28:1 David assembled in Jerusalem 1 all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them.
28:2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord’s covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God. 2 I have made the preparations for building it. 28:3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, 3 for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’ 28:4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. 4 Indeed, 5 he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel. 6 28:5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel. 7