- And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood up upon his feet and said, Hear me, my brethren and my people. As for me, I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building; but God said unto me, You shall not build a house for my name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.
- Nevertheless, the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever, for he has chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he preferred me, to make me king over all Israel. And of all my sons — for the Lord has given me many sons — he has chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon, your son, he shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son and I will be his father. Moreover, I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he is constant to do my commandments and my judgments as at this day.
- Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.
- And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever. Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.
- Then David gave to Solomon, his son, the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlors thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat — and the pattern of all that he had by the spirit — of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things; also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord.
- He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service; even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof; and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick. And by weight he gave gold for the tables of showbread, for every table, and likewise silver for the tables of silver; also pure gold for the forks, and the bowls, and the cups. And for the golden basins he gave gold by weight for every basin, and likewise silver by weight for every basin of silver, and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight, and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
- All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.
- And David said to Solomon, his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it. Fear not, nor be dismayed; for the Lord God, even my God, will be with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. And behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with you for all the service of the house of God. And there shall be with you for all manner of workmanship every willing skillful man, for any manner of service. Also, the princes and all the people will be wholly at your commandment.
- Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender; and the work is great, for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood, onyx stones, and stones to be set — glistening stones, and of diverse colors — and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones, in abundance.
- Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of my own possession of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, even three thousand talents of gold (of the gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses — the gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver — and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of craftsmen. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?
- Then the chief of the fathers, and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly, and gave for the service of the house of God: of gold, five thousand talents and ten thousand drams; and of silver, ten thousand talents; and of brass, eighteen thousand talents; and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord. And David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
- Wherefore, David blessed the Lord before all of the congregation, and David said, Blessed be you, Lord God of Israel, our father, for ever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty. For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of you, and you reign over all. And in your hand is power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name.
- But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you, and sojourners, as were all our fathers. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes of your hand, and is all your own.
- I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy your people who are present here to offer willingly unto you. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart unto you. And give unto Solomon, my son, a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things and to build the palace for which I have made provision.
- And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all of the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and worshipped the Lord, and the king.
- And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the next day after that day — even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel — and did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness.
- And they made Solomon, the son of David, king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king, instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king. And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
- Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel, and the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. Seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty-three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
- Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
Chapter 12