¹ David then summoned to Jerusalem all the officials of Israel -- the tribal chiefs, the senior officials in the royal service, the commanders of the thousands, the commanders of the hundreds and the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and to his sons-including the court officials, the champions and all the men of standing.

² King David then rose to his feet and said: 'My brothers and my people, listen to me. I have set my heart on building a settled home for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, for the footstool for our God, but when I was ready to build it,

³ God said to me, "You must not build a house for my name, for you have been a man of war and have shed blood."

⁴ 'Even so, out of my entire family, it was I whom Yahweh, God of Israel, chose to reign over Israel for ever. Having chosen Judah as leader, and my family out of the House of Judah, it pleased him out of all my father's sons to make me king of all Israel.

⁵ Out of all my sons -- for Yahweh has given me many -- he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on Yahweh's sovereign throne over Israel.

⁶ Furthermore, he has told me, "Solomon your son is the man to build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son and I shall be his father.

⁷ I shall make his sovereignty secure for ever if he sturdily carries out my commandments and ordinances as he does now."

⁸ 'So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, I charge you to observe and adhere strictly to all the commandments of Yahweh your God, so that you may retain possession of this fine country and leave it to your sons after you as a heritage for ever.

⁹ 'And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with an undivided heart and willing mind; for Yahweh scrutinises all hearts and understands whatever plans they may devise. If you seek him, he will let you find him; but forsake him and he will cast you off for ever.

¹⁰ So, since Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for his sanctuary, go resolutely to work!'

¹¹ David then gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico, the plans for the buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the throne of mercy

¹² as well as the plans for everything that he had in mind: for the courts of the house of Yahweh, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God and for the sacred treasuries,

¹³ for the orders of priests and Levites, for all the duties to be carried out in the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the liturgical objects to be used in the house of Yahweh;

¹⁴ for the gold bullion, for all the golden liturgical objects of various uses; for the silver bullion, for all the silver liturgical objects of various uses;

¹⁵ for the gold bullion for the golden lamp-stands and for their lamps, and for the silver bullion for the silver lamp-stands and their lights, depending on the function of each lamp-stand;

¹⁶ for the gold bullion for each of the tables for the loaves of permanent offering and the silver for the silver tables;

¹⁷ for the pure gold for the forks, the bowls and the jars, for the gold bullion for each of the golden basins and for the silver bullion for each of the silver basins;

¹⁸ and for the refined gold bullion for the altar of incense; also for the gold for the model of the chariot and of the great winged creatures which cover the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with wings outspread-

¹⁹ all this was in the document conveying Yahweh's instructions, by which he revealed the pattern of what was to be done.

²⁰ David then said to his son Solomon, 'Be resolute and courageous in your work, do not be afraid or disheartened, because Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you before you have finished all the work to be done for the house of Yahweh.

²¹ And besides, there are the orders of priests and Levites for whatever is needed in connection with the house of God, and you have at your disposal every kind of craftsman for whatever has to be done, as well as the officials and all the people entirely at your command.'