PART
ONE: v.1-5: David makes preparations for the temple building
v.1
David sees a need for the temple to be built
v.1
Then David
said, ‘The house of the Lord
God is to
be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.'
v.2-5
So David makes preparations for the temple building work
v.2
So
David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel,
and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed
stone for building the house of God.
v.3
He
provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of
the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could
be weighed.
v.4
He
also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians
and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.
v.5
David
said, ‘My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house
to be built for the Lord
should be
of great magnificence and fame and splendour in the sight of all
the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.' So
David made extensive preparations before his death.
PART
TWO: v.6-16: David instructs Solomon
v.6,7
David explains to Solomon how he had intended to build a temple
for the Lord....
v.6
Then
he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house
for the Lord
, the God of
Israel.
v.7
David
said to Solomon: ‘My son, I had it in my heart to build a house
for the Name of the Lord
my God.
v.8-11
...but the Lord had stopped him and said Solomon was to do it.
v.8
But
this word of the Lord
came to me:
“You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not
to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood
on the earth in my sight.
v.9
But
you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I
will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name
will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during
his reign.
v.10
He
is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son,
and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his
kingdom over Israel for ever.”
v.11
‘Now,
my son, the Lord
be with you,
and may you have success and build the house of the Lord
your God,
as he said you would.
v.12,13
He exhorts Solomon to obey God's laws
v.12
May
the Lord
give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command
over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord
your God.
v.13
Then
you will have success if you are careful to observe the
decrees and laws that the Lord
gave to Moses
for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
v.14-16
He explains how he has made provision for the building work
v.14
‘I
have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord
a hundred
thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities
of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone.
And you may add to them.
v.15
You
have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well
as those skilled in every kind of work
v.16
in
gold and silver, bronze and iron – craftsmen beyond number.
Now begin the work, and the Lord
be with you.'
PART
THREE: v.17-19: David instructs the people
v.17
Then
David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.
v.18
He
said to them, ‘Is not the Lord
your God with
you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has
given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land
is subject to the Lord
and to his
people.
v.19
Now
devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord
your God.
Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord
God, so that
you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord
and the sacred
articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for
the Name of the Lord.'
Continue
to Ch.23