Study Desk

for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner;

for Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.

Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had it within my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and for the footstool of the feet 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, Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a ruler; 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.

Now of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel.

And He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; 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 with a whole heart and a delighted soul; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

See now, for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and act."

Then David gave to his son Solomon the pattern of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat;

and the pattern of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of Yahweh, and for all the surrounding chambers, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the holy things;

also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh and for all the utensils of service in the house of Yahweh;

for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service;

and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the service of each lampstand;

and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables;

and the flesh hooks, the bowls, and the jars of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl;

and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.

Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is completed.

Now behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man with wisdom will be with you in all the work for all the service. The officials also and all the people will be entirely at your command."

Then King David said to the entire assembly, "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for Yahweh God.