1 Chronicles 28:1–6

David’s Charge to Israel

28ⁱDavid assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the ^jofficials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the ^kcommanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, the ^lstewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the ^mmighty men and all the seasoned warriors. ²Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. ⁿI had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the ^ofootstool of our God, and I made preparations for building. ³But God said to me, ^p‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ ⁴Yet the Lord God of Israel ^qchose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel ^rforever. ^sFor he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s ^thouse, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. ⁵And of ^uall my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he ^vhas chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. ⁶He said to me, ‘It is ^wSolomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.