The First Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

Then David said: This is the house of God, and this is the altar for the holocaust of Israel.

And he commanded to gather together all the proselytes of the land of Israel, and out of them he appointed stonecutters to hew stones and polish them, to build the house of God.

And David prepared in abundance iron for the nails of the gates, and for the closures and joinings: and of brass an immense weight.

And the cedar trees were without number, which the Sidonians, and Tyrians brought to David.

And David said: Solomon my son is very young and tender, and the house which I would have to be built to the Lord, must be such as to be renowned in all countries: therefore I will prepare him necessaries. And therefore before his death he prepared all the charges.

Solomon Anointed to Build the Temple

And he called for Solomon his son: and commanded him to build a house to the Lord the God of Israel.

And David said to Solomon: My son, it was my desire to have built a house to the name of the Lord my God.

But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thou hast shed much blood, and fought many battles, so thou canst not build a house to my name, after shedding so much blood before me:

The son, that shall be born to thee, shall be a most quiet man: for I will make him rest from all his enemies round about: and therefore he shall be called Peaceable: and I will give peace and quietness to Israel all his days.

He shall build a house to my name, and he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him: and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

Now then, my son, the Lord be with thee, and do thou prosper, and build the house to the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken of thee.

The Lord also give thee wisdom and understanding, that thou mayest be able to rule Israel, and to keep the law of the Lord thy God.

For then thou shalt be able to prosper, if thou keep the commandments, and judgments, which the Lord commanded Moses to teach Israel: take courage and act manfully, fear not, nor be dismayed.

Behold I in my poverty have prepared the charges of the house of the Lord, of gold a hundred thousand talents, and of silver a million of talents: but of brass, and of iron there is no weight, for the abundance surpasseth all account: timber also and stones I have prepared for all the charges.

Thou hast also workmen in abundance, hewers of stones, and masons, and carpenters, and of all trades the most skillful in their work,

In gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, whereof there is no number. Arise then, and be doing, and the Lord will be with thee.

David also charged all the princes of Israel, to help Solomon his son,

Saying: You see, that the Lord your God is with you, and hath given you rest round about, and hath delivered all your enemies into your hands, and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people.

Give therefore your hearts and your souls, to seek the Lord your God: and arise, and build a sanctuary to the Lord God, that the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the vessels consecrated to the Lord, may be brought into the house, which is built to the name of the Lord.

Then David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build God’s house.

David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the couplings, and bronze in abundance without weight,

and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.

David said, “Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David prepared abundantly before his death.

Solomon Anointed to Build the Temple

Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.

David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God.

But the LORD’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and prosper you, and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you.

May the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.

Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid and don’t be dismayed.

Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the LORD’s house one hundred thousand talents

(a)

of gold, one million talents

(b)

of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them.

There are also workmen with you in abundance—cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work;

of the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may the LORD be with you.”

David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

“Isn’t the LORD your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD and before his people.

Now set your heart and your soul to follow the LORD your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the LORD’s covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the LORD’s name.”

Footnotes

(a)22:14 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 100,000 talents is about 3 metric tons

(b)22:14 about 30,000 metric tons