Bible in 90 Days Plan

¹Then it happened at the end of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged and devastated the land of the Ammonites, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem [with Bathsheba]. Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it.

²David took the crown of their king from his head and found that it weighed a talent of gold and that there was a precious stone in it; so it was set on David's head. He also brought a very great amount of spoil (plunder) out of the city [of Rabbah].

³He brought out the people who were in it, and put them [to work] with saws, iron picks, and axes. David dealt in this way with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

⁴Now it came about after this that war broke out at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the giants, and they were subdued.

⁵There was war again with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

⁶Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants.

⁷When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.

⁸These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

¹Satan [the adversary] stood up against Israel and incited David to count [the population of] Israel.

²So David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, "Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me their total, so that I may know it."

³Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then does my lord require this? Why will he bring guilt on Israel?"

⁴But the king's word prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.

⁵Then Joab gave the total of the census of the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and in Judah 470,000 men who drew the sword.

⁶But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king's order was detestable to Joab.

⁷Now God was displeased with this act [of arrogance and pride], and He struck Israel.

⁸Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. But now, I beseech You, take away the wickedness and guilt of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly."

⁹And the LORD said to Gad, David's seer,

¹⁰"Go and tell David, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "I offer you three choices; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you [as punishment for your sin]."'"

¹¹So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Choose for yourself

¹²either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your enemies, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD and plague in the land, and the angel of the LORD bringing destruction throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me."

¹³David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

¹⁴So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell.

¹⁵God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was destroying it, the LORD looked, and relented concerning the catastrophe and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now remove your hand [of judgment]." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

¹⁶Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

¹⁷David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded the people to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done evil; but as for these sheep [the people of Israel], what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."

¹⁸Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

¹⁹So David went up at Gad's word, which he spoke in the name of the LORD.

²⁰Now Ornan was threshing wheat, and he turned back and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves.

²¹As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw him, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

²²Then David said to Ornan, "Give me the site of this threshing floor, so that I may build an altar on it to the LORD. You shall charge me the full price for it, so that the plague may be averted from the people."

²³Ornan said to David, "Take it for yourself; and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I will give you the oxen also for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges (heavy wooden platforms) for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all."

²⁴But King David said to Ornan, "No, I will certainly pay the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing."

²⁵So David gave Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site.

²⁶Then David built an altar to the LORD there and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called on the LORD, and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

²⁷Then the LORD commanded the [avenging] angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

²⁸At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there.

²⁹For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.

³⁰But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

¹Then David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel."

²So David gave orders to gather the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, and he assigned stonecutters to hew out stones to build the house of God.

³David prepared large quantities of iron to make nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps (trusses), and more bronze than could be weighed;

⁴and cedar trees beyond number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David.

⁵David said, "Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and an object of glory and splendor throughout all lands [of the earth]. So now I will make preparations for it." Therefore, David made ample preparations before his death.

⁶Then he called for Solomon his son and ordered him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.

⁷David said to Solomon, "My son, I had intended to build a house for the Name (Presence) of the LORD my God.

⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house for My Name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before me.

⁹Behold, a son will be born to you, who will be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

¹⁰He shall build a house for My Name (Presence). He shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish his royal throne over Israel forever.'

¹¹Now, my son, may the LORD be with you so that you may be successful and build the house of the LORD your God, just as He has spoken concerning you.

¹²Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.

¹³Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe and fulfill the statutes and ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed.

¹⁴Now listen, with great trouble I have prepared and provided for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for they are great in quantity. I have also prepared and provided timber and stone, and you may add to them.

¹⁵Further, you have workmen in abundance: stonecutters and stonemasons and carpenters, and all men who are skillful in every kind of work.

¹⁶As for the gold, the silver, the bronze, and the iron, there is no limit. So arise and begin working, and may the LORD be with you."

¹⁷David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

¹⁸"Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you rest and peace on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people.

¹⁹Now set your heart and your soul to seek (inquire of, require as your vital necessity) the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy articles and utensils of God into the house built for the Name (Presence) of the LORD."

¹When David reached old age, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

²And he assembled together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and Levites.

³The Levites thirty years old and upward were counted, and their number man by man was 38,000.

⁴Of these24,000 were to oversee and inspect the work of the house of the LORD and 6,000 were to be administrators and judges,

⁵and 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 [musicians] were to praise the LORD with the instruments which David made for giving praise.

⁶And David organized them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷Of the Gershonites: Ladan (Libni) and Shimei.

⁸The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first and Zetham and Joel—three in all.

⁹The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the fathers' households of Ladan.

¹⁰The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina (Zizah), Jeush, and Beriah. These were the four sons of Shimei.

¹¹Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons [not enough for a father's house or clan], so they were [counted together] as one father's household, one working group.

¹²The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.

¹³The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, attend to His service, and to bless [worshipers] in His name forever.

¹⁴But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were counted among the tribe of Levi.

¹⁵The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

¹⁶The son of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

¹⁷The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah's sons were very many [in number].

¹⁸The son of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

¹⁹The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁰The sons of Uzziel: Micah the first and Isshiah the second.

²¹The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

²²Eleazar died and had no sons, but daughters only, and their relatives, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.

²³The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.

²⁴These were the Levites by their fathers' households, the heads of the fathers' households of those registered, according to the number of names of the individuals who were the servants of the house of the LORD, from twenty years old and upward.

²⁵For David said, "The LORD God of Israel, has given peace and rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever.

²⁶Also, the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its utensils for its service."

²⁷For by the last words of David, the Levites from twenty years old and above were counted.

²⁸For their duty is to assist [the priests] the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD, in [caring for] the courtyards, the chambers, the purifying of all holy things, and any work of the service of the house of God,

²⁹and with the showbread, and the fine flour for a grain offering, and unleavened wafers, or what is baked in the pan or what is well-mixed, and all measures of volume and size [as the Law of Moses required].

³⁰They are to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at evening,

³¹and to offer all burnt sacrifices to the LORD on the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the festivals by number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before the LORD.

³²So they shall be responsible for the Tent of Meeting, the Holy Place, and the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the LORD.

¹The divisions of the descendants of Aaron were these: the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

²But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no sons; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

³David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices for their assigned duties.

⁴Since there were more chief men found among the descendants of Eleazar than among the descendants of Ithamar [because of Eli's misfortunes, and Saul's massacre of the priests at Nob], they were divided in this way: sixteen heads of fathers' households of the descendants of Eleazar and eight of the descendants of Ithamar, corresponding to their fathers' households.

⁵So they were divided by lot, one group with the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers (high priests) of God, both from the descendants of Eleazar and from the descendants of Ithamar.

⁶Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the officers, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar [the priest who escaped Saul's massacre at Nob], and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites; one father's household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar.

⁷The lots fell, the first one to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

⁸the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

⁹the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

¹²the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

¹⁴the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹These were their offices and positions for their service in the house of the LORD according to the ordinance given to them by their father (ancestor) Aaron, just as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

²⁰Now as for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram: Shubael; of the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

²¹Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah: Isshiah the first.

²²Of the Izharites: Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.

²³The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴Of the sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir.

²⁵The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.

²⁶The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, Beno.

²⁷The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸By Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹By Kish: the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel.

³⁰The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers' households.

³¹These also cast lots as did their relatives the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites—the head of father's households as well as those of his younger brother.

¹Moreover, David and the commanders of the army selected for the [temple] service some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of the musicians who performed their service was as follows:

²Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king.

³Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the LORD.

⁴Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

⁵All these [men] were the sons of Heman the king's seer to exalt him in accordance with the words of God; for God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

⁶All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order and direction of the king.

⁷So their number [who led the remainder of the 4,000], with their relatives who were trained in singing to the LORD, all who were skillful, was 288.

⁸The musicians cast lots for their duties, everyone alike, the small (younger) as well as the great (older), the teacher as well as the student.

⁹The first lot for Asaph fell to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, to him, his relatives and his sons, twelve;

¹⁰the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹¹the fourth to Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹²the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹³the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁴the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁷the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁰the thirteenth to Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²¹the fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²²the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²³the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁴the seventeenth of Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁵the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁶the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁷the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁸the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁹the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

³⁰the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

³¹the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

¹For the divisions of the gatekeepers: Of the Korahites: Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

²Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

³Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.

⁴Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God had blessed him.

⁶Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over the house of their father, for they were courageous men of ability.

⁷The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were courageous and able men, Elihu and Semachiah.

⁸All these were sons of Obed-edom [in whose house the ark was kept], they and their sons and relatives, strong and able men for the service—sixty-two from Obed-edom.

⁹Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, eighteen courageous men.

¹⁰Also Hosah, one of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the first and chief (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first),

¹¹Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; the sons and relatives of Hosah were thirteen in all.

¹²To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given duties, like their relatives, to minister in the house of the LORD.

¹³They cast lots, the small (younger) and great (older) alike, in accordance with their fathers' households, for every gate.

¹⁴The lot for the east [gates] fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the north [gates].

¹⁵To Obed-edom [it came out] for the south [gates], and the storehouse was allotted to his sons.

¹⁶To Shuppim and Hosah [the lot fell] for the west [gates], by the gate of Shallecheth, on the ascending highway, division by division.

¹⁷On the east were six Levites, on the north four a day, on the south four a day, and two by two at the storehouse.

¹⁸At the colonnade on the west side [of the outer court of the temple] there were four at the road and two at the colonnade.

¹⁹These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Korahites and the sons of Merari.

²⁰Of the Levites, Ahijah was in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts.

²¹The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, namely, the Jehielites, were the heads of the fathers' households, belonging to Ladan the Gershonite.

²²The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

²³Of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites:

²⁴Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was supervisor over the treasuries.

²⁵His relatives by Eliezer were his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth.

²⁶This Shelomoth and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts which King David, the heads of the fathers' households, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had dedicated.

²⁷From spoil won in battles they dedicated gifts to maintain and repair the house of the LORD.

²⁸Also all that Samuel the seer had dedicated, and Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah, everyone who had dedicated anything, this was in the care of Shelomoth and his relatives.

²⁹Of the Izharites: Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to outside duties for Israel, as administrators and judges.

³⁰Of the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, were in charge of the affairs of Israel west of the Jordan, for all the work of the LORD and the service of the king.

³¹Of the Hebronites: Jerijah was the chief (these Hebronites were examined according to their descendants and fathers' households in the fortieth [and final] year of David's reign, and men of courage and ability were found among them at Jazer in Gilead)

³²and Jerijah's relatives, 2,700 capable men, were heads of fathers' households; and King David made them overseers of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for everything pertaining to God and to the king.

¹This is the list of the sons (descendants) of Israel, the heads of fathers' households, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout the year, each division numbering 24,000:

²Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division for the first month; and in his division were 24,000.

³He was descended from Perez, and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month.

⁴Dodai the Ahohite and his division was in charge of the division for the second month, Mikloth was the chief officer; and in his division were 24,000.

⁵The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, as chief; and in his division were 24,000.

⁶This is the Benaiah who was the mighty man of the thirty and was in charge of the thirty; and Ammizabad his son was over his division.

⁷The fourth, for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him; and in his division were 24,000.

⁸The fifth, for the fifth month was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite; and in his division were 24,000.

⁹The sixth, for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; and in his division were 24,000.

¹⁰The seventh, for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000.

¹¹The eighth, for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000.

¹²The ninth, for the ninth month was Abiezer of Anathoth, a Benjamite; and in his division were 24,000.

¹³The tenth, for the tenth month was Maharai from Netophah of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000.

¹⁴The eleventh, for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000.

¹⁵The twelfth, for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000.

¹⁶Now in charge of the tribes of Israel [were the following]: chief officer of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;

¹⁷of Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; of Aaron, Zadok;

¹⁸of Judah, Elihu, one of David's brothers; of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael;

¹⁹of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; of Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel;

²⁰of the Ephraimites, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah;

²¹of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner;

²²of Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.

²³But David did not count those twenty years of age and under, for the LORD had said he would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven.

²⁴Joab the son of Zeruiah began a census but did not finish; and because of this, [God's] wrath came on Israel, and the number was not recorded in the chronicles of King David.

²⁵Azmaveth the son of Adiel was in charge of the king's storerooms; and Jonathan the son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers.

²⁶Ezri the son of Chelub was in charge of those who did the work of the field, tilling the soil.

²⁷Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards; Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars.

²⁸Baal-hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in Shephelah (the lowlands); and Joash was in charge of the stores of [olive] oil.

²⁹Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the cattle grazing in Sharon; Shaphat the son of Adlai was in charge of the cattle in the valleys.

³⁰Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels; and Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.

³¹Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the flocks. All these were overseers and stewards of the property which belonged to King David.

³²Also Jonathan, David's uncle, was a counselor and advisor, a man of understanding and wisdom, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni attended (tutored) the king's sons.

³³Ahithophel was counselor to the king; and Hushai the Archite was the king's companion and friend.

³⁴Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada the son of Benaiah and by Abiathar; and Joab was the commander of the king's army.

¹David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders (officials) of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, with the palace officers and the mighty men, and all the brave warriors.

²Then David the king rose to his feet and said, "Hear me, my brothers [in arms] and my people. I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God, and I prepared materials for the building.

³But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My Name (Presence), because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'

⁴However, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all in my father's house to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be the leader; and in the house (tribe) of Judah he chose the house of my father; and among the sons of my father He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.

⁵Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

⁶He said to me, 'Solomon your son shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him.

⁷I will establish his kingdom forever if he loyally and continually obeys My commandments and My ordinances, as is done today.'

⁸Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of the LORD your God so that you may possess the good land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons after you forever.

⁹"As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever.

¹⁰Consider this carefully, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be courageous and strong and do it."

¹¹Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan for the porch of the temple, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner rooms, and for the place for the [ark and its] mercy seat;

¹²and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storerooms of the house of God and for the storerooms for the dedicated gifts and offerings;

¹³the plan for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service in the house of the LORD and for all the utensils for service in the house of the LORD;

¹⁴for the golden utensils, the weight of gold and silver for all the gold and silver articles for every kind of service;

¹⁵and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand;

¹⁶the gold by weight for each table of showbread, and the silver for the tables of silver;

¹⁷and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl;

¹⁸and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the Lord's covenant.

¹⁹"All this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the work and details [to be done] according to this plan."

²⁰Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and take action; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor abandon you [but will guide you in the construction] until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

²¹And see, [you have] the divisions of the priests and Levites for all the service of God's house, and every willing, skillful man will be with you in all the kinds of work for any kind of service. Also the officers and all the people will be entirely at your command."

¹And King David said to all the assembly, "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man but for the LORD God.

²So with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, silver for the things of silver, bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, as well as onyx stones and stones to be inlaid, stones of antimony (a brittle, silvery-white metal) and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones and alabaster in abundance.

³Moreover, because I delight in the house of my God, the [personal] treasure that I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, in addition to all that I have already provided for the holy house:

⁴namely, 3,000 talents of gold from the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings;

⁵gold for the things of gold, silver for the things of silver, that is, for all the work to be done by craftsmen. Now who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD?"

⁶Then the rulers of the fathers' households, and leaders of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with the overseers of the king's work, offered willingly

⁷and gave for the service of the house of God: 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron.

⁸Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite.

⁹Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole and blameless heart they had offered freely to the LORD. King David also rejoiced greatly.

¹⁰Therefore David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly and said, "Blessed (praised, adored, and thanked) are You, O LORD God of Israel (Jacob) our father, forever and ever.

¹¹Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and on the earth; Yours is the dominion and kingdom, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

¹²Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand is power and might; and it is in Your hands to make great and to give strength to everyone.

¹³Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.

¹⁴"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.

¹⁵For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope [of remaining].

¹⁶O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy Name, it is from Your hand, and is all Your own.

¹⁷I know also, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness and integrity. In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. So now with joy I have seen Your people who are present here, make their offerings willingly and freely to You.

¹⁸O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the minds of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You;

¹⁹and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do all [that is necessary] to build the temple [for You], for which I have made provision."

²⁰Then David said to all the assembly, "Now bless (praise, thank) the LORD your God." And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and honored the LORD and to the king [as His earthly representative].

²¹The next day they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings to the LORD: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings (libations) and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.

²²They ate and drank that day before the LORD with great rejoicing. They made Solomon the son of David king a second time, and anointed him as ruler for the LORD and Zadok as [high] priest.

²³Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.

²⁴All of the leaders and warriors, and also all the sons of King David, pledged allegiance to King Solomon.

²⁵The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him royal majesty which had not been on any king before him in Israel.

²⁶Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

²⁷The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

²⁸He died in a good old age [his seventy-first year], full of days (satisfied), riches and honor. Solomon his son reigned in his place.

²⁹Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the chronicles (records) of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the chronicles of Gad the seer,

³⁰with [accounts of] all his reign, and his power, and the times and circumstances which came on him, on Israel, and on all the kingdoms of the [surrounding] lands.

¹Solomon the son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

²Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers' (ancestors') households.

³Then Solomon and all the assembly went to the high place at Gibeon [to offer sacrifices, where the Canaanites had habitually worshiped], for God's Tent of Meeting was there, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

⁴But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

⁵Now the bronze altar, which Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was there before the tabernacle of the LORD, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out.

⁶And Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD at the Tent of Meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

⁷That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask what I shall give to you."

⁸Then Solomon said to God, "You have shown great lovingkindness and mercy to my father David, and have made me king in his place.

⁹Now, O LORD God, Your promise to my father David is fulfilled, for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

¹⁰Give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in [performing my duties] before this people, for [otherwise] who can rule and administer justice to this great people of Yours?"

¹¹God replied to Solomon, "Because this was in your heart and you did not ask for riches, possessions or honor and personal glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself so that you may rule and administer justice to My people over whom I have made you king,

¹²wisdom and knowledge have been granted you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor will those who will come after you."

¹³So Solomon went from the high place at Gibeon, from the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

¹⁴Solomon acquired chariots and horsemen; he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the cities [suited for the use] of chariots and with the king at Jerusalem.

¹⁵The king made silver and gold as plentiful and common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore-fig trees in the lowland.

¹⁶Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue. The king's merchants purchased them [in large numbers] from Kue at a price.

¹⁷And they imported chariots from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver apiece, and horses for 150 apiece; and in the same way they exported horses to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Arameans (Syrians).

¹Now Solomon decided to build a house (temple) for the Name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself.

²So Solomon assigned 70,000 men to carry loads, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 to supervise them.

³Then Solomon sent word to Hiram king of Tyre, saying, "As you dealt with my father David and sent him cedars to build himself a house in which to live, [please] do the same for me.

⁴Observe, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, dedicated to Him, to burn fragrant incense [of sweet spices] before Him, to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the festivals of the LORD our God, as ordained forever in Israel.

⁵The house I am going to build will be great, for our God is greater than all the gods.

⁶But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and [even] the highest heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I to build a house for Him, except [as a place] to burn incense before Him?

⁷Now send me a man who is skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.

⁸Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And indeed my servants will work with your servants

⁹to prepare for me an abundance of timber, because the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful.

¹⁰And I will give to your servants who cut timber, 20,000 measures of crushed wheat and 20,000 measures of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of [olive] oil."

¹¹Then Hiram, king of Tyre replied in a letter sent to Solomon: "Because the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them."

¹²Hiram said also, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

¹³"Now I am sending a skilled man, endowed with understanding, Huram-abi,

¹⁴the son of a Danite woman and a Tyrian father. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood; in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics, and in fine linen. He is able to make any kind of engraving and to carry out any design given him. He will work with your skilled men and those of my lord, David your father.

¹⁵Now then, let my lord send to his servants the wheat, the barley, the oil, and the wine of which he has spoken.

¹⁶We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem."

¹⁷Then Solomon took a count of all the aliens in the land of Israel, like the census that his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600.

¹⁸He assigned 70,000 of them to carry loads and 80,000 to quarry stone in the mountain, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.

¹Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to his father David, in the place that David had prepared, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

²Solomon began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

³Now this is the [measurement of the] foundation which Solomon laid for the house of God: the length in cubits—by the old standard of measure—was sixty cubits (90 ft.), and the width was twenty cubits (30 ft.).

⁴The porch in front of the house was as long as the width of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was 120 cubits. He overlaid it inside with pure gold.

⁵He overlaid the main room [the Holy Place] with cypress wood and overlaid it with fine gold, and decorated it with palm trees and chains.

⁶And he adorned the house with precious stones; and the gold was gold from Parvaim.

⁷He also overlaid the house [the Holy Place] with gold—the beams, the thresholds, and its walls and its doors; and he carved cherubim on the walls.

⁸Now he made the room of the Holy of Holies: its length equaling the width of the house was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with 600 talents of fine gold.

⁹The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid the upper rooms with gold.

¹⁰And in the Holy of Holies he made two sculptured cherubim, and overlaid them with gold.

¹¹The wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits: one wing of one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and its other wing, of five cubits, touched the other cherub's wing.

¹²The wing of the other cherub, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and its other wing of five cubits touched the wing of the first cherub.

¹³The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. The cherubim stood on their feet, their faces toward the Holy Place (the main room).

¹⁴He made the veil [between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies] of blue, purple, and crimson colors, and fine linen, and embroidered cherubim on it.

¹⁵He also made two pillars for the front of the house, thirty-five cubits high, and the capital on the top of each one was five cubits.

¹⁶He made chains [like a necklace] in the inner sanctuary and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made a hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains.

¹⁷He erected the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right, the other on the left, and named the one on the right Jachin (may He establish) and the one on the left Boaz (in Him is strength).