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King David commanded all the officials of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem. So all the officials of the tribes, the officials who administered the work of the kingdom, the leaders of the clans, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and his sons - indeed all the palace officials, leading soldiers, and important men - gathered in Jerusalem.
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David stood before them and addressed them: "My friends, listen to me. I wanted to build a permanent home for the Covenant Box, the footstool of the Lord our God. I have made preparations for building a temple to honor him,
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but he has forbidden me to do it, because I am a soldier and have shed too much blood.
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The Lord, the God of Israel, chose me and my descendants to rule Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to provide leadership, and out of Judah he chose my father's family. From all that family it was his pleasure to take me and make me king over all Israel.
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He gave me many sons, and out of them all he chose Solomon to rule over Israel, the Lord's kingdom.
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"The Lord said to me, "Your son Solomon is the one who will build my Temple. I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
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I will make his kingdom last forever if he continues to obey carefully all my laws and commands as he does now.'
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"So now, my people, in the presence of our God and of this assembly of all Israel, the Lord's people, I charge you to obey carefully everything that the Lord our God has commanded us, so that you may continue to possess this good land and so that you may hand it on to succeeding generations forever."
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And to Solomon he said, "My son, I charge you to acknowledge your father's God and to serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind. He knows all our thoughts and desires. If you go to him, he will accept you; but if you turn away from him, he will abandon you forever.
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You must realize that the Lord has chosen you to build his holy Temple. Now do it - and do it with determination."