1David announced, ‘The house of the LORD God will be built here. Israel’s altar for burnt offerings will also be here.’
David makes plans for building the temple
2David gave orders to bring together the outsiders who were living in Israel. He appointed some of them to cut stones. He wanted them to prepare blocks of stone for building the house of God.3David provided a large amount of iron to make nails. They were for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings. He provided more bronze than anyone could weigh.4He also provided more cedar logs than anyone could count. The people of Sidon and Tyre brought large numbers of logs to David.5David said, ‘My son Solomon is young. He’s never done anything like this before. The house that will be built for the LORD should be very grand and wonderful. All the nations should consider it to be famous and beautiful. I’ll get things ready for it.’ So David got many things ready before he died.6Then he sent for his son Solomon. He told him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.7David said to Solomon, ‘My son, with all my heart I wanted to build a house for the LORD my God. That’s where his Name will be.8But a message from the LORD came to me. It said, “You have spilled the blood of many people. You have fought many wars. You are not the one who will build a house for my Name. That is because I have seen you spill the blood of many people on the earth.9But you are going to have a son. He will be a man of peace. And I will give him peace and rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon. I will give Israel peace and quiet while he is king.10He will build a house for my Name. He will be my son. And I will be his father. I will make his kingdom secure over Israel. It will last for ever.”11‘My son, may the LORD be with you. May you have success. May you build the house of the LORD your God, just as he said you would.12May the LORD give you good sense. May he give you understanding when he makes you king over Israel. Then you will keep the law of the LORD your God.13Be careful to obey the rules and laws the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Then you will have success. Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope.14‘I’ve tried very hard to provide for the LORD’s temple. I’ve provided 3,600 tonnes of gold and 36,000 tonnes of silver. I’ve provided more bronze and iron than anyone can weigh. I’ve also given plenty of wood and stone. You can add to it.15You have a lot of workers. You have people who can cut stones and people who can lay the stones. You have people who can work with wood. You also have people who are skilled in every other kind of work.16Some of them can work with gold and silver. Others can work with bronze and iron. There are more workers than anyone can count. So begin the work. May the LORD be with you.’17Then David ordered all Israel’s leaders to help his son Solomon.18He said to them, ‘The LORD your God is with you. He’s given you peace and rest on every side. He’s handed over to me the people who are living in the land. The land has been brought under the control of the LORD and his people.19So be committed to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. Start building the temple of the LORD God. Then bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD into it. Also bring in the sacred objects that belong to God. The temple will be built for the Name of the LORD.’
2David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. (1Ki 5:17; 1Ki 9:20; 2Ch 2:17)3David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, (1Ki 7:47; 1Ch 22:14)4and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. (1Ki 5:6)5For 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 provided materials in great quantity before his death. (1Ki 3:7; 1Ch 29:1; Pr 4:3)
Solomon Charged to Build the Temple
6Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.7David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. (2Sa 7:2; 1Ki 8:17; 1Ch 17:1; 1Ch 28:2; Ps 132:1)8But 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 so much blood before me on the earth. (1Ki 5:3; 1Ch 28:3)9Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. (2Sa 12:24; 1Ki 4:25; 1Ki 5:4; 1Ch 22:18)10He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’ (2Sa 7:13; 2Sa 7:14; 1Ch 28:6; Heb 1:5)11“Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. (1Sa 20:13; 1Ch 22:16)12Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. (1Ki 3:9; 1Ki 3:12; Ps 72:1)13Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. (De 31:6; Jos 1:6; Jos 1:9; 1Ch 28:7; 1Ch 28:20)14With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents[1] of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. (1Ch 22:3; 1Ch 29:4)15You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working16gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you!” (1Ch 22:11)17David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, (1Ch 28:1)18“Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not given you peace[2] on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. (De 12:10; Jos 21:44; Jos 23:1; 2Sa 7:1; 1Ch 22:9; 1Ch 23:25)19Now set your mind and heart to seek 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 a house built for the name of the Lord.” (1Ki 5:3; 1Ki 8:6; 1Ki 8:21; 1Ch 22:7; 2Ch 5:7; 2Ch 6:11; 2Ch 20:3)