New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 Then David said, “This will be the location for the Temple of the LORD God and the place of the altar for Israel’s burnt 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 So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God.
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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 provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could 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 He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar 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 said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the LORD must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials 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 Then 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 “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God,” David told him.
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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 said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name.
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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 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel 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 is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom 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 and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the LORD your God.
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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 And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel.
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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 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not 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 “I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the LORD —nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver, and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more.
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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 have a large number of skilled stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind.
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And workers both plentiful and prepared: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, artisans in
16 You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the 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 the leaders of Israel to assist Solomon in this project.
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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 declared. “He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to 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 seek the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the LORD God so that you can bring the Ark of the LORD ’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor 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."
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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.