| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1David gathered together all of the leaders of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, division officers who reported to the king, the commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and to his sons, along with all of the officers of the palace, the elite forces, and all of the soldiers. | 1David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them. |
| 2King David rose to his feet and said, "My fellow citizens, may I have your attention. I intended to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, for a footstool of our God, so I began preparations for its construction. | 2King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the LORD's covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God. I have made the preparations for building it. |
| 3But then God told me, 'You will not build a temple to my name, because you are a man of war, and you have committed bloodshed.' | 3But God said to me, 'You must not build a temple to honor me, for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.' |
| 4Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. In my ancestor Judah's household, from my father's household, and from among my father's sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel. | 4The LORD God of Israel chose me out of my father's entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father's family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father's sons and made me king over all Israel. |
| 5"Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling over Israel. | 5From all the many sons the LORD has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel. |
| 6He told me, 'I chose your son Solomon to be the one who will construct my Temple and my courts, because I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. | 6He said to me, 'Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father. |
| 7I will establish his kingdom forever, assuming he remains strongly committed to carry out my commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.' | 7I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.' |
| 8Therefore, in the presence of all of Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and while our God is listening, observe and search through all of the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land, leaving it for an inheritance forever to benefit your descendants who come after you." | 8So now, in the sight of all Israel, the LORD's assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this: Carefully observe all the commands of the LORD your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you. |
| 9"Now as for you, my son Solomon, get to know the God of your father. Serve him with a sound heart and a devoted soul, because the LORD is searching every heart, every plan and thought. He will be found by you, assuming you are seeking him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you forever. | 9"And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the LORD examines all minds and understands every motive of one's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. |
| 10So keep watching, because the LORD has chosen you to build the Temple of his sanctuary. So be strong, and get to work!" | 10Realize now that the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!" |
| 11At this point in his address, David transferred to his son Solomon the construction plans for the Hall of Justice, its buildings, its treasure vaults, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, the housing for the Mercy Seat, | 11David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. |
| 12and the plans for everything else that he had in mind for the courtyards of the Temple of the LORD. Included were plans for all of the surrounding vaults and treasuries of the Temple of God intended for storage of dedicated gifts, | 12He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the LORD's temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God's temple, and the storehouses for the holy items. |
| 13for use by the ranks of priests and descendants of Levi, for all the work of service responsibilities in the Temple of the LORD, and for all of the utensils used in the work of the Temple of the LORD. | 13He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the LORD's temple, and for all the items used in the service of the LORD's temple. |
| 14David also transferred to him by weight the gold that was to be used to craft the service utensils, the silver that was to be used to craft the service utensils, | 14He gave him the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the LORD's temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service, |
| 15the gold for the golden lamp stands and their lamps, the silver for a lamp stand and its lamps (each according to its intended use in the service), | 15for the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, for the silver lampstands, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, |
| 16the gold by weight for each table of the rows of bread, the silver for the silver tables, | 16for the gold used in the display tables, including the amount to be used in each table, for the silver to be used in the silver tables, |
| 17pure gold for the forks, the basins, the cups, the golden bowls (along with enough gold by weight for each one), enough weight for each of the silver bowls, | 17for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls, and jars, for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including the weight for each bowl, |
| 18refined gold for the altar of incense, by weight, along with his plans for crafting the golden chariot for the cherubim that spread out their wings to cover the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD. | 18and for the refined gold of the incense altar. He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the LORD's covenant. |
| 19"All of these things the LORD made clear to me in writing at his direction—the construction plans for all of the building." | 19David said, "All of this I put in writing as the LORD directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints." |
| 20David continued with these words for his son Solomon: "Be strong and courageous, and get to work. Never be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor will he abandon you right up to your completion of the work for the service of the Temple of the LORD. | 20David said to his son Solomon: "Be strong and brave! Do it! Don't be afraid and don't panic! For the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you or abandon you before all the work for the service of the LORD's temple is finished. |
| 21Now look! Here are the ranks of the priests and the descendants of Levi for the entire service of the Temple of God, and in all of the work there will be all types of volunteers who have skills for anything needed for the services. Furthermore, the officers and all of the people will be at your complete command." | 21Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites who will perform all the service of God's temple. All the willing and skilled men are ready to assist you in all the work and perform their service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your instructions." |
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