1. Now the days of DAVID came near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,

2. "I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

3. and keep the instruction of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and wherever you turn yourself.

4. Then the LORD may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your children are careful of their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you,' he said, 'a man on the throne of Israel.'

5. "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

6. Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don't let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

7. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

8. "Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by The LORD, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'

9. Now therefore don't hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood."

10. DAVID slept with his fathers, and was buried in DAVID's city.

11. The days that DAVID reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

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

7. DAVID said to Solomon his son, "As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God.

8. But The LORD's word came to me, saying, 'You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

9. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

10. He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.'

11. Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and prosper you, and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you.

12. May the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of the LORD your God.

13. Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid, and don't be dismayed.

14. Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for The LORD's house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them.

15. There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work;

16. of the gold, the silver, the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may the LORD be with you."

17. DAVID also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

18. "Isn't the LORD your God with you? Hasn't he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before The LORD, and before his people.

19. Now set your heart and your soul to follow the LORD your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of The LORD's covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for The LORD's name."

1. DAVID assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, to Jerusalem.

2. Then DAVID the king stood up on his feet, and said, "Hear me, my brothers, and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of The LORD's covenant, and for the footstool of our God; and I had prepared for the building.

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

4. However The LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.

5. Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of The LORD's kingdom over Israel.

6. He said to me, 'Solomon, your son, shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

7. I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as it is today.'

8. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, The LORD's assembly, and in the audience 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.

9. You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

10. Take heed now; for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it."

11. Then DAVID gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, for its houses, for its treasuries, for its upper rooms, for its inner rooms, for the place of the mercy seat;

12. and the plans of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of The LORD's house, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of God's house, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things;

13. also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of The LORD's house, and for all the vessels of service in The LORD's house;

14. of gold by weight for the gold, for all vessels of every kind of service; for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service;

15. by weight also for the lamp stands of gold, and for its lamps, of gold, by weight for every lamp stand and for its lamps; and for the lamp stands of silver, by weight for every lamp stand and for its lamps, according to the use of every lamp stand;

16. and the gold by weight for the tables of show bread, for every table; and silver for the tables of silver;

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

18. and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the plans for the chariot, and the cherubim that spread out and cover the ark of The LORD's covenant.

19. "All this", said DAVID, "I have been made to understand in writing from The LORD's hand, even all the works of this pattern."

20. DAVID said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed; for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of The LORD's house is finished.

21. Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the service of God's house. Every willing man who has skill, for any kind of service, shall be with you in all kinds of work. Also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command."