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1 Chronicles 28:1-6

David’s Charge to Israel

1 ^aDavid assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the ^bofficials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the ^ccommanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, the ^dstewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the ^emighty men and all the seasoned warriors. 2 Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. ^fI had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the ^gfootstool of our God, and I made preparations for building. 3 But God said to me, ^h‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4 Yet the Lord God of Israel ⁱchose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel ^jforever. ^kFor he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s ^lhouse, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5 And of ^mall my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he ⁿhas chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6 He said to me, ‘It is ^oSolomon 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.