shovels, and meat forks.[hs] All the items King Solomon assigned Huram Abi to make for the Lord’s temple[ht] were made from polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in earth foundries[hu] in the region of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 18 Solomon made so many of these items they did not weigh the bronze.[hv]
19 Solomon also made these items for God’s temple: the gold altar, the tables on which the Bread of the Presence[hw] was kept, 20 the pure gold lampstands and their lamps which burned as specified at the entrance to the inner sanctuary, 21 the pure gold flower-shaped ornaments, lamps, and tongs, 22 the pure gold trimming shears, basins, pans, and censers, and the gold door sockets for the inner sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple. 5 1 When Solomon had finished constructing the Lord’s temple, he put the holy items that belonged to his father David (the silver, gold, and all the other articles) in the treasuries of God’s temple.
Solomon Moves the Ark into the Temple
2 Then Solomon convened Israel’s elders—all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families—in Jerusalem, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David[hx] (that is, Zion).[hy] 3 All the men of Israel assembled before the king during the festival[hz] in the seventh month.[ia] 4 When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the Levites lifted the ark. 5 The priests and Levites carried the ark, the tent where God appeared to his people,[ib] and all the holy items in the tent.[ic] 6 Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.[id]
7 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its assigned[ie] place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the Most Holy Place under the wings of the cherubim. 8 The cherubim’s wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.[if] 9 The poles were so long their ends extending out from the ark were visible from in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point.[ig] They have remained there to this very day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb.[ih] (It was there that[ii] the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.)
11 The priests left the Holy Place.[ij] All the priests who participated had consecrated themselves, no matter which division they represented.[ik] 12 All the Levites who were musicians, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives, wore linen. They played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. They were accompanied by 120 priests who blew trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and musicians played together, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they loudly praised the Lord, singing:[il] “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!” Then a cloud filled the Lord’s temple.[im] 14 The priests could not carry out their duties[in] because of the cloud; the Lord’s splendor filled God’s temple.
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 2 O Lord,[io] I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 3 Then the king turned around[ip] and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.[iq] 4 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled[ir] what he promised[is] my father David. 5 He told David,[it] ‘Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live.[iu] Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live,[iv] and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’ 7 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.[iw] 8 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.[ix] 9 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’[iy] 10 The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel 11 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”
12 He stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was 7½[iz] long, 7½[ja] wide, and 4½ feet[jb] high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky, 14 and prayed:[jc] “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty[jd] to your servants who obey you with sincerity.[je] 15 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David;[jf] this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.[jg] 16 Now, O Lord God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel,[jh] provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.’[ji] 17 Now, O Lord God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant David be realized.[jj]
18 “God does not really live with humankind on the earth![jk] Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built! 19 But respond favorably to[jl] your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer[jm] the desperate prayer[jn] your servant is presenting to you.[jo] 20 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live.[jp] May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place.[jq] 21 Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place.[jr] Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive.[js]
22 “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple,[jt] 23 listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.[ju]
24 “If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy[jv] because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you,[jw] and pray for your help[jx] before you in this temple, 25 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.[jy]
26 “The time will come when[jz] the skies[ka] are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people[kb] sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,[kc] and turn away from their sin because you punish[kd] them, 27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly[ke] you will then teach them the right way to live[kf] and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.[kg]
28 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight, and disease, or a locust[kh] invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land,[ki] or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 29 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help,[kj] as they acknowledge their intense pain[kk] and spread out their hands toward this temple, 30 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin,[kl] and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of their motives.[km] (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.)[kn] 31 Then they will honor[ko] you by obeying you[kp] throughout their lifetimes as[kq] they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.
32 “Foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will come from a distant land because of your great reputation[kr] and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds;[ks] they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple. 33 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners.[kt] Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation,[ku] obey[kv] you as your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.[kw]
34 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies,[kx] and they direct their prayers to you toward this chosen city and this temple I built for your honor,[ky] 35 then listen from heaven to their prayers for help[kz] and vindicate them.[la]
36 “The time will come when your people[lb] will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry at them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their land, whether far away or close by. 37 When your people[lc] come to their senses[ld] in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray,[le] we have done evil!’ 38 When they return to you with all their heart and being[lf] in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,[lg] 39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help,[lh] vindicate them,[li] and forgive your sinful people.
40 “Now, my God, may you be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.[lj] 41 Now ascend, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests, O Lord God, experience your deliverance.[lk] May your loyal followers rejoice in the prosperity you give.[ll] 42 O Lord God, do not reject your chosen ones![lm] Remember the faithful promises you made to your servant David!”
Solomon Dedicates the Temple
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven[ln] and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the Lord’s splendor filled the temple. 2 The priests were unable to enter the Lord’s temple because the Lord’s splendor filled the Lord’s temple. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,[lo] “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”
4 The king and all the people were presenting sacrifices to the Lord. 5 King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple. 6 The priests stood in their assigned spots, along with the Levites who had the musical instruments used for praising the Lord.[lp] (These were the ones King David made for giving thanks to the Lord and which were used by David when he offered praise, saying, “Certainly his loyal love endures.”)[lq] Opposite the Levites,[lr] the priests were blowing the trumpets, while all Israel stood there. 7 Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered burnt sacrifices, grain offerings,[ls] and the fat from the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar that Solomon had made was too small to hold all these offerings.[lt] 8 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Stream of Egypt in the south.[lu] 9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had dedicated the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for seven more days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon[lv] sent the people home. They left[lw] happy and contented[lx] because of the good the Lord had done for David, Solomon, and his people Israel.
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