David Commissions Solomon 1 UDB David summoned all the leaders of Israel to come to Jerusalem. He summoned the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the groups that worked for the king, the commanders of one hundred soldiers, the commanders of one thousand soldiers, those who were in charge of the king's property and his livestock, those who taught his sons, all the palace officials, and his mighty soldiers and bravest warriors. BSB BSB: Now David summoned all the leaders of Israel to Jerusalem: the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions in the king’s service, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, along with the court officials and mighty men—every mighty man of valor.
2 UDB David stood up and said, "My fellow Israelites, listen to me. I wanted to build a temple to be a place where we would put the sacred chest containing Yahweh's covenant, where the sacred chest would stay permanently. And I made plans to build it. BSB BSB: Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build it,
3 UDB But God said to me, 'You are not the one who will arrange to build a temple, because you have fought battles and have killed people.' BSB BSB: but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a man of war who has shed blood.’
4 UDB But Yahweh, the God to whom we Israelites belong, had chosen me and my descendants to be the kings of Israel forever. First he chose Judah to be a leader, and from the people of Judah he chose me to be the king over all of Israel. BSB BSB: Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my father’s household, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
5 UDB Yahweh has given me many sons, but from them he chose my son Solomon to be the next king to rule his kingdom of Israel. BSB BSB: And of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
6 UDB He said to me, 'Solomon your son is the one who will arrange to build my temple and the courtyards around it, because I have chosen him to be like my son and I will be like his father. BSB BSB: And He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him as My son, and I will be his Father.
7 UDB I will enable his kingdom to endure forever if he continues to obey my laws and decrees as you are doing now.' BSB BSB: I will establish his kingdom forever, if he resolutely carries out My commandments and ordinances, as is being done this day.’
8 UDB So now, while all you people of Israel—all of you who belong to Yahweh—are watching, and while God is listening, I command all you people to carefully obey all the commands of Yahweh our God so that you may continue to possess this good land and enable your descendants to inherit it forever. BSB BSB: So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
9 UDB And you, my son Solomon, must know God as I know him, and you must serve him faithfully and because you want to. You must do that because he knows what everyone is thinking and he understands the reasons that people do what they do. If you seek to know him, he will heed your prayers. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you forever. BSB BSB: As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
10 UDB Yahweh has chosen you to arrange to build a temple for him. So think about what I have said, and be strong and do what he is wanting you to do." BSB BSB: Consider now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”
The Plans for the Temple 11 UDB Then David gave to his son Solomon the scroll on which were written the plans for the main rooms of the temple, its porch, its storerooms, all the other upper and lower rooms, the holy place, and the very holy place having the sacred chest and its lid. BSB BSB: Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat.
12 UDB David wrote for him the plans that he had made for building the courtyards and all the rooms that surrounded the temple, including the room where the money and other valuable things that were dedicated to God were kept. BSB BSB: The plans contained everything David had in mind for the courts of the house of the LORD, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God and of the dedicated things,
13 UDB He gave Solomon instructions for the work groups of priests and other descendants of Levi, about all the work that they must do to serve in Yahweh's temple, and about taking care of all the things that would be used in the work at the temple. BSB BSB: for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for all the work of service in the house of the LORD, and for all the articles of service in the house of the LORD:
14 UDB He wrote down how much gold and how much silver should be used to make all the items in the temple. BSB BSB: the weight of all the gold articles for every kind of service; the weight of all the silver articles for every kind of service;
15 UDB This was a list of how much gold would be needed for making the gold lampstands and the lamps and how much silver would be needed to make the silver lamps and lampstands. BSB BSB: the weight of the gold lampstands and their lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; the weight of each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;
16 UDB There was a list for how much gold would be needed for making the table on which the priests would put the bread to display before God, how much silver to make the other tables, BSB BSB: the weight of gold for each table of showbread, and of silver for the silver tables;
17 UDB how much pure gold for the meat forks and the bowls and the cups, how much gold for each gold dish, and how much silver for each silver dish. BSB BSB: the weight of the pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls, and pitchers; the weight of each gold dish; the weight of each silver bowl;
18 UDB There was a list for how much pure gold would be needed to make the altar for burning incense. He also gave to Solomon his plans for making the golden statues of winged creatures that would be above the sacred chest of Yahweh, like a chariot for him. BSB BSB: the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
19 UDB Then David said, "I have written all these plans while Yahweh was directing me. He has enabled me to understand all the details of his plan for the temple that is to be built." BSB BSB: “All this,” said David, “all the details of this plan, the LORD has made clear to me in writing by His hand upon me.”
20 UDB David also said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and do this work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, because Yahweh our God, whom I worship, will be with you. He will not fail to help you or abandon you until you finish all the work of making his temple. BSB BSB: David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.
21 UDB The groups of priests and other descendants of Levi are ready to begin their work at God's temple, and every man who has a special skill will help you in all the work. And my officials and the other people will obey you, whatever you command them to do." BSB BSB: The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man of every skill will be at your disposal for the work. The officials and all the people are fully at your command.”
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