Bible in 90 Days
The Groups of the Priests
24 These were the groups of Aaron’s sons:
Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did. And they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. 3 David separated the family groups of Eleazar and Ithamar into two different groups. Each group had certain duties it had been given. Zadok and Ahimelech helped David. Zadok was a descendant of Eleazar. And Ahimelech was a descendant of Ithamar. 4 There were more leaders from Eleazar’s family than from Ithamar’s. There were 16 leaders from Eleazar’s family. And there were 8 leaders from Ithamar’s family. 5 Men were chosen from Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s families by throwing lots. Some men from each family were chosen to be in charge of the Holy Place. And some men from each family were chosen to serve as priests.
6 Shemaiah son of Nethanel was the secretary. He was from the tribe of Levi. Shemaiah recorded the names of those descendants in front of King David and these officers: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The work was divided by lots among the families of Eleazar and Ithamar. The following men with their groups were chosen.
7 The first one chosen was Jehoiarib. The second was Jedaiah. 8 The third was Harim. The fourth was Seorim. 9 The fifth was Malkijah. The sixth was Mijamin. 10 The seventh was Hakkoz. The eighth was Abijah. 11 The ninth was Jeshua. The tenth was Shecaniah. 12 The eleventh was Eliashib. The twelfth was Jakim. 13 The thirteenth was Huppah. The fourteenth was Jeshebeab. 14 The fifteenth was Bilgah. The sixteenth was Immer. 15 The seventeenth was Hezir. The eighteenth was Happizzez. 16 The nineteenth was Pethahiah. The twentieth was Jehezkel. 17 The twenty-first was Jakin. The twenty-second was Gamul. 18 The twenty-third was Delaiah. The twenty-fourth was Maaziah.
19 These were the groups chosen to serve in the Temple of the Lord. They obeyed the rules Aaron had given them. The Lord, the God of Israel, had given those rules to Aaron.
The Other Levites
20 These are the names of the rest of Levi’s descendants:
Shubael was a descendant of Amram. And Jehdeiah was a descendant of Shubael.
21 Isshiah was the first son of Rehabiah.
22 From the Izhar family group, there was Shelomoth. And Jahath was a descendant of Shelomoth.
23 Hebron’s first son was Jeriah. Amariah was his second son. Jahaziel was his third son, and Jekameam was his fourth.
24 Uzziel’s son was Micah. Micah’s son was Shamir. 25 Isshiah was Micah’s brother. Isshiah’s son was Zechariah.
26 Merari’s descendants were Mahli and Mushi. Merari’s son was Jaaziah. 27 Jaaziah son of Merari had sons named Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri. 28 Mahli’s son was Eleazar. But Eleazar did not have any sons.
29 Kish’s son was Jerahmeel.
30 Mushi’s sons were Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth.
These are the Levites, listed by their families. 31 They were chosen for special jobs by throwing lots. They did this just as their relatives, the priests, had done. The priests were Aaron’s descendants. They threw lots in front of King David, Zadok and Ahimelech. The leaders of the families of the priests and Levites were also there. The families of the oldest brother and the youngest brother were treated the same.
The Music Groups
25 David and the commanders of the army chose some men to preach. They chose some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun. They were to preach God’s message and play harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is a list of the men who served in this way:
2 Asaph’s sons who served were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. King David chose Asaph to preach. And Asaph directed his sons.
3 Jeduthun’s sons who served were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah. There were six of them, and Jeduthun directed them. He preached. And he used a harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord.
4 Heman’s sons who served were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth. There were also Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer. And there were Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. 5 All these men were sons of Heman, David’s seer. God promised to make Heman strong. So Heman had many sons. God gave him 14 sons and 3 daughters. 6 Heman directed all his sons in making music for the Temple of the Lord. They used cymbals, lyres and harps. That was their way of serving in the Temple of God. And King David was in charge of Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman. 7 These men and their relatives from the Levites were trained in music. They were skilled in making music for the Lord. There were 288 of them. 8 Everyone threw lots to choose the time his family was to serve at the Temple. The young and the old had to throw lots. The teacher and the student had to throw lots.
9 First, 12 men were chosen from Joseph, his sons and relatives. Joseph was from the family of Asaph.
Second, 12 men were chosen from Gedaliah, his sons and relatives.
10 Third, 12 men were chosen from Zaccur, his sons and relatives.
11 Fourth, 12 men were chosen from Izri, his sons and relatives.
12 Fifth, 12 men were chosen from Nethaniah, his sons and relatives.
13 Sixth, 12 men were chosen from Bukkiah, his sons and relatives.
14 Seventh, 12 men were chosen from Jesarelah, his sons and relatives.
15 Eighth, 12 men were chosen from Jeshaiah, his sons and relatives.
16 Ninth, 12 men were chosen from Mattaniah, his sons and relatives.
17 Tenth, 12 men were chosen from Shimei, his sons and relatives.
18 Eleventh, 12 men were chosen from Azarel, his sons and relatives.
19 Twelfth, 12 men were chosen from Hashabiah, his sons and relatives.
20 Thirteenth, 12 men were chosen from Shubael, his sons and relatives.
21 Fourteenth, 12 men were chosen from Mattithiah, his sons and relatives.
22 Fifteenth, 12 men were chosen from Jerimoth, his sons and relatives.
23 Sixteenth, 12 men were chosen from Hananiah, his sons and relatives.
24 Seventeenth, 12 men were chosen from Joshbekashah, his sons and relatives.
25 Eighteenth, 12 men were chosen from Hanani, his sons and relatives.
26 Nineteenth, 12 men were chosen from Mallothi, his sons and relatives.
27 Twentieth, 12 men were chosen from Eliathah, his sons and relatives.
28 Twenty-first, 12 men were chosen from Hothir, his sons and relatives.
29 Twenty-second, 12 men were chosen from Giddalti, his sons and relatives.
30 Twenty-third, 12 men were chosen from Mahazioth, his sons and relatives.
31 Twenty-fourth, 12 men were chosen from Romamti-Ezer, his sons and relatives.
The Gatekeepers
26 These are the groups of the gatekeepers.
From the family of Korah, there was Meshelemiah and his sons. (Meshelemiah son of Kore was from Asaph’s family.) 2 Meshelemiah had sons. Zechariah was his first son. Jediael was his second son. Zebadiah was his third son. Jathniel was his fourth son. 3 Elam was his fifth son. Jehohanan was his sixth son, and Eliehoenai was his seventh son.
4 There were also Obed-Edom and his sons. Obed-Edom’s first son was Shemaiah. Jehozabad was his second son. Joah was his third son. Sacar was his fourth son. Nethanel was his fifth son. 5 Ammiel was his sixth son. Issachar was his seventh son, and Peullethai was his eighth son. God had blessed Obed-Edom with children.
6 Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons. They were leaders in their father’s family because they were capable men. 7 Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, Elihu and Semakiah. Elihu and Semakiah were skilled workers. 8 All these men were Obed-Edom’s descendants. They and their sons and relatives were capable men. They were strong enough to do the work. Obed-Edom had 62 descendants in all.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives. They were skilled workers. In all, there were 18 sons and relatives.
10 These are the gatekeepers from the Merari family. Hosah had sons. Shimri was chosen to be in charge. He was not the oldest son, but his father chose him to be in charge. 11 Hilkiah was his second son. Tabaliah was his third son, and Zechariah was his fourth son. In all, Hosah had 13 sons and relatives.
12 These were the leaders of the groups of the gatekeepers. They had jobs for serving in the Temple of the Lord. Their relatives also had jobs in the Temple. 13 Each family was given a gate to guard. They were chosen by throwing lots. Young and old threw lots.
14 Meshelemiah was chosen by lot to guard the East Gate. Then lots were thrown for Meshelemiah’s son Zechariah. He was a wise counselor. He was chosen for the North Gate. 15 Obed-Edom was chosen for the South Gate. And Obed-Edom’s sons were chosen to guard the storehouse. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were chosen for the West Gate. They also were to guard the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road.
Guards stood side by side with guards. 17 Six Levites stood guard every day at the East Gate. Four Levites stood guard every day at the North Gate. Four Levites stood guard every day at the South Gate. And two Levites at a time guarded the storehouse. 18 There were two guards at the western court. And there were four guards on the road to the court.
19 These were the groups of the gatekeepers. They were from the families of Korah and Merari.
Other Leaders
20 Other Levites were responsible for taking care of the treasuries of the Temple of God. They were also responsible for the places where the holy things were kept.
21 Ladan was Gershon’s son. Ladan was the ancestor of several family groups. Jehiel was a leader of one of the family groups. 22 Jehiel’s sons were Zetham and his brother Joel. They were responsible for the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord.
23 Other leaders were chosen from the family groups of Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 24 Shubael was the leader responsible for the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord. Shubael was the descendant of Gershom, who was Moses’ son. 25 These were Shubael’s relatives from Eliezer: Eliezer’s son Rehabiah, Rehabiah’s son Jeshaiah, Jeshaiah’s son Joram, Joram’s son Zicri and Zicri’s son Shelomith. 26 Shelomith and his relatives were responsible for everything that had been collected for the Temple. Things had been collected by King David and the heads of families. They had been collected by commanders of 1,000 men and of 100 men and other army commanders. 27 They also gave some of the things they had taken in wars. They gave them to be used in repairing the Temple of the Lord. 28 Shelomith and his relatives took care of all the holy things. Some had been given by Samuel the seer and Saul son of Kish. Some had been given by Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah.
29 Kenaniah was from the Izhar family. He and his sons worked outside the Temple. They worked as officers and judges in different places in Israel.
30 Hashabiah was from the Hebron family. He and his relatives were responsible for the Lord’s work and the king’s business in Israel west of the Jordan River. There were 1,700 skilled men in Hashabiah’s group. 31 The history of the Hebron family shows that Jeriah was their leader. In David’s fortieth year as king, the records were searched. Some capable men of the Hebron family were found living at Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jeriah had 2,700 relatives who were skilled men. They were leaders of families. King David gave them the responsibility of directing the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. They took care of the Lord’s work and the king’s business for them.
Army Divisions
27 This is the list of the Israelite people who served the king in the army. Each division was on duty one month each year. There were leaders of families, commanders of 100 men, commanders of 1,000 men and other officers. Each division had 24,000 men.
2 Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division for the first month. There were 24,000 men in his division. 3 He was one of the descendants of Perez. Jashobeam was leader of all the army officers for the first month.
4 Dodai was in charge of the division for the second month. He was from the Ahohites. Mikloth was a leader in the division. There were 24,000 men in Dodai’s division.
5 The third commander was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. He was the commander for the third month. There were 24,000 men in Benaiah’s division. 6 He was the Benaiah who was one of the Thirty[a] soldiers. Benaiah was a brave warrior who led those men. Benaiah’s son Ammizabad was in charge of Benaiah’s division.
7 The fourth commander was Asahel, the brother of Joab. He was the commander for the fourth month. Later, Asahel’s son Zebadiah took his place as commander. There were 24,000 men in his division.
8 The fifth commander was Shamhuth, from Izrah’s family. He was the commander for the fifth month. There were 24,000 men in his division.
9 The sixth commander was Ira son of Ikkesh. He was the commander for the sixth month. He was from the town of Tekoa. There were 24,000 men in his division.
10 The seventh commander was Helez. He was the commander for the seventh month. He was from the Pelonites and a descendant of Ephraim. There were 24,000 men in his division.
11 The eighth commander was Sibbecai. He was the commander for the eighth month. He was from Hushah and was from Zerah’s family. There were 24,000 men in his division.
12 The ninth commander was Abiezer, from the town of Anathoth. He was the commander for the ninth month. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. There were 24,000 men in his division.
13 The tenth commander was Maharai. He was the commander for the tenth month. He was from Netophah and was from Zerah’s family. There were 24,000 men in his division.
14 The eleventh commander was Benaiah. He was the commander for the eleventh month. He was from Pirathon and was from the tribe of Ephraim. There were 24,000 men in his division.
15 The twelfth commander was Heldai. He was the commander for the twelfth month. He was from Netophah and was from Othniel’s family. There were 24,000 men in his division.
Leaders of the Tribes
16 These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel. Eliezer son of Zicri was over the tribe of Reuben. Shephatiah son of Maacah was over the tribe of Simeon. 17 Hashabiah son of Kemuel was over the tribe of Levi. Zadok was over the people of Aaron. 18 Elihu, one of David’s brothers, was over the tribe of Judah. Omri son of Michael was over the tribe of Issachar. 19 Ishmaiah son of Obadiah was over the tribe of Zebulun. Jerimoth son of Azriel was over the tribe of Naphtali. 20 Hoshea son of Azaziah was over the tribe of Ephraim. Joel son of Pedaiah was over the western half-tribe of Manasseh. 21 Iddo son of Zechariah was over the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. Jaasiel son of Abner was over the tribe of Benjamin. 22 Azarel son of Jeroham was over the tribe of Dan.
These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.
23 The Lord had promised to make the Israelites as many as the stars in the sky. So David only counted the men who were 20 years old and older. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the people. But he did not finish. God became angry with Israel for counting the people. So the number of the people was not put in the history book about King David’s rule.
The King’s Directors
25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses.
Jonathan was in charge of the storehouses in the towns, villages and towers. He was the son of Uzziah.
26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the field workers. They farmed the land.
27 Shimei was in charge of the vineyards. He was from the town of Ramah.
Zabdi was in charge of storing the wine that came from the vineyards. Zabdi was from Shepham.
28 Baal-Hanan was in charge of the olive trees and sycamore trees in the western mountain slopes. He was from Geder.
Joash was in charge of storing the olive oil.
29 Shitrai was in charge of the cows that fed in the Plain of Sharon. He was from Sharon.
Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the cows in the valleys.
30 Obil was in charge of the camels. He was an Ishmaelite.
Jehdeiah was in charge of the donkeys. He was from Meronoth.
31 Jaziz was in charge of the sheep. He was from the Hagrites.
All these men were the officers who took care of King David’s property.
32 Jonathan was David’s uncle. He advised David. Jonathan was a wise man and a teacher of the law. Jehiel son of Hacmoni took care of the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel advised the king. Hushai was the king’s friend. He was from the Arkite people. 34 Jehoiada and Abiathar later took Ahithophel’s place in advising the king. Jehoiada was Benaiah’s son. Joab was the commander of the king’s army.
David’s Plans for the Temple
28 David commanded all the leaders of Israel to come to Jerusalem. There were the leaders of the tribes and the commanders of the divisions serving the king. There were the commanders of 1,000 men and of 100 men. There were the leaders who took care of the property and animals that belonged to the king and his sons. There were the men over the palace, the powerful men and all the brave warriors.
2 King David stood up and said, “Listen to me, my relatives and my people. I wanted to build a place to keep the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord. I wanted it to be God’s footstool. And I made plans to build a temple for worship to God. 3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple for worship to me. You must not do that because you are a soldier. You have killed many men.’
4 “But the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family. He chose me to be king of Israel forever. The Lord chose the tribe of Judah to be a leader. And from the people of Judah, he chose my father’s family. And from that family God was pleased to make me king of Israel. 5 The Lord has given me many sons. And from those sons he has chosen Solomon. Solomon will be the new king of Israel. Israel is the Lord’s kingdom. 6 The Lord said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple. And he will build the area around it. This is because I have chosen Solomon to be my son. And I will be his father. 7 He is obeying my laws and commands now. If he continues to obey them, I will make his kingdom strong forever.’”
8 David said, “Now, in front of all Israel and God, I tell you these things: Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God. Then you may keep this good land. And you may pass it on to your descendants forever.
9 “And you, my son Solomon, accept the God of your father. Serve him completely. Be happy to serve him. Do this because the Lord knows what is in every person’s mind. He understands everything you think. If you go to him for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from the Lord, he will leave you forever. 10 Solomon, you must understand this. The Lord has chosen you to build the Temple as his holy place. Be strong and finish the job.”
11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for building the Temple. Those plans were also for the porch around the Temple. They were for its buildings, its storerooms, its upper rooms and its inside rooms. They also were the plans for the place where the people’s sins were removed. 12 David gave him plans for everything he had in mind. David gave him plans for the courtyards around the Lord’s Temple and all the rooms around it. He gave him plans for the Temple treasuries. And he gave him plans for the treasuries of the holy things used in the Temple. 13 David gave Solomon directions for the groups of the priests and Levites. David told him about all the work of serving in the Temple of the Lord. He told him about the things to be used in the Temple service. 14 Many things made of gold or silver would be used in the Temple. David told Solomon how much gold or silver should be used to make each thing. 15 David told him how much gold to use for each gold lampstand and its lamps. He told him how much silver to use for each silver lampstand and its lamps. The different lampstands were to be used where needed. 16 David told how much gold should be used for each table that held the holy bread. And he told how much silver should be used for the silver tables. 17 He told how much pure gold should be used to make the forks, bowls and pitchers. He told how much gold should be used to make each gold dish. He told how much silver should be used to make each silver dish. 18 David told how much pure gold should be used for the altar of incense. He also gave Solomon the plans for the chariot. This is where the golden creatures spread their wings over the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord.
19 David said, “All these plans were written with the Lord guiding me. He helped me understand everything in the plans.”
20 David also said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and brave. Do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged. The Lord God, my God, is with you. He will help you until all the work is finished. He will not leave you. You will build the Temple of the Lord. 21 The groups of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the Temple of God. Every skilled worker is ready to help you with all the work. The leaders and all the people will obey every command you give.”
Gifts for Building the Temple
29 King David spoke to all the Israelites who were gathered. He said, “God chose my son Solomon. Solomon is young and hasn’t yet learned what he needs to know. But the work is important. This palace is not for people. It is for the Lord God. 2 I have done my best to prepare for building the Temple of God. I have given gold for the things made of gold. I have given silver for the things made of silver. I have given bronze for the things made of bronze. I have given iron for the things made of iron. I have given wood for the things made of wood. I have given onyx for the settings and turquoise. I have given gems of many different colors. I have given valuable stones and white marble. I have given much of all these things. 3 I have already given this for the Temple. But now I am also giving my own treasures of gold and silver. I am doing this because I really want the Temple of my God to be built. 4 I have given about 220,000 pounds of pure gold from Ophir. And I have given about 520,000 pounds of pure silver. They will be used to cover the walls of the buildings. 5 They will also be used for all the gold and silver work. Skilled men may use the gold and silver to make things for the Temple. Now, who is ready to give himself to the service of the Lord today?”
6 The family leaders and the leaders of the tribes of Israel gave their valuable things. The commanders of 1,000 men and of 100 men gave their valuable things. And the leaders responsible for the king’s work gave their valuable things. 7 These are the things they gave for the Temple of God: about 380,000 pounds of gold, about 750,000 pounds of silver, about 1,350,000 pounds of bronze and about 7,500,000 pounds of iron. 8 People who had valuable gems gave them to the treasury of the Temple of the Lord. Jehiel, from the Gershon family, took care of the valuable gems. 9 The leaders gave freely and completely to the Lord. The people were happy to see their leaders give so gladly. King David was also very happy.
David’s Prayer
10 David praised the Lord in front of all of the people who were gathered. He said:
“We praise you, Lord.
You are the God of our father Israel.
We praise you forever and ever.
11 Lord, you are great and powerful.
You have glory, victory and honor.
Everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you.
The kingdom belongs to you, Lord.
You are the ruler over everything.
12 Riches and honor come from you.
You rule everything.
You have the power and strength
to make anyone great and strong.
13 Now, our God, we thank you.
And we praise your glorious name.
14 “These things did not really come from me and my people.
Everything comes from you.
We have given you back what you gave us.
15 We are like foreigners and strangers.
All our ancestors were also foreigners and strangers.
Our time on earth is like a shadow.
There is no hope.
16 Lord our God, we have gathered all this to build your Temple.
We will build it for worship to you.
But everything has come from you.
Everything belongs to you.
17 I know, my God, that you test people’s hearts.
You are happy when people do what is right.
I was happy to give all these things.
I gave with an honest heart.
Your people gathered here are happy to give to you.
I am happy to see their giving.
18 Lord, you are the God of our ancestors.
You are the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Please help your people to want to serve you always.
And help them to want to obey you always.
19 Give my son Solomon a strong desire to serve you.
Help him always obey your commands, laws and rules.
Help him build the Temple
for which I have prepared.”
20 Then David said to all the people who were gathered, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God their ancestors worshiped. They bowed to the ground to give honor to the Lord and the king.
Solomon Becomes King
21 The next day the people made sacrifices to the Lord. They offered burnt offerings to him. They offered 1,000 bulls, 1,000 male sheep and 1,000 male lambs. They also brought drink offerings. Many sacrifices were made for all the people of Israel. 22 That day the people ate and drank with much joy. And the Lord was with them.
And they made David’s son Solomon king for the second time. They poured olive oil on Solomon to appoint him king. And they poured oil on Zadok to appoint him as priest. They did this in the presence of the Lord. 23 Then Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king. He took his father David’s place. Solomon was very successful. And all the people of Israel obeyed him. 24 All the leaders and soldiers and King David’s sons accepted Solomon as king. They promised to obey him. 25 The Lord made Solomon great before all the Israelites. The Lord gave Solomon much honor. No king of Israel before Solomon had such honor.
David’s Death
26 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. 27 He was king for 40 years. He ruled in the city of Hebron for 7 years. And he ruled in Jerusalem for 33 years. 28 David died when he was old. He had lived a good, long life. He had received many riches and honors. And David’s son Solomon became king after him.
29 Everything King David did as king, from beginning to end, is recorded. Those things are written in the records of Samuel the seer. And they are in the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer. 30 Those writings tell what David did as king of Israel. They tell about his power and all that happened to him. And they tell what happened to Israel and all the kingdoms around them.
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
1 Solomon was David’s son, and he became a powerful king. This was because the Lord his God was with him. The Lord made Solomon very great.
2 Solomon spoke to all the people of Israel. He spoke to the commanders of 100 men and of 1,000 men. He spoke to the judges, to every leader in all Israel and to the leaders of the families. 3 Then Solomon and all the people gathered with him went to the place of worship. This was at the town of Gibeon. God’s Meeting Tent was there. Moses, the Lord’s servant, had made that Tent in the desert. 4 David had brought the Ark of the Covenant with God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. David had made a place for it there. He had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 Bezalel was Uri’s son, and Uri was Hur’s son. Bezalel had made a bronze altar. It was in Gibeon in front of the Holy Tent. So Solomon and the people worshiped the Lord there. 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord at the Meeting Tent. He offered 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon. God said, “Solomon, ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8 Solomon answered, “You have been very kind to my father David. You have chosen me to be the king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, may your promise to my father David come true. You have made me king of a very large nation. There are so many of them they are like the dust of the earth. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead these people in the right way. No one can rule them without your help.”
11 God said to Solomon, “What you want is good. I have chosen you to be king of these people. You have not asked for wealth or riches or honor. You have not asked for your enemies to be killed. You have not asked for a long life. But you have asked for wisdom and knowledge to lead my people. 12 So I will give you wisdom and knowledge. I will also give you more wealth, riches and honor than any king who has lived before you. And the kings who will live after you will not have as much.”
13 Then Solomon left the place of worship at Gibeon. He left the Meeting Tent and went back to Jerusalem. There King Solomon ruled over Israel.
Solomon’s Wealth
14 Solomon gathered horses and chariots. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He put some horses and chariots in the cities where the chariots were kept. And he kept some with him in Jerusalem. 15 In Jerusalem, Solomon gathered much silver and gold. He got so much it was as common as rocks. He also gathered much cedar wood. It became as plentiful as the sycamore trees on the western mountain slopes. 16 Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Kue. The king’s traders bought the horses in Kue. 17 They imported a chariot from Egypt for about 15 pounds of silver. And they imported a horse for nearly 4 pounds of silver. Then they sold the horses and chariots to all the kings of the Hittites and the Arameans.
Solomon Prepares for the Temple
2 Solomon decided to build a temple as a place to worship the Lord. He also decided to build a palace for himself. 2 He chose 70,000 men to carry things. He chose 80,000 men to cut stone in the mountains. And he chose 3,600 men to direct the workers.
3 Then Solomon sent a message to Hiram king of the city of Tyre. Solomon said:
Help me as you helped my father David. You sent him cedar logs so he could build himself a palace to live in. 4 I will build a temple as a place to worship the Lord my God. And I will give this temple to the Lord. There we will burn sweet-smelling spices in his presence. We will set out the bread that shows we are in God’s presence. And we will burn sacrifices every morning and evening. We will worship him on Sabbath days and New Moons. And we will worship him on the other feast days the Lord our God has commanded us to celebrate. This is a rule for Israel to obey forever.
5 The temple I build will be great. This is because our God is greater than all gods. 6 But no one can really build a house for our God. Not even the highest of heavens can hold God. How then can I build a temple for him? I can only build a place to burn sacrifices to God.
7 Now send me a man skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze and iron. He must know how to work with purple, red and blue thread. He must know how to make engravings. He will work with my skilled craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem. These are the men my father David chose.
8 Also send me cedar, pine and juniper logs from Lebanon. I know your servants are experienced at cutting down the trees in Lebanon. My servants will help them. 9 Send me a lot of wood. The temple I am going to build will be large and wonderful. 10 I will give your servants who cut the wood 125,000 bushels of wheat. And I will give them 125,000 bushels of barley, 115,000 gallons of wine and 115,000 gallons of oil.
11 Then Hiram king of Tyre answered Solomon with this letter:
Solomon, the Lord loves his people. That is why he chose you to be their king.
12 Hiram also said:
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He made heaven and earth! He gave King David a wise son. Solomon, you have wisdom and understanding. You will build a temple for the Lord and a palace for yourself.
13 I will send you a skilled and wise man named Huram-Abi. 14 His mother was from the people of Dan. And his father was from Tyre. Huram-Abi has skill in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood. He has skill in working with purple, blue and red thread and expensive linen. And he is skilled in making engravings. He can make any design you show him. He will help your craftsmen and the craftsmen of your father David.
15 Now send my servants the wheat, barley, oil and wine you promised. 16 We will cut as much wood from Lebanon as you need. We will use rafts to carry it by sea to Joppa. Then you may carry it to Jerusalem.
17 Solomon counted all the foreigners living in Israel. This was after the time his father David had counted the people. There were 153,600 foreigners in the country. 18 Solomon chose 70,000 of them to carry things. He chose 80,000 of them to cut stone in the mountains. And he chose 3,600 of them to direct the workers. They were to keep the people working.
Solomon Builds the Temple
3 Solomon began to build the Temple of the Lord. He built it in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. This was where the Lord had appeared to David, Solomon’s father. Solomon built the Temple on the place David had prepared. This place was the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 2 Solomon began building in the second month of the fourth year he ruled Israel.
3 Solomon used these measurements for building the Temple of God. It was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. (Solomon used the old measurement.) 4 The porch in front of the Temple was 30 feet long and 30 feet high.
Solomon covered the inside of the porch with pure gold. 5 He put panels of pine on the walls of the main room. Then he covered them with pure gold. And he put designs of palm trees and chains in the gold. 6 He put gems in the Temple for beauty. And he used gold from Parvaim.[b] 7 Solomon put gold on the Temple’s ceiling beams, doorposts, walls and doors. And he carved creatures with wings on the walls.
8 Then Solomon made the Most Holy Place. It was 30 feet long and 30 feet wide. It was as wide as the Temple. He covered its walls with about 46,000 pounds of pure gold. 9 The gold nails weighed over a pound. Solomon also covered the upper rooms with gold.
10 He made two creatures with wings for the Most Holy Place. He made them out of hot liquid gold. 11 The wings of the gold creatures were spread out. Together, they were 30 feet across. One wing of one creature touched the Temple wall. The wing was 7½ feet long. The creature’s other wing touched a wing of the second creature. This wing was also 7½ feet long. 12 One wing of the second creature touched the other side of the room. It was also 7½ feet long. The second creature’s other wing touched the first creature’s wing. This wing was also 7½ feet long. 13 Together, the creatures’ wings were 30 feet across. The creatures stood on their feet. They looked inside toward the main room.
14 Solomon made the curtain of blue, purple and red thread and expensive linen. And he put designs of creatures with wings in it.
15 Solomon made two pillars to stand in front of the Temple. They were about 52 feet tall. The capital of each pillar was over 7 feet tall. 16 Solomon made a net of chains. He put them on the tops of the pillars. He made 100 pomegranates and put them on the chains. 17 Then Solomon put the pillars up in front of the Temple. One pillar stood on the south side. The other stood on the north. He named the south pillar He Establishes. And he named the north pillar In Him Is Strength.
Things for the Temple
4 Solomon made a bronze altar. It was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide and 15 feet tall. 2 Then Solomon used melted bronze to make a large bowl, which was called the Sea. It was round and measured 15 feet across from edge to edge. It was over 7 feet tall, and it measured 45 feet around. 3 There were carvings of bulls under the rim of the bowl. There were 10 bulls in every 1½ feet. They were put in two rows around the bowl when it was made.
4 The bowl rested on 12 statues of bulls. Three bulls faced north, 3 faced west, 3 faced south and 3 faced east. The bowl was on top of them. They faced outward from the center of the bowl. 5 The bowl was 3 inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup. It looked like a lily blossom. It could hold about 17,500 gallons.
6 Solomon made 10 smaller bowls. He put 5 of them on the south side. And he put 5 of them on the north. They were to be used to wash the animals for the burnt offerings. But the large bowl was to be used by the priests for washing.
7 Solomon made 10 lampstands of gold, following the plans for them. He put them in the Temple. He put 5 on the south side and 5 on the north.
8 Solomon made 10 tables and put them in the Temple. He put 5 on the south side and 5 on the north. And he used gold to make 100 other bowls.
9 Solomon also made the priests’ courtyard and the large courtyard. He made the doors that opened to the courtyard and covered them with bronze. 10 Then he put the large bowl on the south side. He put it in the Temple’s southeast corner.
11 He made the pots, shovels and bowls. So Huram finished his work for King Solomon on the Temple of God. He had made these things:
12 two pillars;
two large bowls for the capitals on top of the pillars;
two nets to cover the two large bowls for the capitals on top of the pillars;
13 400 pomegranates for the two nets (there were two rows of pomegranates for each net covering the bowls for the capitals on top of the pillars);
14 the stands with a bowl on each stand;
15 the large bowl with 12 bulls under it;
16 the pots, shovels, forks and all the things to go with them.
All the things Huram-Abi made King Solomon for the Temple of the Lord were made of polished bronze. 17 King Solomon first had these things poured into clay molds. The molds were made in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan. 18 Solomon had so many things made no one even tried to weigh all the bronze used.
19 Solomon also made all the things for God’s Temple. He made the gold altar. He made tables to hold the bread that shows we are in God’s presence. 20 He made the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold. They were to burn in front of the Most Holy Place as planned. 21 Solomon used pure gold to make the flowers, lamps and tongs. 22 He used pure gold to make the wick trimmers. He used pure gold for the bowls, pans and dishes used to carry coals. He used pure gold to make the doors for the Temple. And he used pure gold for the inside doors for the Most Holy Place and the doors for the main room.
5 Then all the work Solomon had done for the Temple of the Lord was finished. He brought in everything his father David had given for the Temple. He brought in all the silver and gold and all the furniture. And he put everything in the treasuries of God’s Temple.
The Ark of the Covenant Is Carried into the Temple
2 Then Solomon called for all the elders of Israel. He asked them to come to him in Jerusalem. He called for all the older leaders, the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the families. He wanted them to bring the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord from the older part of the city. 3 All the men of Israel came together with King Solomon. This was during the festival that was held in the seventh month.
4 All the elders of Israel arrived. Then the Levites picked up the Ark of the Covenant. 5 The priests and the Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant. They also carried the Meeting Tent and the holy things in it. 6 King Solomon and all the Israelites met in front of the Ark of the Covenant. They sacrificed so many sheep and bulls no one could count them.
7 Then the priests put the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord in its place. This was inside the Most Holy Place in the Temple. They put it under the wings of the gold creatures. 8 The wings of the creatures were spread out over the place for the Ark of the Covenant. They covered it and its carrying poles. 9 The carrying poles were very long. Anyone standing in the Holy Place in front of the Most Holy Place could see the ends of the poles. But no one could see the poles from outside the Holy Place. The poles are still there today. 10 The only things inside the Ark of the Covenant were two stone tablets.[c] Moses had put them in the Ark of the Covenant at Mount Sinai. That was where the Lord made an agreement with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
11 Then all the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests from each group made themselves ready to serve the Lord. 12 All the Levite musicians stood on the east side of the altar. They were Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and all their sons and relatives. They were dressed in white linen and played cymbals, lyres and harps. With them were 120 priests who blew trumpets. 13 Those who blew the trumpets and those who sang together sounded like one person. They praised and thanked the Lord. They sang as they played their trumpets, cymbals and other instruments. They praised the Lord with this song:
“The Lord is good.
His love continues forever.”
Then the Temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud. 14 The priests could not continue their work because of the cloud. This was because the Lord’s glory filled the Temple of God.
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord said he would live in the dark cloud. 2 I have built a great Temple for you, Lord. It is a place for you to live forever.”
Solomon’s Speech
3 King Solomon turned around and blessed all the Israelites gathered in front of him. 4 He said, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He has done what he promised my father David. The Lord said, 5 ‘I brought my people out of Egypt. But I have not yet chosen a city in any tribe of Israel for my temple. This is where I have chosen to be worshiped. I have not chosen a man to lead my people, the Israelites. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place I am to be worshiped. And I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’
7 “My father David wanted to build a temple as a place to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father, ‘David, it was good that you wanted to build a temple as a place to worship me. 9 But you are not the one who will build the temple. Your own son will build my temple.’
10 “Now the Lord has kept his promise. I have taken my father David’s place. Now I am Israel’s king. This is what the Lord promised. And I have built the Temple where the Lord, the God of Israel, will be worshiped. 11 I have put the Ark of the Covenant there. The agreement that the Lord made with the people of Israel is kept in the Ark of the Covenant.”
Solomon’s Prayer
12 Solomon stood in front of the Lord’s altar. He was standing before all the people gathered there. Then he spread his arms out. 13 He had made a bronze platform. It was 7½ feet long, 7½ feet wide and 7½ feet high. And he had placed it in the middle of the outer courtyard. Solomon stood on the platform. Then he kneeled in front of all the people of Israel who were gathered there. Solomon spread his hands out toward the sky. 14 He said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who completely obey you. 15 You have kept your promise to my father David, your servant. With your words you made a promise. And with the work of your hands, you have made that promise come true today.
16 “Now, Lord, God of Israel, also keep this promise you made to my father David, your servant. You said, ‘David, you will always have someone from your family rule Israel. But this will happen only if they are careful to obey my teachings in everything they do. They must obey my teachings just as you have.’ 17 Now, Lord, God of Israel, keep your promise. Let this promise to your servant David come true.
18 “But, God, can you really live here on the earth with people? Not even the highest of heavens can hold you. And this Temple I built cannot hold you. 19 But pay attention to my prayer and my cry for mercy. Lord my God, listen to my cry. Listen to the prayer I, your servant, pray to you. 20 I pray that you will watch over this Temple day and night. You said you would make this the place to worship you. I pray that you will hear my prayers when I pray facing this Temple. 21 Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel. Hear us when we pray facing this Temple. Hear from your home in heaven. And when you hear our prayers, forgive us.
22 “A person might do something wrong against someone else. The person who did the wrong will have to swear he is innocent. He will come to swear this before your altar in the Temple. 23 When he does this, listen from heaven and act. Judge your servants. Punish the one who did wrong. Make him suffer the same things he made others suffer. Prove that the person who has done right is innocent.
24 “An enemy might defeat your people Israel because they have sinned against you. Then the people of Israel will return to you and say you are God. They will pray and beg you for help in this Temple. 25 When this happens, listen from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people, the Israelites. Bring them back into the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “The sky might not let it rain because your people have sinned against you. Then they will pray, facing this Temple. They will say you are God. They will stop doing their sin because you are punishing them. 27 When that happens, then listen from heaven. Forgive the sins of your servants, the Israelites. Then teach them the right way to live. And send rain on your land. This is the land you gave your people as their own.
28 “There might be a time without food in the land. Or there might be terrible sicknesses, disease in the crops, mildew, locusts or grasshoppers. Or enemies might attack Israel’s cities. There might be a disaster in Israel. 29 Then one of your people, an Israelite, will pray or cry for help. Each person knows his own trouble and pain. He will spread his arms out, facing this Temple. 30 When that happens, then listen from heaven, your home. Forgive and treat each person as he should be treated. You know what is in his heart. (Only you know what is in a person’s heart.) 31 Then the people will fear and obey you as long as they live in this land. This is the land you gave our ancestors.
32 “A foreigner might come here from a country far away. He is not one of your people, the people of Israel. But he will come because he has heard about your greatness and power. He knows about the things you have done. When he comes and prays, facing this Temple, 33 then listen. Listen from heaven, your home. And do what he asks you to do. Then all the peoples of the earth will know you and respect you, just as your people Israel do. And they will know that this Temple I built is for worshiping you.
34 “You might send your people to fight their enemies. They will pray to you, facing this city you chose and the Temple I built for worshiping you. 35 If they do, then listen from heaven to their prayer. Listen to their cry and help them.
36 “People will sin against you. There is not a person who does not sin. And you will become angry with them. You will let an enemy defeat them. The enemy will capture them and take them away. It may be to a land far away or near. 37 But then they will be sorry for what they have done. As captives in that land, they will cry out to you. They will say, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong and acted wickedly.’ 38 In the land where they are captives, they will come back to you. They will want to obey you completely. They will pray, facing their land, the land you gave their ancestors. They will pray, facing the city you chose and the Temple I built for you. 39 When this happens, listen from your home in heaven. Listen to their cries and help them. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, look at us. Listen to the prayers we will pray in this place.
41 Now, rise, Lord God, and come to your resting place.
Come with the Ark of the Covenant that shows your strength.
Let your priests receive your salvation, Lord God.
And may your holy people be happy because of your goodness.
42 Lord God, do not reject your appointed one.
Remember your love for your servant David.”
The Temple Is Given to the Lord
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from the sky. It burned up the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The Lord’s glory filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the Lord’s glory filled it. 3 All the people of Israel saw the fire come down from heaven. They also saw the Lord’s glory on the Temple. Then they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground. They worshiped and thanked the Lord. They said,
“The Lord is good.
His love continues forever.”
4 Then King Solomon and all the Israelites offered sacrifices before the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people gave the Temple for the worship of God. 6 The priests stood ready to do their work. The Levites also stood with the instruments of the Lord’s music. King David had made these instruments for praising the Lord. The priests and Levites were saying, “The Lord’s love continues forever.” The priests, who stood across from the Levites, blew their trumpets. And all the Israelites were standing.
7 Solomon made the middle part of the courtyard holy for the Lord. That courtyard is in front of the Temple of the Lord. There Solomon offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings. He used the middle of the courtyard because the bronze altar he had made could not hold everything. It couldn’t hold the burnt offerings, grain offerings and fat.
8 Solomon and all the Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days. There were many people. They came from as far away as Lebo Hamath. And they came all the way from the brook of Egypt. 9 They had given the altar for the worship of the Lord. And they celebrated that for seven days. Then they celebrated the festival for seven days. On the eighth day they had a meeting. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon sent the people home. They were full of joy. They were happy because the Lord had been so good to David, Solomon and his people the Israelites.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.