1. THEN DAVID said, Here shall be the house of the Lord God, and here the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
2. David commanded to gather together the strangers who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to hew out stones to build the house of God.
3. David prepared iron in abundance for nails for the doors of the gates and for the couplings, and bronze in abundance without weighing,
4. Also cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar timber to David.
5. David said, Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
6. Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.
7. David said to Solomon, My son, it was in my heart to build a house to the Name and [for the symbol of] the Presence of the Lord my God.
8. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.
9. Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon [peaceable], and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. [II Sam. 12:24, 25.]
10. He shall build a house for My Name and [the symbol of My] Presence. He shall be My son, and I will be his father; and I will establish his royal throne over Israel forever.
11. Now, my son, the Lord be with and prosper you in building the house of the Lord your God, as He has spoken concerning you.
12. Only may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding as you are put in charge of Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God.
13. Then you will prosper if you are careful to keep and fulfill the statutes and ordinances with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Dread not and fear not; be not dismayed.
14. In my affliction and trouble I have provided for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron without weighing. I have also provided timber and stone; you must add to them.
15. You have workmen in abundance: hewers, workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skillful in doing every kind of work
16. With gold, silver, bronze, and iron. So arise and be doing, and the Lord be with you!
17. David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
18. Is not the Lord your God with you? And has He not given you peace on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and His people.
19. Now set your mind and heart to seek (inquire of and require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into the house built to the Name and renown of the Lord.