New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Then David said, "Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel."
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Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar for Israel's burned offerings.
2 David gave orders to gather together the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God.
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And David gave orders to get together all the men from strange lands who were in the land of Israel; and he put stone-cutters to work, cutting stones for building the house of God.
3 David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing,
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And he got together a great store of iron, for the nails for the doors and for the joins; and brass, more in weight than might be measured;
4 and cedar logs without number—for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David.
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And cedar-trees without number, for the Zidonians and the men of Tyre came with a great amount of cedar-trees for David.
5 For David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it." So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.
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And David said, Solomon my son is young and untested, and the house which is to be put up for the Lord is to be very great, a thing of wonder and glory through all countries; so I will make ready what is needed for it. So David got ready a great store of material before his death.
6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.
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Then he sent for his son Solomon, and gave him orders for the building of a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.
7 David said to Solomon, "My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the Lord my God.
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And David said to Solomon, My son, it was my desire to put up a house for the name of the Lord my God.
8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood in my sight on the earth.
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But the word of the Lord came to me saying, You have taken lives without number and made great wars; I will not let you be the builder of a house for my name, because of the lives you have taken on the earth before my eyes.
9 See, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.
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But you will have a son who will be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from wars on every side. His name will be Solomon, and in his time I will give Israel peace and quiet;
10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.'
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He will be the builder of a house for my name; he will be to me a son, and I will be to him a father; and I will make the seat of his rule over Israel certain for ever.
11 Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you.
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Now, my son, may the Lord be with you; and may you do well, and put up the house of the Lord your God, as he has said of you.
12 Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, so that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God.
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Only may the Lord give you wisdom, and knowledge of his orders for Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God.
13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed.
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And all will go well for you, if you take care to keep the laws and the rules which the Lord gave to Moses for Israel: be strong and take heart; have no fear and do not be troubled.
14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone too I have provided. To these you must add more.
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Now see, poor though I am, I have got ready for the house of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold and a million talents of silver; and a weight of brass and iron greater than may be measured; and wood and stone have I made ready, and you may put more to it.
15 You have an abundance of workers: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of artisans without number, skilled in working
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And you have a great number of workmen, cutters and workers of stone and wood, and experts in every sort of work,
16 gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you."
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In gold and silver and brass and iron more than may be numbered. Up! then, and to work; and may the Lord be with you.
17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying,
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Then David gave orders to all the chiefs of Israel to give their help to Solomon his son, saying,
18 "Is not the Lord your God with you? Has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people.
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Is not the Lord your God with you? and has he not given you rest on every side? for the Lord has given the people of the land into my hands, and the land is overcome before the Lord and before his people.
19 Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord."
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Now give your heart and soul to the worship of the Lord your God; and get to work on the building of the holy place of the Lord God, so that you may put the ark of the Lord's agreement and the holy vessels of God in the house which is to be made for the name of the Lord.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.