Study Desk

Nevertheless, King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will certainly buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing."

Then he called for his son Solomon, and commanded him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel.

David said to Solomon, "My son, I had intended to build a house for the name of the LORD my God.

"But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me.

'Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

'He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

"Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold and a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for they are in great quantity; I have also prepared timber and stone, and you may add to that.

Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became a father's household, one group for duty.

and with the showbread, and the fine flour for a grain offering, and unleavened wafers, or what is baked in the pan or what is well-mixed, and all measures of volume and size.

The lot to the east fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north.

Also Jonathan, David's uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni tutored the king's sons.

Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it.

"But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'

"Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the household of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; 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.

"He said to me, 'Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courtyards; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a Father to him.

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

"Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act."

and for the service of the house of God they gave five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of brass, and a hundred thousand talents of iron.

"For we are strangers before You, and temporary residents, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.

"LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and everything is Yours.