7. I will make his kingdom secure. It will last forever. That will happen if he does not turn away from my commands and laws. He must continue to obey them, just as he is doing now.'
8. "So I'm giving you a command in the sight of all of the people of Israel. The Lord's community is watching. And our God is listening. I command you to be careful to follow all of the commands of the Lord your God. Then you will own this good land. You will pass it on to your children after you as their share forever.
9. "My son Solomon, always remember the God of your father. Serve him with all your heart. Do it with a mind that wants to obey him. The Lord looks deep down inside every heart. He understands the real reasons for everything you think. If you look to him, you will find him. But if you desert him, he will turn his back on you forever.
10. Think about it. The Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a holy place where he can live. So be strong. Get to work."
11. Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the porch of the temple. He gave him the plans for its buildings and its storerooms. He gave him the plans for its upper parts and its inside rooms. He gave him the plans for the place where sin is paid for and forgiven.
12. He gave him the plans for everything the Spirit of the Lord had put in his mind. There were plans for the courtyards of the Lord's temple. There were plans for all of the rooms that were around it. There were plans for the places where the treasure of God's temple would be kept. There were plans for the places where the things that were set apart for God would be kept.
13. David told Solomon how to separate the priests and Levites into groups. He gave him directions for all of the work they should do when they served in the Lord's temple. He also showed him how all of the articles should be used at the temple.