680
Patriarchs and Prophets
now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary:
be strong, and do it.”
David gave Solomon minute directions for building the temple,
with patterns of every part, and of all its instruments of service, as had
been revealed to him by divine inspiration. Solomon was still young,
and shrank from the weighty responsibilities that would devolve upon
him in the erection of the temple and in the government of God’s
people. David said to his son, “Be strong and of good courage, and do
it: fear not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, will be
with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Again David appealed to the congregation: “Solomon my son,
whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work
is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.” He said,
“I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God,” and he
went on to enumerate the materials he had gathered. More than this,
he said, “I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of
mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the
house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy
house, even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and
seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the
houses withal.” “Who then,” he asked of the assembled multitude that
had brought their liberal gifts—“who then is willing to consecrate his
service this day unto the Lord?”
There was a ready response from the assembly. “The chief of the
fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands
and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly,
and gave, for the service of the house of God, of gold five thousand
[752]
talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and
of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents
of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them
to the treasure of the house of the Lord.... Then the people rejoiced,
for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered
willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
“Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation:
and David said, Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel our father, forever
and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory,
and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the
earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted