David Assembles His Commanders

1And David assembled at Jerusalem all the commanders of Israel, the commanders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that ministered to the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the commanders over all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor. 2Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had it within my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and for the footstool of the feet of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. 3But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4Yet, Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a ruler; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5Now of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel. 6And He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. 7And I will establish his kingdom forever if he will be strong to do My commandments and My judgments, as [†]is done now.’ 8So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek after all the commandments of Yahweh your God so that you may possess the good land and cause your sons after you to inherit it forever.

9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with [†]a whole heart and a delighted soul; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 10See now, for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and act.”

11Then David gave to his son Solomon the pattern of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat; 12and the pattern of all that he had in [†]mind, for the courts of the house of Yahweh, and for all the surrounding chambers, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the holy things; 13also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh and for all the utensils of service in the house of Yahweh; 14for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service; 15and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the service of each lampstand; 16and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables; 17and the flesh hooks, the bowls, and the jars of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl; 18and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.

19“All this,” said David, “has been granted to me as insight in writing by the hand of Yahweh, all the [†]details of this pattern.”

20Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is completed. 21Now behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man with wisdom will be with you in all the work for all the service. The officials also and all the people will be entirely at your command.”