1 Chronicles

Preparations for the Construction of the Temple

Then David said: “Here is where the temple of the Lord God will be; and this is where the people of Israel are to offer burnt offerings.”

David gave orders to gather all the strangers living in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare stone blocks for building the temple of God.

David furthermore stored up significant quantities of iron to make nails for the wooden gates and clamps and more bronze than could be weighed;

logs of cedar too, beyond number—the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought cedar logs to David in significant quantities.

Then David said:“My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the temple to be built for the Lord must be of great splendor and famous for its magnificence in every country. I will make preparations for him.” And so, before he died, David laid away large amounts of needed materials.

He then sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel: David said to Solomon:

“My son, my heart was set on building a temple for the name of the Lord my God.

But the Lord told me, ‘You have shed much blood and fought great battles; it is not for you to build a temple for my name since you have shed so much blood on the earth in my presence.

But now a son is born to you. He shall be a man of peace, and I will give him peace from all the enemies that surround him; for Solomon is his name, and in his days, I will give Israel peace.

He shall build a temple for my name. He shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. His dynasty will rule Israel forever.

Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success in building a temple for the Lord your God, as he has said concerning you.

Yet may he give you insight and wisdom so that you may govern Israel according to his law.

Success will be yours if you carefully observe the statutes and ordinances the Lord has prescribed to Moses for Israel. Be strong and stand firm, be fearless and confident.

Poor as I am, I have set aside for the temple of the Lord four thousand tons of gold, nearly forty thousand tons of silver, and more bronze and iron than can be weighed. I have also stored up wood and stone, which you will need to add more of.

You will have many workmen, stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and skilled artisans,

while your supply of gold, silver, bronze, and iron will be unlimited. Set to work, and may the Lord be with you!”

David then commanded all the Israelite leaders to help his son, Solomon:

“Is not the Lord your God with you? He has given you peace on all sides since he has let me conquer all the people who lived in this land, and the land has been subdued for the Lord and his people.

So now devote heart and soul to the search for the Lord your God. Begin to build the Sanctuary of the Lord your God, so that the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and the holy things of God may be brought to the temple built for the name of the Lord.”