David Prepares for Temple Building

2 David commanded to gather together the ^tresident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he ^uset stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, ^vas well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar timbers without number, ^wfor the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, ^x“Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.

Solomon Charged to Build the Temple

6 Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “My son, ^yI had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. 8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ^z‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. ^aI will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. ^bFor his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 ^cHe shall build a house for my name. ^dHe shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’

11 “Now, my son, ^ethe Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 ^fOnly, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 ^gThen you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. ^hBe strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. 14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord ⁱ100,000 talents¹ of gold, a million talents of silver, and ^jbronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. 15 You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working 16 gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! ^kThe Lord be with you!”

2 So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of ^ronyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. 3 Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: 4 ^s3,000 talents¹ of gold, of the gold of ^tOphir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house,² 5 and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself³ today to the Lord?”