1. David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valour, to Jerusalem.
2. Then David the king stood up on his feet, and said, “Hear me, my brothers, and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and for the footstool of our God; and I had prepared for the building.
3. But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war, and have shed blood.’
4. However the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and amongst the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
5. Of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons), he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the Lord’s kingdom over Israel.
6. He said to me, ‘Solomon, your son, shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
7. I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as it is today.’
8. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord’s assembly, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.
9. You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.