NSB(i)
2 King David stood there and said: »Listen to me relatives (brothers and sisters) and subjects. I had my heart set on building the Temple where the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant could be placed. This Temple will be a stool for our God’s feet, and I have made preparations to build it.«
3 »However God told me: ‘You must not build the Temple for my name because you have fought wars and caused bloodshed.’«
4 »Yet, from my entire family Jehovah God of Israel chose me to be king of Israel for as long as I live. He had chosen the tribe of Judah to lead Israel. From the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. From among my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
5 »Of all my sons, for Jehovah has given me many sons, he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of Jehovah’s kingdom to rule Israel.
6 »He told me: ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and my courtyards because I have chosen him to be my son. I will be his father.
7 »‘I will establish his kingdom for a very long time if he will remain determined to obey my commands and laws, as he is doing today.’«
8 »I order you in the sight of Israel, Jehovah’s congregation. And as our God listens dedicate your lives to doing everything Jehovah your God has commanded. Then you will be able to possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance for your descendants.
9 »You my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve Jehovah wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought we have. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. On the other hand if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.
10 »So be careful, because Jehovah has chosen you to build the Temple as his holy place. Be strong, and do it.«
11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the entrance hall and the Temple, the storerooms, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the throne of mercy.
12 He gave him plans for the courtyards of Jehovah’s Temple and for all the rooms around it. These rooms served as treasuries for God’s Temple and the gifts dedicated to God.
13 He determined the divisions of the priests and Levites. He planned all the work done for worship in Jehovah’s Temple. He designed all the utensils for worship in Jehovah’s Temple.
14 David specified the weight of gold to be used for each of the utensils for worship,
15 the weight of the gold lamp stands and their gold lamps that is, the weight of gold for each lamp stand and its lamps, the weight of silver for each silver lamp stand and its lamps according to the use of each lamp stand for worship,
16 the weight of gold for each table with the rows of bread, and the silver for the silver tables,
17 the pure gold for the forks, bowls, and pitchers, the weight of each gold bowl, the weight of each silver bowl,
18 and the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave Solomon the plans for the chariot, that is, the gold angels with their wings spread to cover the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant.
19 David said: »All this was written for me by Jehovah’s hand. He made all the details of the plan clear to me.«
20 David also told his son Solomon: Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do no be afraid or terrified. Jehovah God, my God, will be with you. He will not abandon you until all the work on Jehovah’s Temple is finished.
21 Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites for every type of worship in God’s Temple. You have with you every skilled worker to do the work. In addition, all the leaders and people are at your command.
29 1 King David announced to the entire assembly: »God has chosen my son Solomon. He is however young and lacks experience. The work to be done is enormous, because this is not a palace for people but a Temple for Jehovah God.
2 »I have made every effort to prepare materials for the Temple: gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, precious stones and gems, stones for mosaics, and quantities of marble.
3 »Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for God’s Temple.
4 »I have given one hundred and fifteen tons of the finest gold and two hundred and sixty five tons of pure silver for decorating the walls of the Temple
5 and for all the objects which the skilled workers are to make. Now who else is willing to give a generous offering to Jehovah?«
6 Then the heads of the clans, the officials of the tribes, the commanders of the army, and the administrators of the royal property volunteered to give.
7 They gave the following for the work on the Temple: one hundred and ninety tons of gold, three hundred and eighty tons of silver, six hundred and seventy five tons of bronze, and three thousand seven hundred and fifty tons of iron.
8 Those who had precious stones gave them to the Temple treasury, which was administered by Jehiel of the Levite clan of Gershon.
9 The people gave willingly to Jehovah and were happy that so much had been given. King David also was extremely happy.
10 »There in front of the whole assembly King David praised Jehovah. He said: Jehovah, God of our father (ancester) Israel. May you be praised forever and ever!
11 »You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you, O Jehovah, are king, supreme ruler over all.
12 »All riches and wealth come from you. You rule everything by your strength and power. You are able to make anyone great and strong.
13 »Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name.
14 »Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything. This is because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.
15 »You know, O Jehovah that we pass through life like exiles and strangers, as our ancestors did. Our days are like a passing shadow, and we cannot escape death.
16 »O Jehovah, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a Temple to honor your holy name. It all came from you and all belongs to you.
17 »I well know, O my God, that you test everyone’s heart and are pleased with people of integrity. In honesty and sincerity I have willingly given all this to you. I have seen how your people who are gathered here have been happy to bring offerings to you.