Contributions for Building the Temple

29 Then King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon—God has chosen him alone—is young and inexperienced. The task is great(A) because the temple will not be for man but for the Lord God.(B) So to the best of my ability I’ve made provision for the house of my God:(C) gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting,[a] antimony,[b](D) stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble. Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the house of my God over and above all that I’ve provided for the holy house: 100 tons[c](E) of gold (gold of Ophir(F)) and 250 tons[d] of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, the gold for the gold work and the silver for the silver, for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the Lord today?”

Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds,(G) and the officials in charge of the king’s work(H) gave willingly. For the service of God’s house they gave 185 tons[e] of gold and 10,000 gold coins,[f](I) 375 tons[g] of silver, 675 tons[h] of bronze, and 4,000 tons[i] of iron. Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Lord’s house under the care of Jehiel(J) the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders’ willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord with a whole heart.(K) King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Prayer

10 Then David praised the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said,

May You be praised, Lord God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity. 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.(L) 12 Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything.(M) Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.(N) 13 Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name.

14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.[j] 15 For we live before You as foreigners and temporary residents in Your presence as were all our ancestors.(O) Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.(P) 16 Yahweh our God, all this wealth that we’ve provided for building You a house for Your holy name comes from Your hand; everything belongs to You. 17 I know, my God, that You test the heart(Q) and that You are pleased with what is right.(R) I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present[k] here giving joyfully and[l] willingly to You. 18 Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the hearts of Your people, and confirm their hearts toward You. 19 Give my son Solomon a whole heart to keep and to carry out all Your commands, Your decrees, and Your statutes,(S) and to build the temple for which I have made provision.(T)

20 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So the whole assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors.(U) They bowed down and paid homage to the Lord and the king.(V)

21 The following day they offered sacrifices to the Lord and burnt offerings to the Lord: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, along with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.(W) 22 They ate and drank with great joy in the Lord’s presence that day.

The Enthronement of Solomon

Then, for a second time,(X) they made David’s son Solomon king; they anointed him[m] as the Lord’s ruler,(Y) and Zadok as the priest. 23 Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.(Z) 24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David’s sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25 The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel(AA) and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been bestowed on any king over Israel before him.(AB)

A Summary of David’s Life

26 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel.(AC) 27 The length of his reign over Israel was 40 years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for 33.(AD) 28 He died at a ripe old age,(AE) full of days,(AF) riches, and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place. 29 As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of Samuel the Seer,(AG) the Events of Nathan the Prophet,(AH) and the Events of Gad the Seer,(AI) 30 along with all his reign, his might, and the incidents that affected him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 29:2 Or mosaic
  2. 1 Chronicles 29:2 In Hb, the word antimony is similar to “turquoise”; Ex 28:18.
  3. 1 Chronicles 29:4 Lit 3,000 talents
  4. 1 Chronicles 29:4 Lit 7,000 talents
  5. 1 Chronicles 29:7 Lit 5,000 talents
  6. 1 Chronicles 29:7 Or drachmas, or darics
  7. 1 Chronicles 29:7 Lit 10,000 talents
  8. 1 Chronicles 29:7 Lit 18,000 talents
  9. 1 Chronicles 29:7 Lit 100,000 talents
  10. 1 Chronicles 29:14 Lit and from Your hand we have given to You
  11. 1 Chronicles 29:17 Lit found
  12. 1 Chronicles 29:17 Or now with joy I’ve seen Your people who are present here giving
  13. 1 Chronicles 29:22 LXX, Tg, Vg; MT omits him

29 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.

Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:

The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?

Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,

And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.

Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.

21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:

22 And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.

23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.

25 And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.