1 Chronicles

29* And King David said to all the assembly “My son Solomon, whom God has chosen, is young and tender, and the undertaking is a great one, for the castle is not for human beings but for Jehovah God. 2** And to the utmost of my power I have made ready for the house of my God the gold for the gold and the silver for the silver and the bronze for the bronze work and the iron for the ironwork and the wood for the woodwork, beryls and stones for setting, jet and agate and all sorts of precious stones, and marble in great quantity. 3 And furthermore, in my esteem for the house of my God I have a private fund of silver and gold; I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the sanctuary, 4* three thousand hundredweight of gold out of Ophir gold, and seven thousand hundredweight of refined silver to coat the walls of the houses, 5 for gold for the gold and for silver for the silver and for all work by the artists’ hands. And who volunteers to make his offering of consecration to Jehovah today?”

6 And the chiefs of families and the chiefs of tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds and the chief administrative officers came forward voluntarily 7* and gave for the work of the house of God gold five thousand hundredweight and twenty-seven hundred ounces, and silver ten thousand hundredweight, and bronze eighteen thousand hundredweight, and iron a hundred thousand hundredweight; 8 and any who had stones in their possession gave them to the stores of God’s house, into the hands of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 And the people rejoiced over their contribution, because they contributed to Jehovah with all their hearts; and King David too rejoiced greatly.

10 And David blessed Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly; and David said “Blessed be you, Jehovah, God of our father Israel, from age to age. 11* Yours, Jehovah, are greatness and might and magnificence and continuance and majesty, because everything in the heavens and on earth is yours; yours, Jehovah, is empire, and upraising to headship over all; 12 and wealth and state come from before you; and in your hands are power and might, and in your hands it is to give greatness and strength to all. 13 And now, our God, we are thanking you and praising your sublime name— 14 for who am I and who are my people, that we should hold power to come forward with gifts like these? for everything comes from you, and it is out of your own hands that we have given to you. 15 For we are visitors and tenants in your presence, as all our fathers were; our lifetime is like a shadow over the earth, and there is nothing to look forward to. 16 Jehovah our God, all this accumulation that we have got ready for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hands, and all belongs to you. 17 And I know, my God, that you probe hearts and approve sincere courses; it was in the sincerity of my heart that I volunteered all these things, and now I see with joy your people who have made their appearance here volunteer their offerings to you. 18 Jehovah, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this the bent of the thoughts of your people’s hearts forever and hold their hearts firmly toward you; 19 and give my son Solomon a staunch heart to keep your commandments, your lessons, and your rules, and to do all and build the castle I have prepared for.”

20 And David said to all the assembly “Bless your God Jehovah”; and all the assembly blessed their fathers’ God Jehovah, and bowed down and did reverence to Jehovah and to the king; 21 and they made sacrifices to Jehovah and offered burnt-offerings to Jehovah on the day following that, a thousand steers and a thousand rams and a thousand sheep and the libations for them, and sacrifices in great numbers for all Israel, 22* and ate and drank before Jehovah that day with a great merrymaking; and they installed David’s son Solomon as king, and anointed him as warden for Jehovah, and Sadok as priest.

23 And Solomon took his seat on Jehovah’s throne as king in place of his father David, and had good success, and all Israel listened to him. 24 And all the captains and the champions, and also all King David’s sons, gave homage to King Solomon. 25 And Jehovah made Solomon surpassingly great before the eyes of all Israel, and surrounded him with such royal grandeur as no king before him over Israel had had about him.

26 And David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years: at Hebron he reigned seven years and at Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three. 28 And he died at a good old age, having had all he wanted of lifetime and wealth and glory; and his son Solomon succeeded him. 29 And the histories of King David, the earlier and the later, are written in the histories of the seer Samuel and of the prophet Nathan and of the seer Gad, 30 together with all his empire and his prowess and the events that befell to him and to Israel and to all the kingdoms of the different countries.