Study Desk

The tenth, for the tenth month was Maharai from Netophah of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000.

The eleventh, for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000.

The twelfth, for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000.

David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders (officials) of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, with the palace officers and the mighty men, and all the brave warriors.

Then David the king rose to his feet and said, "Hear me, my brothers [in arms] and my people. I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God, and I prepared materials for the building.

'I will establish his kingdom forever if he loyally and continually obeys My commandments and My ordinances, as is done today.'

Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan for the porch of the temple, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner rooms, and for the place for the [ark and its] mercy seat;

"All this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the work and details [to be done] according to this plan."

Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and take action; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor abandon you [but will guide you in the construction] until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

Then David said to all the assembly, "Now bless (praise, thank) the LORD your God." And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and honored the LORD and the king [as His earthly representative].

Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.

He died in a good old age [his seventy-first year], full of days (satisfied), riches and honor. Solomon his son reigned in his place.

with [accounts of] all his reign, and his power, and the times and circumstances which came on him, on Israel, and on all the kingdoms of the [surrounding] lands.

Solomon the son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

Then Solomon said to God, "You have shown great lovingkindness and mercy to my father David, and have made me king in his place.

Then Hiram, king of Tyre replied in a letter sent to Solomon: "Because the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them."

"Now then, let my lord send to his servants the wheat, the barley, the oil, and the wine of which he has spoken.

Then Solomon took a count of all the aliens in the land of Israel, like the census that his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600.

Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to his father David, in the place that David had prepared, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Solomon began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.