1 Chronicles 22 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Then David said, "This is where the house of Yahweh God will be, and this is where the altar for Israel's burnt offerings will stand."

David ordered the foreign residents living in Israel to be gathered together, and he assigned stonecutters to cut dressed stones for building the house of God.

David also stockpiled large quantities of iron for nails and fittings for the gates, and more bronze than could be weighed.

He also gathered cedar logs beyond counting, because the people of Sidon and Tyre had brought massive amounts of cedar to David.

David thought, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for Yahweh must be extraordinarily magnificent — famous and glorious throughout every nation. So I'll get things ready for him." And David made extensive preparations before he died.

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

David said to Solomon, "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God.

But the word of Yahweh came to me: 'You have shed too much blood and fought too many wars. You will not build a house for my name, because you have spilled so much blood on the ground in my sight.

But look — a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his lifetime.

He is the one who will build a house for my name. He will be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

"Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you so that you succeed and build the house of Yahweh your God, just as he said you would.

Above all, may Yahweh give you insight and understanding when he puts you in charge of Israel, so that you can keep the instructions of Yahweh your God.

Then you'll succeed — if you're careful to follow the statutes and rules that Yahweh gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or discouraged.

"Look — through great effort I've set aside for Yahweh's house a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing — there's so much of it. I've also prepared timber and stone, and you can add to all of it.

You also have plenty of workers — stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and people skilled in every kind of craft.

The gold, silver, bronze, and iron are beyond counting. Get up and get to work, and may Yahweh be with you!"

David also ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.

He said, "Isn't Yahweh your God with you? Hasn't he given you rest on every side? He has handed the inhabitants of the land over to me, and the land has been subdued before Yahweh and before his people.

"Now devote your hearts and your whole selves to seeking Yahweh your God. Get up and build the sacred place of Yahweh God, so that the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and God's sacred objects can be brought into the house built for the name of Yahweh."