Solomon Charged to Construct the Temple
1 Chronicles 28, verse 1. And David assembled all the chief men of Israel—the chief of the judges, the chief men of those who serve in attendance on the king, the captains of divisions, the treasurers, the lords of his substance and all the king's property, his sons together with the eunuchs, and the mighty men and the warriors of the army. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 2. Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brethren and my people. It was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and a footstool of our God. I made preparations to build it. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 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.’ 1 Chronicles 28, verse 4. Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me from out of the entire house of my father to be king over Israel unto the age. And in Judah, he chose the royal palace; and of the house of Judah, he chose the house of my father; and of the sons of my father, He desired me to become king over all Israel. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 5. And of all my sons, for the Lord gave me many, He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 6. “And He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 7. And if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, I will establish his kingdom forever, as it is this day.’ 1 Chronicles 28, verse 8. And now before the whole assembly of the Lord and in the hearing of our God, I charge you to keep and seek all the commandments of the Lord our God, that you may inherit the good land and leave this for your sons to inherit after you forever. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 9. “And now, my son Solomon, know the God of your fathers, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing soul; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you forever. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 10. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.” 1 Chronicles 28, verse 11. Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the temple, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner storehouses, and the house of the mercy seat; 1 Chronicles 28, verse 12. and the plans that he had in his mind concerning the courts of the house of the Lord, all the chambers round about the storehouses of the house of the Lord, and the storehouses for the dedicated things; 1 Chronicles 28, verse 13. also for the quarters for the daily priests and the Levites for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and for the storehouses for the serving articles used to worship in the house of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 14. And the measure of their weight both in gold and in silver, 1 Chronicles 28, verse 15. he gave to him the weight of the lamps and of the lamp stands. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 16. He gave to him in like manner the weight for the tables of the showbread, for each table in gold and likewise in silver; 1 Chronicles 28, verse 17. also for the forks, the basins, the pitchers of gold, and the weight of the gold and the silver bowls for each weight; 1 Chronicles 28, verse 18. and the weight of the altar for burning incense made of refined gold he showed to him, and the plans for the chariot of the cherubim that spread out their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 19. All these things in writing from the hand of the Lord David gave to Solomon, so that he would succeed in understanding how to follow the plan. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 20. And David said to his son Solomon, “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 leave you nor forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 28, verse 21. And take notice of the division of the priests and Levites for all the daily service of the house of the Lord. With them shall be the men for every workmanship, every one of ready skill in every art. And at your command are the chief men and all the people.”