1 Chronicles 22

1 Then David said, “Here, [at the edge of Jerusalem, ] is where [we will build] the temple for our God Yahweh, and where [we will make] the altar for burning the offerings that the Israeli [people will bring].”

Then David said, “This is where the house of Yahweh God will be, with the altar for the burnt offerings of Israel.”

2 So David commanded that the foreigners who lived in Israel must gather together. [When they did that, ] he appointed [some of those] men to [cut huge] stones [from the quarries] and to smooth their surfaces, to be used to build the temple of God.

So David ordered his servants to gather together the foreigners living in the land of Israel. He assigned them to be stonecutters, to cut stone blocks, in order to build God's house.

3 David provided a large amount of iron for making nails and hinges for the doors in the gates of the temple. He also provided so much bronze [for making the altar and various utensils], that no one could weigh it all.

David supplied a large amount of iron for the nails for the doors to go in the gateways, and for braces. He also supplied more bronze than could be weighed,

4 He also provided [money for buying] a large amount of cedar logs. Because there was a huge number of them, no one was able to count them. Those were logs that men from Tyre and Sidon [cities] sent to David.

and more cedar trees than could be counted. (The Sidonians and the Tyrians brought too many cedar logs to David to count.)

5 David [provided all those things because he] thought, “My son Solomon is still young and he does not know what he needs to know [about building], and the temple of Yahweh must be (magnificent/very beautiful). It must be a glorious building that will become famous, and people throughout the world must consider it to be glorious/splendid. So now I will begin to prepare for it to be built, [and Solomon will be responsible for building it].” So David collected a great amount of building materials before he died.

David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be especially magnificent, so that it will be famous and glorious in all other lands. So I will prepare for its building.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.

6 [When] David [was old, he] summoned his son Solomon, and told him that he should arrange for a temple to be built for Yahweh, the God whom the Israelis [worshiped].

Then he called for Solomon his son and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel.

7 He said to him, “I wanted [IDM] to build a temple to honor [MTY] Yahweh, my God.

David said to Solomon, “My son, it was my intention to build a house myself, for the name of Yahweh my God.

8 But Yahweh told [a prophet to tell] me, ‘You have killed many men [MTY] in the battles that you have fought. I have seen the blood of all the people whom you killed, so you will not be the one who will arrange for a temple to be built to honor me [MTY].

But Yahweh came to me and said, 'You have shed much blood and have fought many battles. You will not build a house for my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

9 But you will have a son [who will be king of Israel after you die]. He will be a man who is peaceful and quiet, [not a man who kills others]. And I will cause that there will be peace between him and his enemies who are in all the nearby lands. His name will be Solomon, [which sounds like the word for peace]. During the time that he is king, people in Israel will be peaceful and safe.

However, you will have a son who will be a peaceful man. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

10 He is the one who will arrange for a temple to be built to honor me [MTY]. He will be [like] a son to me, and I will cause some of his descendants to rule [MTY] over Israel forever [HYP].’

He will build a house for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

11 “So now, my son, I hope/wish that Yahweh will help you, and enable you to be successful in arranging for building the temple of Yahweh, your God, which is what he said that you would do.

Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and enable you to succeed. May you build the house of Yahweh your God, as he said you would.

12 I also hope/wish that he will enable you to be wise and to understand what you need to know, and enable you to obey his laws while you rule over Israel.

Only may Yahweh give you insight and understanding, so that you may obey the law of Yahweh your God, when he places you in charge over Israel.

13 If you carefully obey all the laws and regulations/commands that Yahweh gave to Moses to give to us Israeli people, you will be successful. So be steadfast/strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of anything, and do not become discouraged!

Then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the statutes and the decrees that Yahweh gave to Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be discouraged.

14 “I have tried hard to provide [materials] for [building] the temple of Yahweh. I have provided nearly 4,000 tons of gold, and nearly 40,000 tons of silver. I have also provided a very large amount of iron and bronze; no one has been able to weigh it all. I have also gathered/provided lumber and stone [for the walls of the temple], but you may need to get some more of those things.

Now, see, at great effort I have prepared for Yahweh's house 100,000 talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron in large quantities. I have also provided timber and stone. You must add more to all this.

15 There are many men [in Israel] who have good ability to cut big stones for making stone walls, and carpenters, and men who are very skilled at making various kinds of things.

You have many workmen with you: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and skillful craftsmen without number of every kind,

16 There are many men who know how to make things from gold and silver and bronze and iron. So now [I say to you], begin the work [of building the temple], and I hope/wish that Yahweh will help/be with you.”

who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and begin the work, and may Yahweh be with you.”

17 Then David commanded that all the Israeli leaders must assist Solomon. He said to them,

David also ordered all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

18 “Yahweh our God is certainly with/helping you [RHQ]. He has allowed you to have peace with all the nearby nations [RHQ]. He has enabled my [army] to conquer [IDM] them, so now Yahweh and my people control them.

“Yahweh your God is with you and has given you peace on every side. He has given the region's inhabitants into my hand. The region is subdued before Yahweh and his people.

19 Now you must obey Yahweh completely. Help Solomon to arrange for building the temple for Yahweh God, in order that you can bring the Sacred Chest that contains the Ten Commandments and the other sacred items that belong to God into the temple that you will build to honor Yahweh.”

Now seek Yahweh your God with all your heart and your soul. Get up and build the holy place of Yahweh God. Then you can bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the things that belong to God into the house built for Yahweh's name.”