1 Chronicles 22

Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

1Then David said, "This is where the house of the LORD God will be. The altar for burning gifts to God will be here too."

2And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

2David told his men to gather the foreigners living in Israel. He put them to work cutting stones for God's house.

3And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;

3David got a lot of iron. It was for nails for the gate doors and for fittings. He got so much bronze that no one could weigh it all.

NoteThe KJV says "brass," but the metal here is bronze, a mix of copper and tin.

4Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

4He also got more cedar logs than anyone could count. Men from Sidon and Tyre brought David lots of cedar wood.

5And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

5David said, "My son Solomon is young and has not learned much yet. The house built for the LORD must be very grand. People in every land must hear how great it is. So I will get things ready for it now." David got a huge amount ready before he died.

Note"Tender" in the old English means young and not yet experienced, not soft or gentle.

6Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.

6Then David called for his son Solomon. He told him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.

7And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:

7David said to Solomon, "My son, I wanted to build a house for the name of the LORD my God.

8But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

8But the LORD said this to me: 'You have spilled much blood and fought big wars. You will not build a house for my name. You have spilled too much blood on the ground while I watched.

9Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

9But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies. His name will be Solomon. I will give Israel peace and quiet while he rules.

10He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

10He is the one who will build a house for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will make his family rule Israel forever.'

11Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

11Now, my son, may the LORD be with you. May you do well and build the house of the LORD your God, just as he said you would.

12Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

12Most of all, may the LORD give you good sense and understanding. May he give it when he puts you in charge of Israel. Then you can keep the law of the LORD your God.

13Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

13You will do well if you carefully obey the rules God gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid. Do not lose heart.

14Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

14Look, I worked hard to get things ready for the house of the LORD. I set aside 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver. I got more bronze and iron than anyone can weigh. I also got wood and stone. You may add more to it.

NoteA talent was a large weight, about 75 pounds. These numbers describe an enormous amount of gold and silver.

15Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.

15You also have many workers. There are men who cut stone, and men who build with stone and wood. There are men skilled at every kind of work.

16Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

16You have more gold, silver, bronze, and iron than anyone can count. So get up and start the work. May the LORD be with you."

17David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

17David also told all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said to them,

18Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.

18"Is the LORD your God not with you? Has he not given you rest on every side? He handed the people of this land over to me. The land now obeys the LORD and his people.

19Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

19Now give your whole heart to seeking the LORD your God. Get up and build the holy house of the LORD God. Then you can bring in the ark of the covenant of the LORD. You can bring in the holy dishes and tools of God too. They will go into the house built for the name of the LORD."

NoteThe ark of the covenant was a special gold-covered box. It held the stone tablets with God's laws on them.