1 Chronicles 28

1Then David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the leaders over all the property and livestock belonging to the king and to his sons, together with the officials, the mighty men, and every mighty man of valor.

2Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations to build it.”

3But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of wars and have shed blood.’

4Yet Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all my father's house to be king over Israel forever; for he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah, my father's house, and among my father's sons, he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.

5And from among all my sons—for Yahweh has given me many sons—he chose Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel.

6And he said to me, ‘Solomon your son—he will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him for myself as a son, and I will be to him as a father.’

7And I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is strong to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.

8And now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek all the commandments of Yahweh your God, so that you may possess the good land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons after you forever.

9And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing soul, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every intention of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will let himself be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

10See now, for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.

11Then David gave to Solomon his son the plan of the portico, its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, and the house of the mercy seat.

12and the plan of all that was in the Spirit with him: for the courts of the house of Yahweh, for all the surrounding chambers, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the holy things.

13for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels of service of the house of Yahweh.

14the weight of the gold for all the articles of every kind of service, and the weight of the silver for all the articles of every kind of service.

15and the weight for the lampstands of gold and their lamps of gold, by the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and for the lampstands of silver, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps, according to the service of each lampstand.

16and the weight of the gold for the tables of the arrangement, for each table and table, and silver for the silver tables.

17and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls, by weight for each bowl and bowl; and for the silver bowls, by weight for each bowl and bowl.

18and for the altar of incense, refined gold by weight; and for the pattern of the chariot, the cherubim of gold spreading out their wings and overshadowing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.

19All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of Yahweh, all the works of the pattern.

20And David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not fear or be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.”

21And behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites are for all the service of the house of God, and with you in all the work will be every willing man skilled in wisdom for every kind of service; the officials also, and all the people, will be wholly at your command.