Study Desk

Then David said to Gad, "I am very troubled. Let me into the hand of Yahweh, for his compassion is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of a man."

Now the angel of Yahweh had spoken to Gad to say to David that David should go up and erect an altar for Yahweh.

And Ornan said to David, "Take it to yourself; let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I give the cattle for the burnt offerings and threshing sledges for the wood and wheat for the grain offering—I give it all."

But King David said to Ornan, "No, for I will certainly buy it at full value; indeed, I will not take what is yours for Yahweh and offer burnt offerings for nothing."

So David gave to Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place.

But David was not able to go before it to seek God, for he was afraid on account of the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

Then David said, "This will be the house of Yahweh God, and this altar of burnt offering for Israel."

And David provided much iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for the seams, and abundant copper that could not be weighed,

and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought abundant cedars to David.

Then David said, "Solomon my son is a boy and inexperienced, and the house built for Yahweh must be exceedingly great in fame and splendor throughout every land. I will make preparations for him." So David provided abundant materials before he died.

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

And David said to Solomon his son, "I myself had in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God,

but it happened that the word of Yahweh came over me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made much war; you shall not build a house for my name because you have shed much blood upon the ground before me.

Behold, a son shall be born to you; he himself will be a man of rest, and I will give rest to him from all his enemies all around, for his name will be Solomon, and peace and quietness I will give to Israel in his days.

He himself will build a house for my name, and he himself will be to me a son, and I will be to him as a father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

Now see, with great effort I have made provision for the house of Yahweh: 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron that cannot be weighed, for there is an abundance. Also timber and stone I have provided, but to these you should add.

"Is not Yahweh your God with you? And has he not given you rest all around? For he has put in my hand the inhabitants of the land, and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before his people.

Now set your heart and mind to seek Yahweh your Go, and arise and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, that the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy vessels of God might be brought into the house built for the name of Yahweh.

And the Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their number according to their head count for the men was thirty-eight thousand.

four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand offering praise with the instruments that I have made for praise."