¹ And David gathered to Jerusalem all the rulers of Israel, the rulers of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that ministered to the king by division, and the commanders over the thousands, and commanders over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the eunuchs and the mighty ones, even to every mighty one of valor.

² And David the king stood up on his feet and said, Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building.

³ But God said to me, You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.

⁴ But the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be the ruler, and of the house of Judah the house of my father. And in my father's house He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.

⁵ 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 And He said to me, Solomon your son shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father.

⁷ And I will establish his kingdom forever if he will always do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day.

⁸ And now in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your sons after you forever.

⁹ And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind. For the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you. But if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

¹⁰ Take heed now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.

¹¹ And David gave to his son Solomon the pattern of the porch, and of its houses, and of its treasuries, and of its upper rooms, and of its innermost rooms, and of the place of the mercy-seat,

¹² and the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the rooms all around the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the holy things;

¹³ And for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD;

¹⁴ even gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of every kind of service; silver for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels every kind of service;

¹⁵ and by weight for the lampstands of gold, and for their lamps of gold, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps. And he gave for the lampstands of silver by weight, for the lampstand and for its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;

¹⁶ and by weight gold for the tables of the showbread, for every table; silver for the tables of silver;

¹⁷ and pure gold for the flesh-hooks, and the bowls, and the cups; and for the golden basins by weight for each basin, and by weight for each basin of silver;

¹⁸ and the altar of incense refined gold by weight, and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubs, who spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

¹⁹ All was in writing from the hand of the LORD. He made me understand all the work of this pattern.

²⁰ And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it. Do not fear, nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, will be with you. He will not fail you nor leave you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

²¹ And, behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites are for all the service of the house of God. And there shall be with you every willing skillful man for every kind of workmanship, for any kind of service. Also the rulers and all the people will be according to all your words.