But David could not go before it to seek God’s will, for he was afraid of the sword of the Lord’s messenger.

And you did not stop there, O God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. ¹  You have revealed to me what men long to know, ²  O Lord God.

King David said to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is just an inexperienced young man, ¹  and the task is great, for this palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.

David told the entire assembly: “Praise the Lord your God!” So the entire assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors; they bowed down and stretched out flat on the ground before the Lord and the king.

O Lord, there is none like you; there is no God besides you! What we heard is true! ¹ 

Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple.

They placed his armor in the temple of their gods ¹  and hung his head in the temple of Dagon.

The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise, he is more awesome than ¹  all gods.

Nathan said to David, “You should do whatever you have in mind, ¹  for God is with you.”

Now, O Lord, you are the true God; ¹  you have made this good promise to your servant. ² 

He summoned his son Solomon and charged him to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel.

David said to Solomon: “My son, I really wanted ¹  to build a temple to honor ²  the Lord my God.

For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given his people rest and has permanently settled in Jerusalem. ¹ 

David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.

Their relatives, who were leaders of their families, numbered 1,760. They were capable men who were assigned to carry out the various tasks of service in God’s temple. ¹ 

They would spend the night in their posts all around God’s sanctuary, ¹  for they were assigned to guard it and would open it with the key every morning.

David ordered the resident foreigners in the land of Israel to be called together. He appointed some of them to be stonecutters to chisel stones for the building of God’s temple.

Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only ¹  you would greatly bless me and expand my territory! May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain!” ²  God answered his prayer. ³ 

while David and all Israel were energetically ¹  celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments, ²  tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.