David Commissions Solomon

1Nowe Dauid assembled all the princes of Israel: the princes of the tribes, and the captaines of the bandes that serued the King, and the captaines of thousands and the captaines of hundreths, and the rulers of all the substance & possession of the King, and of his sonnes, with the eunuches, and the mightie, and all the men of power, vnto Ierusalem. 2And King Dauid stoode vp vpon his feete; and saide, Heare ye me, my brethren and my people: I purposed to haue buylt an house of rest for the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, and for a footestoole of our God, and haue made ready for the building, 3But God sayde vnto me, Thou shalt not buylde an house for my Name, because thou hast bene a man of warre, and hast shed blood. 4Yet as the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father, to be King ouer Israel for euer (for in Iudah woulde he chuse a prince, & of the house of Iudah is the house of my father, & among the sonnes of my father he delited in me to make me King ouer all Israel) 5So of all my sonnes (for the Lord hath giuen me many sonnes) he hath euen chosen Salomon my sonne to sit vpo the throne of the kingdome of the Lord ouer Israel. 6And he sayd vnto me, Salomon thy sonne, he shall build mine house and my courtes: for I haue chosen him to be my sonne, and I will be his father. 7I will stablish therefore his kingdome for euer, if he endeuour himselfe to do my commandements, and my iudgements, as this day. 8Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the Congregation of the Lorde, and in the audience of our God, keepe and seeke for all the commandements of the Lord your God, that ye may possesse this good lande, and leaue it for an inheritance for your children after you for euer.

9And thou, Salomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfit heart, and with a willing minde: For the Lorde searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts: if thou seeke him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for euer. 10Take heede now, for the Lord hath chosen thee to buylde the house of the Sanctuarie: be strong therefore, and doe it.

The Plans for the Temple

11Then Dauid gaue to Salomon his sonne the paterne of the porch and of the houses thereof, and of the closets thereof, and of the galleries thereof, and of the chambers thereof that are within, and of the house of the mercieseate, 12And the paterne of all that he had in his minde for the courtes of the house of the Lorde, and for all the chambers round about, for the treasures of the house of God, and for the treasures of the dedicate things, 13And for the courses of the Priestes, and of the Leuites, and for all the woorke for the seruice of the house of the Lorde, and for all the vessels of the ministerie of the house of the Lord. 14He gaue of golde by weight, for the vessels of gold, for all the vessels of all maner of seruice, and all the vessels of siluer by weight, for all maner vessels of all maner of seruice. 15The weight also of golde for the candlestickes, & gold for their lampes, with the weight for euery candlesticke, and for the lampes thereof, and for the candlestickes of siluer by the weight of the candlesticke, and the lampes thereof, according to the vse of euery candlesticke, 16And the weight of the gold for the tables of shewbread, for euery table, & siluer for the tables of siluer, 17And pure golde for the fleshhookes, and the bowles, and plates, and for basens, golde in weight for euery basen, and for siluer basens, by weight for euery basen, 18And for the altar of incense, pure golde by weight, and golde for the paterne of the charet of the Cherubs that spread themselues, and couered the Arke of the couenant of the Lord:

19All, said he, by writing sent to me by the hand of the Lord, which made me vnderstand all the workemanship of the paterne.

20And Dauid said to Salomon his sonne, Be strong, and of a valiant courage and doe it: feare not, nor be afraide: for the Lorde God, euen my God is with thee: he will not leaue thee nor forsake thee till thou hast finished all the worke for the seruice of the house of the Lord. 21Beholde also, the companies of the Priests and the Leuites for all the seruice of the house of God, euen they shall be with thee for the whole worke, with euery free heart that is skilfull in any maner of seruice. The princes also and all the people will be wholy at thy commandement.