Legacy Standard Bible

1 Chronicles 22

Preparation to Build Yahweh’s House

22Then David said, “aThis is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2So David said to gather athe sojourners who were in the land of Israel, and bhe 1appointed 2stonecutters to hew out stones to build the house of God. 3And David aprepared large quantities of iron 1to make the nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps, and more bbronze than could be weighed; 4and timbers of cedar logs beyond number, for athe Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David. 5And David said, “My son aSolomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh shall be highly exalted, for a name and beauty throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it.” So David made ample preparations before his death.

Solomon to Build Yahweh’s House

6Then ahe called for his son Solomon, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. 7And David said to Solomon, “aMy son, 1I had it within my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God. 8But the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ‘aYou have shed much blood and have 1waged great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me. 9Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and aI will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for bhis name shall be 1Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10aHe shall build a house for My name, and he shall be a son to Me and I will be a father to him; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11Now, my son, aYahweh be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of Yahweh your God just as He has spoken concerning you. 12aOnly Yahweh give you insight and understanding, and give you command over Israel, so that you may bkeep the law of Yahweh your God. 13aThen you will succeed, if you are careful to do the statutes and the judgments which Yahweh commanded Moses concerning Israel. bBe strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. 14Now behold, 1with great pains I have prepared for the house of Yahweh a100,000 2talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bbronze and iron beyond weight, for 3they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. 15Moreover, there are many of those who do the work with you, hewers of stone and craftsmen of stone and wood, and all men who are 1wise in every kind of work. 16Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no number. Arise and work, and may aYahweh be with you.”
17aDavid also commanded all the officials of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, 18Is not Yahweh your God with you? And ahas He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before His people. 19Now agive your heart and your soul to seek Yahweh your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, bso that you may bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built cfor the name of Yahweh.”

1 Kings 1 - 2

David in Old Age

1Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. 2So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” 3So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the aShunammite, and brought her to the king. 4Now the young woman was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and attended him, but the king did not 1know her.
5Now aAdonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So bhe prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men as runners before him. 6But his father had never 1grieved him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?” And he was also a very handsome man in form, and 2,ahe was born after Absalom. 71And he had conferred with aJoab the son of Zeruiah and with bAbiathar the priest; and following cAdonijah, they helped him. 8But aZadok the priest, bBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, cNathan the prophet, dShimei, Rei, and ethe mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the 1stone of Zoheleth, which is beside aEn-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, and aSolomon his brother.

Nathan Speaks to Bathsheba

11Then Nathan spoke to aBathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12So now come, please let me agive you counsel and provide escape for your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go 1at once to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, “aSurely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and fully confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went in to the king in the bedroom. Now athe king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. 16Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself 1before the king. And the king said, “What 2do you wish?” 17And she said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by 1Yahweh your God, saying,aSurely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18But now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it. 19aAnd he has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20As for you now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will be, aas soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered 1offenders.”
22Behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23Then they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And then he came in before the king and prostrated himself 1before the king with his 2face to the ground. 24Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25aFor he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘bLong live King Adonijah!’ 26aBut me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and your servant Solomon, he has not invited. 27Has this thing happened by my lord the king, and you have not made known to your 1servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29And the king swore and said, “aAs Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, 30surely as aI swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will surely do so this day.” 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her 1face to the ground, and prostrated herself 2before the king and said, “aMay my lord King David live forever.”
32Then King David said, “Call to me aZadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came into the king’s presence. 33And the king said to them, “Take with you athe servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to bGihon. 34And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall aanoint him there as king over Israel and bblow the trumpet and say, ‘cLong live King Solomon!’ 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne. And he shall be king in my place; for I have commanded him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! Thus may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say. 37aAs Yahweh has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and bmake his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”

Solomon Anointed King

38So aZadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, bthe Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to cGihon. 39Zadok the priest then atook the horn of oil from the tent and banointed Solomon. Then they cblew the trumpet, and all the people said, “dLong live King Solomon!” 40And all the people went up after him, and the people 1were playing on flutes and were glad with great gladness, so that the earth 2shook at their sound.
41And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. Then Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is the sound of the city such an uproar?” 42While he was still speaking, behold, aJonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for byou are a valiant man and bring good news.” 43But Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44The king has also sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. 45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there with gladness, aso that the city is in an uproar. This is the sound which you have heard. 46And also, aSolomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. 47And also, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May ayour God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ And bthe king bowed himself on the bed. 48And also, the king said thus, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who ahas granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’”
49Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled; and they arose and each went on his way. 50And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, and he arose, went, and atook hold of the horns of the altar. 51Then it was told to Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’” 52And Solomon said, “If he is a worthy man, anot one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 53So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and prostrated himself 1before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

David’s Command to Solomon

2Then David’s 1,atime to die drew near, so he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2aI am going the way of all the earth. bSo you shall be strong, and be a man. 3And you shall keep the responsibility given by Yahweh your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, aaccording to what is written in the Law of Moses, that byou may be prosperous in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4so that aYahweh may establish His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘bIf your sons keep their way, cto walk before Me in 1truth with all their heart and with all their soul, He said, 2,dyou shall not have a man cut off from the throne of Israel.’
5Now you also know what Joab the ason of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to bAbner the son of Ner, and to cAmasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also 1shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt 2about his 3waist, and on his sandals 4on his feet. 6aSo act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace. 7But ashow lovingkindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and blet them be among those who eat at your table; cfor they 1assisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8Behold, athere is with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a 1violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when bhe came down to me at the Jordan, I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9So now, do not let him go unpunished, afor you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to Sheol with blood.”

The Death of David

10Then aDavid slept with his fathers and was buried in bthe city of David. 11aAnd the 1time which David reigned over Israel was forty years; in Hebron he reigned bseven years and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 12And aSolomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Adonijah’s Request

13Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “aDo you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.” 14Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” 15So he said, “You know that athe kingdom was mine and bthat all Israel 1expected me to be king; chowever, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, dfor it was his from Yahweh. 16So now, I am making one request of you; do not 1turn me away.” And she said to him, “Speak.” 17Then he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not 1turn you away, that he may give me aAbishag the Shunammite as a wife.” 18And Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.”

Adonijah Put to Death

19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king arose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne; then he ahad a throne set for the king’s mother, and bshe sat on his right. 20Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; ado not turn 1me away.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not turn 2you away.” 21So she said, “aLet Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” 22Then King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? aAsk for him also the kingdombfor he is my older brother—even for him, for cAbiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!” 23Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, “May God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah has anot spoken this word against his own 1life. 24So now, as Yahweh lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father and awho has made me a house as He promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25So King Solomon asent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him so that he died.
26Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “aGo to Anathoth to your own field, bfor you 1deserve to die; but I will not put you to death at this time, because cyou carried the ark of Lord Yahweh before my father David, and because dyou were afflicted in everything with which my father was afflicted.” 27So Solomon drove Abiathar away from being priest to Yahweh, in order to fulfill athe word of Yahweh, which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

Joab Put to Death

28Now the news came to Joab, afor Joab had followed Adonijah, balthough he had not followed Absalom. And Joab fled to the tent of Yahweh and ctook hold of the horns of the altar. 29And it was told to King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of Yahweh, and behold, he is beside the altar. Then Solomon asent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “bGo, fall upon him.” 30So Benaiah came to the tent of Yahweh and said to him, “Thus the king has said, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, for I will die here.” And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus spoke Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31And the king said to him, “aDo as he has spoken and fall upon him and bury him, bthat you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without cause. 32aAnd Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, bbecause he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword, but my father David did not know it: cAbner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and dAmasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33aSo shall their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his seed forever; but to David and his seed and his house and his throne, may there be peace from Yahweh forever.” 34Then aBenaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house bin the wilderness. 35aAnd the king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king appointed bZadok the priest cin the place of Abiathar.

Shimei Put to Death

36Then the king sent and called for aShimei and said to him, “Build for yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there to any place. 37Now it will be on the day you go out and across over the 1brook Kidron, that you will know for certain that you shall surely die; byour blood shall be on your own head.” 38Shimei then said to the king, “The word is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.
39But it happened at the end of three years, that two of the slaves of Shimei ran away ato Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your slaves are in Gath.” 40Then Shimei arose and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to search for his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. 41And it was told to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. 42So the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by Yahweh and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘You will know for certain that on the day you go out and go anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word which I have heard is good.’ 43Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the command which I have commanded you?” 44The king also said to Shimei, “aYou know all the evil which 1you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore bYahweh shall return your evil on your own head. 45But King Solomon shall be blessed, and athe throne of David shall be established before Yahweh forever.” 46aSo the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him so that he died. bThus the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.

Revelation 4 - 5

The Throne in Heaven

4After athese things I looked, and behold, ba door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, clike the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “dCome up here, and I will eshow you what must take place after these things.” 2Immediately I was 1,ain the Spirit, and behold, ba throne was standing in heaven, and cOne sitting on the throne. 3And He who was sitting was like a ajasper stone and a bsardius in appearance; and there was a 1,crainbow around the throne, like an demerald in appearance. 4aAround the throne were btwenty-four thrones, and upon those thrones I saw ctwenty-four elders dsitting, clothed in ewhite garments, and fgolden crowns on their heads. 5And out from the throne come aflashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were bseven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are cthe seven Spirits of God. 6And before the throne there was something like a asea of glass, like crystal. And in the 1center and baround the throne, cfour living creatures dfull of eyes in front and behind. 7aAnd the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8And the afour living creatures, each one of them having bsix wings, are cfull of eyes around and within, and dday and night 1they do not cease to say, eHoly, holy, holy is the 2,fLord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who 3is to come.”
9And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who asits on the throne, to bHim who lives forever and ever, 10the atwenty-four elders will bfall down before Him who csits on the throne, and will worship dHim who lives forever and ever, and will cast their ecrowns before the throne, saying,
11aWorthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You bcreated all things, and because of Your will they 1existed, and were created.”

The Scroll and the Lamb

5Then I saw 1in the right hand of Him who asits on the throne a bscroll written inside and on the back, csealed up with seven seals. 2Then I saw a astrong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3And no one ain heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4Then I was crying greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5And one of the elders *said to me, “Stop crying! Behold, the aLion that is bfrom the tribe of Judah, the cRoot of David, has overcome so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6Then I saw in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of athe elders a bLamb standing, as if cslain, having seven dhorns and eseven eyes, which are fthe seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7And He came and took athe scroll out of the right hand of Him who bsits on the throne. 8And when He had taken the scroll, the afour living creatures and the btwenty-four elders cfell down before the dLamb, each one having a eharp and fgolden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the 1saints. 9And they *sang a anew song, saying, bWorthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were cslain and dpurchased for God with Your blood people from eevery tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10And You made them to be a akingdom and bpriests to our God, and they will creign upon the earth.”

Angels Worship the Lamb

11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels aaround the throne and the bliving creatures and the celders; and the number of them was dmyriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice, aWorthy is the bLamb that was cslain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
13And aevery created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, To Him who bsits on the throne, and to the cLamb, dbe the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.”
14And the afour living creatures kept saying, “bAmen.” And the celders dfell down and worshiped.

Ecclesiastes 8

Keep the Command of the King

8Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom aillumines his face and causes his bstern face to 1beam.
2I say,Keep the 1command of the king because of the asworn oath 2before God. 3Do not be in a hurry ato go from his presence. Do not stand in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” 4Since the word of the king is powerful, awho will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5He who akeeps a royal command bexperiences no evil thing, for a wise heart knows the proper time and custom. 6For athere is a proper time and custom for every 1matter, though a man’s trouble is multiplied upon him. 7If no one aknows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8aThere is no man who has power to restrain the wind with the wind, and there is none who has power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and bwickedness will not provide escape to its masters. 9All this I have seen and given my heart to every work that has been done under the sun wherein a man has apower over another man to his calamity.
10So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are asoon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is vanity. 11Because the asentence against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore bthe hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. 12Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may aprolong his life, still I know that it will be bwell for those who fear God, who fear 1Him openly. 13But it will anot be well for the wicked man, and he will not prolong his days like a bshadow, because he does not fear 1God openly.
14There is vanity which is done on the earth, that is, there are arighteous men to whom it 1happens according to the works of the wicked. On the other hand, there are bwicked men to whom it 2happens according to the works of the righteous. I say that this too is vanity. 15So I laud gladness, for there is nothing good for aa man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to 1be merry, and this will join with him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
16When I agave my heart to know wisdom and to see the endeavor which has been done on the earth (even though one bnever sees sleep with his eyes day or night), 17and I saw every work of God, I concluded that aman cannot find out the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not find it out; and bthough the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot find it out.