1 Kings 8:16-18

Easy-to-Read Version

¹⁶ ‘I brought my people, Israel, out of Egypt, but I had not yet chosen a city from among the tribes of Israel for a temple to honor me. And I had not chosen a man to be leader over my people, Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem to be the city where I will be honored.^[a] And I have chosen David to rule over my people, Israel.’

¹⁷ “My father David wanted very much to build a temple to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁸ But the Lord said to my father, ‘I know that you want very much to build a temple to honor me, and it is good that you want to build it.