(KJV) 1 Chronicles 28¹

⥃David Commissions Solomon

[1] And David assembled² all the princes³ of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies⁴ that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards⁵ over all the substance⁶ and possession of the king, and of his sons⁷, with the officers, and with the mighty men⁸, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. [2] Then David the king stood up⁹ upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren¹⁰, and my people: [As for me], I [had] in mine heart¹¹ to build an house of rest¹² for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool¹³ of our God, and had made ready¹⁴ for the building: [3] But God said unto me, Thou shalt¹⁵ not build an house for my name, because thou [hast been] a man of war, and hast shed blood¹⁶. [4] Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me¹⁷ before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah¹⁸ [to be] the ruler; and of the house of Judah¹⁹, the house of my father²⁰; and among the sons²¹ of my father he liked me to make [me] king over all Israel: [5] And of all my sons²², (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen²³ Solomon my son to sit²⁴ upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. [6] And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall²⁵ build my house and my courts: for I have²⁶ chosen him [to be] my son, and I will be his father. [7] Moreover²⁷ I will establish his kingdom for ever, if²⁸ he be constant²⁹ to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day³⁰. [8] Now therefore in the sight³¹ of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience³² of our God, keep³³ and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may³⁴ possess this good land, and leave [it³⁵] for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

[9] [¶]And thou, Solomon my son, know thou³⁶ the God³⁷ of thy father, and serve him³⁸ with a perfect heart and with a willing mind³⁹: for the Lord⁴⁰ searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations⁴¹ of the thoughts: if thou seek⁴² him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake⁴³ him, he will cast thee off for ever. [10] Take heed now⁴⁴; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do [it].

⥃The Plans for the Temple

[11] Then David⁴⁵ gave to Solomon his son the pattern⁴⁶ of the porch⁴⁷, and of the houses⁴⁸ thereof, and of the treasuries⁴⁹ thereof, and of the upper chambers⁵⁰ thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place⁵¹ of the mercy seat, [12] And the pattern⁵² of all⁵³ that he had by⁵⁴ the spirit⁵⁵, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries⁵⁶ of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: [13] Also for the courses⁵⁷ of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels⁵⁸ of service in the house of the Lord. [14] [He gave] of gold⁵⁹ by weight for [things] of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; [silver also] for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service: [15] Even the weight for the candlesticks⁶⁰ of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, [both] for the candlestick, and [also] for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick. [16] And by weight [he gave] gold for the tables of shewbread⁶¹, for every table; and [likewise] silver for the tables of silver: [17] Also pure gold⁶² for the fleshhooks, and the bowls⁶³, and the cups: and for the golden basons [he gave gold] by weight for every bason; and [likewise silver] by weight for every bason of silver: [18] And for the altar⁶⁴ of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot⁶⁵ of the cherubims, that spread out [their wings], and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. [19] All [this], [said David], the Lord⁶⁶ made me understand in writing by [his] hand upon me⁶⁷, [even] all the works of this pattern. [20] And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong⁶⁸ and of good courage, and do [it]: fear not⁶⁹, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, [even] my God, [will be] with thee; he will not fail thee⁷⁰, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. [21] And, behold, the courses⁷¹ of the priests and the Levites, [even they shall be with thee] for all the service of the house of God: and [there shall be] with thee for all manner⁷² of workmanship every willing⁷³ skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes⁷⁴ and all the people [will be] wholly at thy commandment.