Holman Christian Standard Bible (129 page)

23
 David didn't count the men aged 20 or under, for the
Lord
had said He would make Israel as numerous as the stars of heaven. 
24
 Joab son of Zeruiah began to count them, but he didn't complete it. There was wrath against Israel because of this census, and the number was not entered in the Historical Record of King David.

32
 David's uncle Jonathan was a counselor; he was a man of understanding and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended the king's sons.
33
 Ahithophel was the king's counselor. Hushai the Archite was the king's friend.
34
 After Ahithophel came Jehoiada son of Benaiah, then Abiathar. Joab was the commander of the king's army. 

1 Chronicles

David Commissions Solomon to Build the Temple

28
David assembled all the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem: the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions in the king's service, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, along with the court officials, the fighting men, and all the brave warriors.
2
 Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the
Lord
's covenant and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build,
3
 but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.' 

4
 “Yet the
Lord
God of Israel chose me out of all my father's household to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah, my father's household, and from my father's sons, He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
5
 And out of all my sons  — for the
Lord
has given me many sons — He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the
Lord
's kingdom over Israel. 
6
 He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who is to 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 perseveres in keeping My commands and My ordinances as he is today.' 

8
 “So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the
Lord
, and in the hearing of our God, observe and follow all the commands of the
Lord
your God so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

9
 “As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the
Lord
searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 
10
 Realize now that the
Lord
has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.” 

11
 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple and its buildings, treasuries, upper rooms, inner rooms, and a room for the
•mercy
seat. 
12
 The plans contained everything he had in mind for the courts of the
Lord
's house, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of God's house, and the treasuries for what is dedicated.
13
 Also included were plans for the divisions of the priests and the Levites; all the work of service in the
Lord
's house; all the articles of service of the
Lord
's house;
14
 the weight of gold for all the articles for every kind of service; the weight of all the silver articles for every kind of service;
15
 the weight of the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; the weight of each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the service of each lampstand;
16
 the weight of gold for each table for the rows of the
•bread
of the Presence and the silver for the silver tables;
17
 the pure gold for the forks, sprinkling basins, and pitchers; the weight of each gold dish; the weight of each silver bowl;
18
 the weight of refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold
•cherubim
that spread out their wings and cover the ark of the
Lord
's covenant. 

19
 David concluded, “By the
Lord
's hand on me, He enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan.” 

20
 Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the
Lord
God, my God, is with you. He won't leave you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the
Lord
's house is finished.
21
 Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of God's house. Every willing man of any skill will be at your disposal for the work, and the leaders and all the people are at your every command.”

1 Chronicles

Contributions for Building the Temple

29
Then King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon — God has chosen him alone — is young and inexperienced. The task is great because the temple will not be for man but for the
Lord
God. 
2
 So to the best of my ability I've made provision for the house of my God: gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting, antimony, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble.
3
 Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the house of my God over and above all that I've provided for the holy house:
4
 100 tons of gold (gold of Ophir ) and 250 tons of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings,
5
 the gold for the gold work and the silver for the silver, for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the
Lord
today? ”

6
 Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly.
7
 For the service of God's house they gave 185 tons of gold and 10,000 gold coins,375 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 4,000 tons of iron.
8
 Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the
Lord
's house under the care of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9
 Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders' willingness to give, for they had given to the
Lord
with a whole heart. King David also rejoiced greatly.

David's Prayer

10
 Then David praised the
Lord
in the sight of all the assembly. David said,

20
 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the
Lord
your God.” So the whole assembly praised the
Lord
God of their ancestors. They bowed down and paid homage to the
Lord
and the king. 

21
 The following day they offered sacrifices to the
Lord
and
•burnt
offerings to the
Lord
: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, along with their
•drink
offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 
22
 They ate and drank with great joy in the
Lord
's presence that day.

The Enthronement of Solomon

Then, for a second time, they made David's son Solomon king; they anointed him as the
Lord
's ruler, and Zadok as the priest.
23
 Solomon sat on the
Lord
's throne as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 
24
 All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David's sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.
25
 The
Lord
highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been bestowed on any king over Israel before him. 

A Summary of David's Life

26
 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. 
27
 The length of his reign over Israel was 40 years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for 33. 
28
 He died at a ripe old age, full of days, riches, and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place.
29
 As for the events of King David's reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of Samuel the Seer, the Events of Nathan the Prophet, and the Events of Gad the Seer, 
30
 along with all his reign, his might, and the incidents that affected him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Solomon's Request for Wisdom

1
Solomon son of David strengthened his hold on his kingdom. The
Lord
his God was with him and highly exalted him. 
2
 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel — the heads of the families. 
3
 Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the
•high
place that was in Gibeon because God's tent of meeting, which the
Lord
's servant Moses had made in the wilderness, was there.
4
 Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had set up for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem, 
5
 but he put the bronze altar, which Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, in front of the
Lord
's tabernacle. Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there.
6
 Solomon offered sacrifices there in the
Lord
's presence on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting; he offered 1,000
•burnt
offerings on it.