1大衛說：「耶和華上帝的殿和以色列人獻燔祭的壇要在這裡。」
大衛籌備建殿
2大衛下令召集住在以色列的外族人，派他們採鑿建上帝殿用的石頭。 3大衛預備了大量的鐵，用來做門扇的釘子和鉤子，又預備了不計其數的銅。 4他還預備了無數的香柏木，都是西頓人和泰爾人給他運來的。
5大衛說：「為耶和華建造的殿宇必須宏偉輝煌，聞名於世，而我的兒子所羅門年紀還輕、閱歷尚淺，所以我要為這殿預備材料。」因此，大衛在去世前為建殿預備了許多材料。
6大衛召來兒子所羅門，囑咐他要為以色列的上帝耶和華建造殿宇。 7他對所羅門說：「兒啊，我本想為我的上帝耶和華的名建造一座殿宇。 8但耶和華對我說，『你殺了許多人，打了很多仗，在我眼前使許多人血灑大地，因此你不可為我的名建造殿宇。 9你將生一個兒子，我必使他安享太平，不受四圍的仇敵侵擾。他的名字要叫所羅門，他執政期間，我必使以色列太平安寧。 10他將為我的名建造殿宇，他要做我的兒子，我要做他的父親，我要使他的王朝在以色列永遠長存。』
11「兒啊，願耶和華與你同在，使你亨通，照你的上帝耶和華的吩咐去建造祂的殿。 12願耶和華賜你聰明和智慧，以便你照祂的律法治理以色列。 13你若謹遵耶和華藉摩西吩咐以色列的律例和典章，就必亨通。你要剛強勇敢，不可驚慌害怕。 14看啊，我歷盡艱辛，為耶和華的殿預備了三千四百五十噸金子、三萬四千五百噸銀子和不計其數的銅和鐵。我還預備了木料和石頭。你還要多加預備。 15你有許多工匠，如鑿石匠、砌石匠、木匠等各種能工巧匠， 16還有不計其數的金匠、銀匠、銅匠和鐵匠。現在動工吧，願耶和華與你同在。」
17大衛又吩咐以色列的眾首領幫助他兒子所羅門， 18他說：「你們的上帝耶和華與你們同在，使你們四境平安。祂將這地方的居民交在我手中，使這地方被祂和祂的子民治理。 19現在，你們要全心全意地尋求你們的上帝耶和華，去建造耶和華上帝的聖所，好將祂的約櫃和聖潔器皿都放在裡面。」
1David announced, “The house of the Lord God will be built here. Israel’s altar for burnt offerings will also be here.”
David Makes Plans for Building the Temple
2David gave orders to bring together the outsiders who were living in Israel. He appointed some of them to cut stones. He wanted them to prepare blocks of stone for building the house of God. 3David provided a large amount of iron to make nails. They were for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings. He provided more bronze than anyone could weigh. 4He also provided more cedar logs than anyone could count. The people of Sidon and Tyre brought large numbers of logs to David.
5David said, “My son Solomon is young. He’s never done anything like this before. The house that will be built for the Lord should be very grand and wonderful. All the nations should consider it to be famous and beautiful. I’ll get things ready for it.” So David got many things ready before he died.
6Then he sent for his son Solomon. He told him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7David said to Solomon, “My son, with all my heart I wanted to build a house for the Lord my God. That’s where his Name will be. 8But a message from the Lord came to me. It said, ‘You have spilled the blood of many people. You have fought many wars. You are not the one who will build a house for my Name. That is because I have seen you spill the blood of many people on the earth. 9But you are going to have a son. He will be a man of peace. And I will give him peace and rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon. I will give Israel peace and quiet while he is king. 10He will build a house for my Name. He will be my son. And I will be his father. I will make his kingdom secure over Israel. It will last forever.’
11“My son, may the Lord be with you. May you have success. May you build the house of the Lord your God, just as he said you would. 12May the Lord give you good sense. May he give you understanding when he makes you king over Israel. Then you will keep the law of the Lord your God. 13Be careful to obey the rules and laws the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Then you will have success. Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope.
14“I’ve tried very hard to provide for the Lord’s temple. I’ve provided 3,750 tons of gold and 37,500 tons of silver. I’ve provided more bronze and iron than anyone can weigh. I’ve also given plenty of wood and stone. You can add to it. 15You have a lot of workers. You have people who can cut stones and people who can lay the stones. You have people who can work with wood. You also have people who are skilled in every other kind of work. 16Some of them can work with gold and silver. Others can work with bronze and iron. There are more workers than anyone can count. So begin the work. May the Lord be with you.”
17Then David ordered all Israel’s leaders to help his son Solomon. 18He said to them, “The Lord your God is with you. He’s given you peace and rest on every side. He’s handed over to me the people who are living in the land. The land has been brought under the control of the Lord and his people. 19So be committed to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Start building the temple of the Lord God. Then bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord into it. Also bring in the sacred objects that belong to God. The temple will be built for the Name of the Lord.”
