1 King David announced to the entire assembly: »God has chosen my son Solomon. He is however young and lacks experience. The work to be done is enormous, because this is not a palace for people but a Temple for Jehovah God.
2 »I have made every effort to prepare materials for the Temple: gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, precious stones and gems, stones for mosaics, and quantities of marble.
3 »Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for Gods Temple.
4 »I have given one hundred and fifteen tons of the finest gold and two hundred and sixty five tons of pure silver for decorating the walls of the Temple
5 and for all the objects which the skilled workers are to make. Now who else is willing to give a generous offering to Jehovah?«
6 Then the heads of the clans, the officials of the tribes, the commanders of the army, and the administrators of the royal property volunteered to give.
7 They gave the following for the work on the Temple: one hundred and ninety tons of gold, three hundred and eighty tons of silver, six hundred and seventy five tons of bronze, and three thousand seven hundred and fifty tons of iron.
8 Those who had precious stones gave them to the Temple treasury, which was administered by Jehiel of the Levite clan of Gershon.
9 The people gave willingly to Jehovah and were happy that so much had been given. King David also was extremely happy.
10 »There in front of the whole assembly King David praised Jehovah. He said: Jehovah, God of our father ancester Israel. May you be praised forever and ever!
11 »You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you, O Jehovah, are king, supreme ruler over all.
12 »All riches and wealth come from you. You rule everything by your strength and power. You are able to make anyone great and strong.
13 »Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name.
14 »Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything. This is because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.
15 »You know, O Jehovah that we pass through life like exiles and strangers, as our ancestors did. Our days are like a passing shadow, and we cannot escape death.
16 »O Jehovah, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a Temple to honor your holy name. It all came from you and all belongs to you.
17 »I well know, O my God, that you test everyones heart and are pleased with people of integrity. In honesty and sincerity I have willingly given all this to you. I have seen how your people who are gathered here have been happy to bring offerings to you.
18 »Jehovah, God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep such devotion always strong in your peoples hearts and keep them always faithful to you.
19 »Give my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to obey everything that you command and to build the Temple for which I have made these preparations.«
20 Then David commanded the people: Praise Jehovah your God! The entire assembly praised Jehovah, the God of their ancestors. They bowed low and gave honor to Jehovah and also to the king.
21 The following day they killed animals as sacrifices, dedicating them to Jehovah. Then they gave them to the people to eat. In addition, they sacrificed a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, which they burned whole on the altar. They also brought the offerings of wine.
22 That day they were very happy as they ate and drank in the presence of Jehovah. For a second time they proclaimed Solomon king. In the name of Jehovah they anointed him as their ruler and Zadok as priest.
23 So Solomon succeeded his father David on the throne Jehovah had established. He was a successful king, and the whole nation of Israel obeyed him.
24 All the officials and soldiers, and even all of Davids other sons, promised to be loyal to Solomon as king.
25 Jehovah made the whole nation stand in awe of Solomon. He made him more glorious than any other king that had ruled Israel.
26 David son of Jesse ruled over all Israel
27 for forty years. He ruled in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.
28 He died at a very old age, wealthy and respected, and his son Solomon succeeded him as king.
29 The history of King David from beginning to end is recorded in the records of the three prophets, Samuel, Nathan, and Gad.
30 The records tell how he ruled, how powerful he was, and all the things that happened to him, to Israel, and to the surrounding kingdoms.