1Then David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar for the burnt offering for Israel."
2David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel. He set stonecutters to cut blocks of stone for building the house of God.
3David also prepared a great deal of iron for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings, and more bronze than could be weighed;
4and cedar trees beyond counting, for the people of Sidon and Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.
5David said, "Solomon my son is young and untried, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be very great. It must be famous and glorious in every land. So I will get ready for it now." So David made great preparations before his death.
6Then he called for Solomon his son, and ordered him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel.
7David said to Solomon, "My son, it was in my mind to build a house for the name of the LORD my God."
8"But the word of the LORD came to me and said, 'You have shed much blood, and you have fought great wars. You shall not build a house for my name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth in my sight."
9"'Look, a son will be born to you, and he will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies around him. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days."
10"'He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father. I will make the throne of his kingdom over Israel sure for ever.'"
11"Now, my son, may the LORD be with you. May you do well and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has said you would."
12"Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God."
13"Then you will do well, if you are careful to obey the laws and rules that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong, and be brave. Do not be afraid, and do not lose heart."
14"Now look, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and more bronze and iron than can be weighed, for there is so much of it. I have also prepared timber and stone, and you may add to it."
15"Also there are many workmen with you: stonecutters, and workers in stone and timber, and every kind of skilled man for every kind of work."
16"The gold, the silver, the bronze and the iron cannot be counted. So get up and begin the work, and may the LORD be with you."
18"Is not the LORD your God with you? Has he not given you rest on every side? For he has given the people of the land into my hand, and the land is brought under the LORD and under his people."
19"Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God. So get up and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD."