Contributions for Building the Temple

1Then King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon — God has chosen him alone — is young and inexperienced. The task is greata because the building will not be built for a human but for the Lord God.b 2So to the best of my ability I’ve made provision for the house of my God:a gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting,A antimony,B b stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble. 3Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the house of my God over and above all that I’ve provided for the holy house: 4100 tonsa a of gold (gold of Ophirb) and 250 tonsB of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, 5the gold for the gold work and the silver for the silver, for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the Lord today? ”

6Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds,a and the officials in charge of the king’s workb gave willingly. 7For the service of God’s house they gave 185 tonsA of gold and 10,000 gold coins,B a 375 tonsC of silver, 675 tonsD of bronze, and 4,000 tonsE of iron. 8Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Lord’s house under the care of Jehiela the Gershonite. 9Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders’ willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord wholeheartedly.a King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Prayer

10Then David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said,

May you be blessed, Lord God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity. 11Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all.a 12Riches and honor come from you, and you are the ruler of everything.a Power and might are in your hand, and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all.b 13Now therefore, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name.

14But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your own hand.A 15For we are aliens and temporary residents in your presence as were all our ancestors.a Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.b 16Lord our God, all this wealth that we’ve provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand; everything belongs to you. 17I know, my God, that you test the hearta and that you are pleased with what is right.b I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen your people who are presentA here giving joyfully andB willingly to you. 18Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the hearts of your people, and confirm their hearts toward you. 19Give my son Solomon an undivided heart to keep and to carry out all your commands, your decrees, and your statutes,a and to build the building for which I have made provision.b

20Then David said to the whole assembly, “Blessed be the Lord your God.” So the whole assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors.a They knelt low and paid homage to the Lord and the king.b

21The following day they offered sacrifices to the Lord and burnt offerings to the Lord: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, along with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.a 22They ate and drank with great joy in the Lord’s presence that day.

The Enthronement of Solomon

Then, for a second time,a they made David’s son Solomon king; they anointed himA as the Lord’s ruler,b and Zadok as the priest. 23Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.a 24All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David’s sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israela and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been bestowed on any king over Israel before him.b

A Summary of David’s Life

26David son of Jesse was king over all Israel.a 27The length of his reign over Israel was forty years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.a 28He died at a good old age,a full of days,b riches, and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place. 29As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of the Seer Samuel,a the Events of the Prophet Nathan,b and the Events of the Seer Gad,c 30along with all his reign, his might, and the incidents that affected him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands.