David's Charge to Israel
1
1David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the 2officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the 3commanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, the 4stewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the 5mighty men and all the seasoned warriors.
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Then King David rose to his feet and said: "Hear me, my brothers and my people. 6I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the 7footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building.
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But God said to me, 8'You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.'
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Yet the LORD God of Israel 9chose me from all my father's house to be king over Israel 10forever. 11For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father's 12house, and among my father's sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
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And of 13all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) he 14has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
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He said to me, 'It is 15Solomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
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I will establish his kingdom 16forever 17if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.'
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Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.
David's Charge to Solomon
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"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a 18whole heart and with a willing mind, 19for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. 20If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
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Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; 21be strong and do it."
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Then David gave Solomon his son the 22plan of the 23vestibule of the temple,a and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and of the room for the 24mercy seat;
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and the plan of all that he had in mind for the courts of the house of the LORD, all the surrounding chambers, 25the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for dedicated gifts;
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for the 26divisions of the priests and of the 27Levites, and all the work of the service in the house of the LORD; for all the vessels for the service in the house of the LORD,
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the weight of gold for all golden vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service,
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the weight of the golden 28lampstands and their lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand and its lamps, the weight of silver for a lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand in the service,
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the weight of gold for each table for the showbread, the silver for the silver tables,
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and pure gold for the forks, the basins and the cups; for the golden bowls and the weight of each; for the silver bowls and the weight of each;
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for the 29altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the 30cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
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"All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the LORD, 31all the work to be done according to the plan."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)