David Prepares for the Temple

²David ordered that all the foreigners living in the land of Israel be gathered together, and he assigned stonemasons to cut and shape stones for building the house of God. ³David stockpiled huge quantities of iron for the nails, gate doors, and fittings, along with more bronze than anyone could weigh. ⁴He also gathered cedar logs beyond counting, because the people of Sidon and Tyre had brought enormous amounts of cedar wood to David. ⁵David said, "Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. Therefore, I will make preparations for it now." So David prepared abundantly before his death. ⁶Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. ⁷David said to Solomon, "My son, it was my deepest desire to build a house for the name of the LORD my God. ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed blood abundantly and made great wars. You shall not build a house for my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.' ⁹Look, a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. ¹⁰He is the one who will build a house for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne over Israel forever.' ¹¹Now, my son, may the LORD be with you. May you succeed and build the house of the LORD your God, just as he promised you would. ¹²Above all, may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding when he puts you in charge of Israel, so that you can follow the law of the LORD your God. ¹³You will succeed if you carefully obey the statutes and ordinances that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid, and don't lose heart. ¹⁴Now look, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver. Brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance. Timber and stone I have also prepared, and you may add to it. ¹⁵You have plenty of workers available to you — stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and every kind of skilled craftsman for every kind of work. ¹⁶The gold, silver, bronze, and iron are beyond counting. So get up and get to work, and may the LORD be with you." ¹⁷David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to support his son Solomon, saying, ¹⁸Isn't the LORD your God with you? Hasn't he given you rest on every side? He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people. ¹⁹Now commit yourselves — heart and soul — to seeking the LORD your God. Get up and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and all the holy vessels of God can be brought into the house built for the name of the LORD."