1Chronicles 28

1 David gathered together all of the leaders of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, division officers who reported to the king, the commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and to his sons, along with all of the officers of the palace, the elite forces, and all of the soldiers.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:1

2 King David rose to his feet and said, “My fellow citizens, ^{a28:2 Lit. My brothers and my people} may I have your attention. I intended to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, for a footstool of our God, so I began preparations for its construction.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:2

3 But then God told me, ‘You will not build a temple to my name, because you are a man of war, and you have committed bloodshed.’ ^{b28:3 i.e. perhaps an allusion to Uriah the Hittite}ISV — 1Chronicles 28:3

4 Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. ^{c28:4 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority} In my ancestor Judah’s household, from my father’s household, and from among my father’s sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:4

5 “Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling ^{d28:5 The Heb. lacks ruling} over Israel.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:5

6 He told me, ‘I chose your son Solomon to be the one who will construct my Temple and my courts, because I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:6

7 I will establish his kingdom forever, assuming he remains strongly committed to carry out my commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.’ISV — 1Chronicles 28:7

8 Therefore, in the presence ^{e28:8 Lit. eyes} of all of Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and while our God is listening, observe and search through all of the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land, leaving it for an inheritance forever to benefit your descendants who come after you.”ISV — 1Chronicles 28:8

9 “Now as for you, my son Solomon, get to know the God of your father. Serve him with a sound heart and a devoted soul, because the LORD is searching every heart, every plan and thought. He will be found by you, assuming you are seeking him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you forever.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:9

10 So keep watching, because the LORD has chosen you to build the Temple of his sanctuary. So be strong, and get to work!”ISV — 1Chronicles 28:10

11 At this point in his address, ^{f28:11 The Heb. lacks At this point in his address} David transferred to his son Solomon the construction plans for the Hall of Justice, ^{g28:11 Or Temple vestibule} its buildings, its treasure vaults, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, the housing for the Mercy Seat,ISV — 1Chronicles 28:11

12 and the plans for everything else that he had in mind for the courtyards of the Temple of the LORD. Included were plans for ^{h28:12 The Heb. lacks were plans for} all of the surrounding vaults and treasuries of the Temple of God intended for storage of ^{i28:12 The Heb. lacks intended for storage of} dedicated gifts,ISV — 1Chronicles 28:12

13 for use by the ranks of priests and descendants of Levi, for all the work of service responsibilities in the Temple of the LORD, and for all of the utensils used in the work of the Temple of the LORD.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:13

14 David also transferred to him ^{j28:14 The Heb. lacks David also transferred to him} by weight the gold that was to be used to craft the ^{k28:14 The Heb. lacks that was to be used to craft the} service utensils, the silver that was to be used to craft the ^{l28:14 The Heb. lacks that was to be used to craft the} service utensils,ISV — 1Chronicles 28:14

15 the gold for the golden lamp stands and their lamps, the silver for a lamp stand and its lamps (each according to its intended use in the service),ISV — 1Chronicles 28:15

16 the gold by weight for each table of the rows of bread, the silver for the silver tables,ISV — 1Chronicles 28:16

17 pure gold for the forks, the basins, the cups, the golden bowls (along with enough gold by weight for each one), enough weight for each of the silver bowls,ISV — 1Chronicles 28:17

18 refined gold for the altar of incense, by weight, along with his plans for crafting ^{m28:18 The Heb. lacks for crafting} the golden chariot for the cherubim that spread out their wings to cover the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:18

19 “All of these things the LORD made clear to me in writing at his direction—the construction plans for all of the building.”ISV — 1Chronicles 28:19

20 David continued with these words for his son Solomon: “Be strong and courageous, and get to work. Never be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor will he abandon you right up to your completion of the work for the service of the Temple of the LORD.ISV — 1Chronicles 28:20

21 Now look! Here are the ranks of the priests and the descendants of Levi for the entire service of the Temple of God, and in all of the work there will be all types of volunteers who have skills for anything needed for the services. Furthermore, the officers and all of the people will be at your complete command.”ISV — 1Chronicles 28:21