¶ And David assembled¹ all the princes² of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies³ that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards⁴ over all the substance⁵ and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men⁶, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.

Then David the king stood up⁷ upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren⁸, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart⁹ to build an house of rest¹⁰ for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool¹¹ of our God, and had made ready¹² for the building:

But God said unto me, Thou shalt¹³ not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood¹⁴.

Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me¹⁵ before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah¹⁶ to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah¹⁷, the house of my father¹⁸; and among the sons¹⁹ of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:

And of all my sons²⁰, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen²¹ Solomon my son to sit²² upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall²³ build my house and my courts: for I have²⁴ chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

Moreover²⁵ I will establish his kingdom for ever, if²⁶ he be constant²⁷ to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day²⁸.

Now therefore in the sight²⁹ of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience³⁰ of our God, keep³¹ and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may³² possess this good land, and leave it³³ for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou³⁴ the God³⁵ of thy father, and serve him³⁶ with a perfect heart and with a willing mind³⁷: for the LORD³⁸ searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations³⁹ of the thoughts: if thou seek⁴⁰ him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake⁴¹ him, he will cast thee off for ever.

¶ Take heed now;⁴² for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

¶ Then David⁴³ gave to Solomon his son the pattern⁴⁴ of the porch⁴⁵, and of the houses⁴⁶ thereof, and of the treasuries⁴⁷ thereof, and of the upper chambers⁴⁸ thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place⁴⁹ of the mercy seat,

And the pattern⁵⁰ of all⁵¹ that he had by⁵² the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries⁵³ of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

Also for the courses⁵⁴ of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels⁵⁵ of service in the house of the LORD.

He gave of gold⁵⁶ 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:

Even the weight for the candlesticks⁵⁷ 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.

And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread⁵⁸, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:

Also pure gold⁵⁹ for the fleshhooks, and the bowls⁶⁰, 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:

And for the altar⁶¹ of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot⁶² of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

All this, said David, the LORD⁶³ made me understand in writing by his hand upon me,⁶⁴ even all the works of this pattern.

¶ And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong⁶⁵ and of good courage, and do it: fear not,⁶⁶ nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee,⁶⁷ nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

And, behold, the courses⁶⁸ 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 manner⁶⁹ of workmanship every willing⁷⁰ skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes⁷¹ and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.