He will build a temple to honor me; he will become my son, and I will become his father. I will grant to his dynasty permanent rule over Israel.’

Only may the Lord give you insight and understanding when he places you in charge of Israel, so you may obey the law of the Lord your God.

This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him.

The officers of the Israelite tribes: Eliezer son of Zikri was the leader of the Reubenites, Shephatiah son of Maacah led the Simeonites,

David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.

From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel.

David praised the Lord before the entire assembly: “O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore!

Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him.

He reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.

Recorded there are all the facts about his reign and accomplishments, and an account of the events that involved him, Israel, and all the neighboring kingdoms.

Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.

There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb. (It was there that the Lord made an agreement with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.)

He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.

and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”

and prayed: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.

“If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, and pray for your help before you in this temple,

then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.

Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given him and settled Israelites there.

Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews and they continue in that role to this very day.

Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews; the Israelites served as his soldiers, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces.