1 Chronicles 28:2-8

2 Then David the king rose to his feet and said: "My kinsmen and my people! Listen to me! I set my heart on building a house where the ark for the covenant of ADONAI could remain at rest. It would have been God's footstool, and I prepared to build it.
3 But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my name, because you are a man of war, you have shed blood.'
4 However, ADONAI the God of Isra'el chose me out of my father's whole family to be king over Isra'el forever; for he chose Y'hudah to be the leader; and in the house of Y'hudah, in the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, it was his pleasure to make me king over all Isra'el;
5 and of all my sons - for ADONAI has given me many sons - he has chosen Shlomo my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of ADONAI over Isra'el.
6 "Moreover, he said to me, 'Shlomo your son will build my house and courtyards, for I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him.
7 I will establish his kingdom forever, if he uses his strength to obey my mitzvot and abide by my rulings, as [he is doing] currently.'
8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Isra'el, the community of ADONAI, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the mitzvot of ADONAI your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants after you forever.

1 Chronicles 28:2-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 28

David, having convened the principal men of the nation, declared Solomon his successor, whom God had chosen both to be king, and to build the temple, 1Ch 28:1-7, and exhorted both them and him to serve the Lord, and build an house for him, 1Ch 28:8-10, then gave Solomon the pattern of it, and an account of the materials he had prepared for it, 1Ch 28:11-19, and encouraged him to go about the work with alacrity and intrepidity, 1Ch 28:20,21.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.