1 Chronicles 28

1 And so David called together all the leaders of Israel, the rulers of the tribes, and those in charge of the companies, who were ministering to the king, and also the tribunes and centurions, and those in charge of the substance and possessions of the king, and his sons, with the eunuchs and the powerful and those most experienced in the army, at Jerusalem.

David assembled all the officials of Israel at Jerusalem: the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king in their scheduled work, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, the managers over all the property and possessions of the king and of his sons, and the officers and fighting men, including the most skilled of them.

2 And when the king had risen up and was standing, he said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I thought that I would build a house, in which the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the footstool of our God, might rest. And so I prepared everything for its building.

Then David the king rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was my intention to build a temple for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; a footstool for our God, and I have made preparations to build it.

3 But God said to me: ‘You shall not build a house to my name, because you are a man of war, and have shed blood.’

But God said to me, 'You will not build a temple for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'

4 Now the Lord God of Israel chose me, out of the entire house of my father, so that I would be king over Israel forever. For from Judah he chose leaders; then from the house of Judah he chose the house of my father; and from the sons of my father, it pleased him to choose me as king over all of Israel.

Yet Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all my father's family to be king over Israel forever. He has chosen the tribe of Judah as leader. In the tribe of Judah, and in my father's household, out of all my father's sons, he chose me to be king over all Israel.

5 Then too, among my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he chose Solomon my son, so that he would sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord, over Israel.

From the many sons whom Yahweh has given me, he chose Solomon, my son, to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh, 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 to me as a son, and I will be to him as a father.

He said to me, 'Solomon your son will build my house and my courtyards, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

7 And I will make firm his kingdom, even unto eternity, if he will persevere in doing my precepts and judgments, as also today.’

I will establish his kingdom forever, if he remains committed to obey my commandments and decrees, as you are this day.'

8 Now therefore, before the entire assembly of Israel, in the hearing of our God, keep and seek all the commandments of the Lord our God, so that you may possess the good land, and may bequeath it to your sons after you, even forever.

Now then, in the sight of all Israel, this assembly for Yahweh, and in the presence of our God, all of you must keep and try to carry out all the commandments of Yahweh your God. Do this so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your children after you forever.

9 And as for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts, and understands the thoughts of all minds. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will cast you aside for eternity.

As for you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father, and serve him with your whole heart and a willing spirit. Do this because Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every motivation of everyone's thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.

10 Now therefore, since the Lord has chosen you, so that you would build the house of the Sanctuary, be strengthened and accomplish it.”

Realize that Yahweh has chosen you to build this temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”

11 Then David gave to his son Solomon a description of the portico, and the temple, and the storerooms, and the upper floor, and the innermost rooms, and the house of propitiation,

Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the temple portico, the temple buildings, the storerooms, the upper rooms, the inner rooms, and the room with the atonement lid.

12 and indeed also of all the courts that he had planned, and the outer rooms on all sides, for the treasuries of the house of the Lord, and for the treasuries of the holy things,

He gave him the plans he had drawn for the courtyards of Yahweh's house, all the surrounding rooms, the storerooms in God's house, and the treasuries for the things that belong to Yahweh.

13 and for the divisions of the priests and the Levites: concerning all the works of the house of the Lord and all the items in the ministry of the temple of the Lord.

He gave him regulations for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for the assigned responsibilities for the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the objects for the service in Yahweh's house.

14 There was gold by weight for every vessel of the ministry, and also silver by weight for the diversity of vessels and equipment.

He determined the weight of all the gold vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service,

15 Then too, he distributed gold for the lampstands and their lamps, according to the measure of each of the lampstands with their lamps. Similarly also, he distributed silver by weight for the silver lampstands with their lamps, according to the diversity of their measure.

the weight of the gold for all the gold articles, to be lampstands and gold lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand, the weight of silver for each silver lampstand, according to the use of each lampstand in the service.

16 Also, he gave gold for the tables of the presence, according to the diversity of the tables; similarly too, he gave silver for the other tables of silver.

He gave the weight of the gold for the tables of the bread of the presence, for every table, and the weight of the silver for the silver tables.

17 Also, he distributed from the purest gold for the small hooks and the bowls and the censors, as well as for the little lions of gold, in accord with the precise measure of the weight, for lion after lion. Similarly too, for the lions of silver, he set aside a different weight of silver.

He gave the weight of pure gold for the meat forks, basins, and cups. He gave the weight for each of the gold bowls, and the weight of each of the silver bowls.

18 Then, for the altar on which the incense was burned, he gave the purest gold. And from the same he made the likeness of the chariot of the Cherubim, with extended wings, which is veiling the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

He gave the weight of refined gold for the incense altar, and of the gold for the design of the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.

19 “All these things,” he said, “came to me written by the hand of the Lord, so that I would understand all the works of the pattern.”

David said, “I have put all this in writing as Yahweh directed me and gave me to understand regarding the design.”

20 David also said to his son Solomon: “Act manfully, and be strengthened, and carry it out. You should not be afraid, and you should not be dismayed. For the Lord my God will be with you, and he will not send you away, nor will he abandon you, until you have perfected the entire work of the ministry of the house of the Lord.

David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and brave. Do the work. Do not be afraid or anxious, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you nor abandon you until all the work for the service of Yahweh's temple is finished.

21 Behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for every ministry of the house of the Lord, are standing before you. And they have been prepared, and so they know, both the leaders and the people, how to carry out all your precepts.”

See, here are the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the service in God's temple. They will be with you, together with all willing and skillful men, to assist you in the work and to perform the service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your commands.”