1 David said: »The house of Jehovah God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.«

2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners living in Israel. He appointed stonecutters from among them to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.

3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more copper than could be weighed.

4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted. The Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

5 David said: »My son Solomon is young and inexperienced. The house to be built for Jehovah should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it. So David made extensive preparations before his death.«

6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for Jehovah, the God of Israel.

7 David said to Solomon: »My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of Jehovah my God.

8 »The word of Jehovah came to me, saying: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my name. This is because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

9 »‘You will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon peace, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

10 »‘He is the one who will build a house for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for a very ong time.’«

11 »Now, my son, Jehovah is with you, and may you have success and build the house of Jehovah your God, as he said you would.

12 »May Jehovah give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of Jehovah your God.

13 »You will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that Jehovah gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

14 »I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of Jehovah three thousand seven hundred and fifty tons of gold, about thirty-seven thousand five hundred tons of silver, quantities of copper and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.

15 »You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as men skilled in every kind of work

16 in gold and silver, copper and iron, craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and Jehovah will be with you.«

17 David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.

18 He said to them: »Is not Jehovah your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has handed the inhabitants of the land over to me, and the land is subject to Jehovah and to his people.

19 »Devote your mind and heart to seek Jehovah your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of Jehovah God. That way you may bring the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah and the sacred articles belonging to God into the Temple that will be built for the name of Jehovah.«