The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 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."
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Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
2 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.
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And 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.
3 He also stockpiled a huge quantity of iron for nails and bracings for the doors of the gates, more bronze than could be weighed,
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And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
4 and cedar logs past counting (the Sidonians and Tyrians shipped in huge loads of cedar logs for David).
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Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.
5 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.
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And 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.
6 Then he called in Solomon his son and commanded him to build a sanctuary for the God of Israel.
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Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.
7 David said to Solomon, "I wanted in the worst way to build a sanctuary to honor my God.
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And 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:
8 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.
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But 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.
9 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.
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Behold, 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.
10 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.'
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He 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.
11 "So now, son, God be with you. God-speed as you build the sanctuary for your God, the job God has given you.
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Now, 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.
12 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.
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Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
13 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.
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Then 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.
14 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.
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Now, 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.
15 And workers both plentiful and prepared: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, artisans in
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Moreover 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.
16 gold and silver, bronze and iron. You're all set - get to work! And God-speed!"
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Of 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.
17 David gave orders to all of Israel's leaders to help his son Solomon,
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David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
18 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;
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Is 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.
19 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."
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Now 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.
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.
The King James Version is in the public domain.