Study Desk

and timbers of cedar beyond number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David.

David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and glorious throughout the lands. Therefore I now will make preparations for it." So David made ample preparations before his death.

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.

'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.

"Is the LORD your God not with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has handed over to me the inhabitants of the land, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people.

"Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; then arise, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD."

and four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand were praising the LORD with the instruments which David made for giving praise.

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.

But as for Moses, the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers' households, the heads of the fathers' households of those among them who were counted, in the number of names by their head count, doing the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from twenty years old and upward.

For David said, "The LORD God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever.

"Also, the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its utensils for its service."

For by the last words of David, the sons of Levi were counted from twenty years old and upward.

For their office is to assist the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, in the courtyards and in the chambers, and in the purification of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God,

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.

So they are to perform the duties of the tent of meeting, the holy place, and of assisting the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the LORD.

David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices for their ministry.