Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 Then David said, "This is where the LORD God's temple will be, along with Israel's altar for entirely burned offerings."
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So David declared, "From now on, this is the site for the worship of God; this is the place for Israel's Altar of Burnt Offering."
2 David gave orders to gather the immigrants living in the land of Israel, and he appointed masons who would cut stones for building God's temple.
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David ordered all the resident aliens in the land to come together; he sent them to the stone quarries to cut dressed stone to build The Temple of God.
3 David also provided a huge amount of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for the braces, so much bronze that it couldn't be weighed,
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He also stockpiled a huge quantity of iron for nails and bracings for the doors of the gates, more bronze than could be weighed,
4 and innumerable cedar logs from the Sidonians and the Tyrians, who gave them to David.
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and cedar logs past counting (the Sidonians and Tyrians shipped in huge loads of cedar logs for David).
5 David thought, My son Solomon is too inexperienced to build the LORD's temple. It must be great beyond compare in order to win fame and glory throughout all lands, so I myself will prepare things for him. So David made extensive preparations before his death.
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David was thinking, "My son Solomon is too young to plan ahead for this. But the sanctuary that is to be built for God has to be the greatest, the talk of all the nations; so I'll get the construction materials together." That's why David prepared this huge stockpile of building materials before he died.
6 David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel.
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Then he called in Solomon his son and commanded him to build a sanctuary for the God of Israel.
7 David said to Solomon, “My son, I had intended to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God.
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David said to Solomon, "I wanted in the worst way to build a sanctuary to honor my God.
8 But the LORD told me: You've shed much blood and waged great wars. You won't build a temple for my name because you've spilled so much blood on the ground before me.
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But God prevented me, saying, 'You've killed too many people, fought too many wars. You are not the one to honor me by building a sanctuary - you've been responsible for too much killing, too much bloodshed.
9 A son has just been born to you. He'll be a man of peace, and I'll give him peace with all his surrounding enemies. In fact, his name will be Solomon, and I'll give Israel peace and quiet during his reign.
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But you are going to have a son and he will be a quiet and peaceful man, and I will calm his enemies down on all sides. His very name will speak peace - that is, Solomon, which means Peace - and I'll give peace and rest under his rule.
10 He will be the one to build a temple for my name. He'll become my son, and I'll become his father, and I'll establish his royal throne over Israel forever.
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He will be the one to build a sanctuary in my honor. He'll be my royal adopted son and I'll be his father; and I'll make sure that the authority of his kingdom over Israel lasts forever.'
11 "Now, my son, may the LORD be with you so that you may successfully build the temple of the LORD your God, as he promised you.
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"So now, son, God be with you. God-speed as you build the sanctuary for your God, the job God has given you.
12 May the LORD be sure to give you insight and understanding so that when he appoints you over Israel, you will observe the Instruction from the LORD your God.
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And may God also give you discernment and understanding when he puts you in charge of Israel so that you will rule in reverent obedience under God's Revelation.
13 Then, if you carefully follow the regulations and case laws that the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel, you'll prosper. Be strong and brave. Don't be afraid or lose heart!
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That's what will make you successful, following the directions and doing the things that God commanded Moses for Israel. Courage! Take charge! Don't be timid; don't hold back.
14 With great effort I've now provided for the LORD's temple one hundred thousand kikkars of gold, one million kikkars of silver, and so much bronze and iron that it can't be weighed, as well as wood and stone, though you may add to these.
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Look at this - I've gone to a lot of trouble to stockpile materials for the sanctuary of God: 100,000 talents (3,775 tons) of gold, a million talents (37,750 tons) of silver, tons of bronze and iron - too much to weigh - and all this timber and stone. And you're free to add more.
15 You also have innumerable people to do the work: stonecutters, masons, and carpenters with every skill required for any task,
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And workers both plentiful and prepared: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, artisans in
16 whether in gold, silver, bronze, or iron. So get to work, and may the LORD be with you."
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gold and silver, bronze and iron. You're all set - get to work! And God-speed!"
17 Then David ordered all of Israel's leaders to help his son Solomon:
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David gave orders to all of Israel's leaders to help his son Solomon,
18 "The LORD your God is with you! He's given you peace on every side. He's placed under my power the land's people, so that the land is under the control of the LORD and his people.
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saying, "Isn't it obvious that your God is present with you; that he has given you peaceful relations with everyone around? My part in this was to put down the enemies, subdue the land to God and his people;
19 Now then, dedicate yourselves to seeking the LORD your God. Get to work and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the chest containing the LORD's covenant together with God's holy equipment may be brought into the temple built for the LORD's name."
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your part is to give yourselves, heart and soul, to praying to your God. So get moving - build the sacred house of worship to God! Then bring the Chest of the Covenant of God and all the holy furnishings for the worship of God into the sanctuary built in honor of God."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.