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the King

and Araunah faid unto the King, The LORD thy GoD accept thee.

24 And the King faid unto Araunah, Nay; but I will furely buy it of thee at a Price: neither will I offer Burntofferings unto the LORD my GOD, of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the Threshing-floor, and the Oxen, for fifty Shekels of Silver.

25 And David built there an ALTAR unto the Lord, and offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings: fo the LORD Was INTREATED for the Land, and the PLAGUE was STAYED from Ifrael.

I CHRON. XXI.

28 At that Time, when David faw that the LORD had ANSWERED him in the Threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebufite, then he facrificed there.

29 For the TABERNACLE of the LORD which MOSES MADE in the Wildernefs, and the Altar of the Burnt-offering, were at that Seafon in the high Place at Gibeon.

30 But DAVID could not go before it to enquire of GOD; for he was AFRAID, because of the SWORD of the ANGEL of the LORD.

THE

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

Kings of ISRAEL and JUDAH,

Abstracted from the Books of

KINGS and CHRONICLES.

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I. CHRON. CHA P. XXII.

David prepareth for the building of the Temple: 6 He inftructeth Solomon in God's Promifes and his Duty.

Ver.1

T

HEN David faid, This is the HOUSE of the LORD GOD, and this is the Altar of the Burnt-offering for Ifrael.

2 And David commanded to gather together the Strangers that were in the Land of Ifrael, and he fet Masons to

hew wrought Stone to build the HOUSE of GOD.

3 And David prepared Iron in abundance for the Nails for the Doors of the Gates, and for the Joinings; and Brass in abundance without weight;

4 Alfo Cedar-trees in abundance: for the Zidonians, and they of Tyre, brought much Cedar-wood to David.

5 And David faid, Solomon my Son is young and tender, and the Houfe that is to be builded for the LORD, must be EXCEEDING MAGNIFICAL, of FAME, and of GLORY throughout all Countries: I will therefore now make Preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his Death. 6 Then he called for Solomon his Son, and charged him to build an Houfe for the LORD GOD of Ifrael.

7 And David faid to Solomon, My Son, as for me, it was in my MIND to build an Houfe unto the NAME of the LORD MY GOD.

8 But the WORD of the LORD came unto me, faying, Thou haft fhed Blood abundantly, and haft made great Wars: thou fhalt not build an Houfe unto my Name, becaufe thou haft fhed much Blood upon the Earth in my fight.

9 Behold, a Son fhall be born to thee, who fhall be a Man of REST, and I will give him REST from all his Enemies round about: for his Name fhall be Solomon, and I will give PEACE and QUIETNESS unto Ifrael in his Days.

10 He fhall build an Houfe for my Name, and he fhall be my Son, and I will be his Father, and I will establish the THRONE of his KINGDOM Over Ifracl for EVER.

11 Now, my Son, the LORD be with thec, and profper thou, and build the Houfe of the LORD thy GOD, as he hath faid of thee.

12 Only the LORD give thee WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, and give thee Charge concerning Ifracl, that thou mayft KEEP the LAW of the LORD thy GOD.

13 Then fhalt thou PROSPER, if thou taket heed to fulfil the Statutes and Judgments which the LORD charged Mofes with concerning Ifrael: be ftrong and of good Courage, DREAD not, nor be DISMAYED.

14 Now behold, in my Trouble I have prepared for the Houfe of the LORD an HUNDRED THOUSAND Talents of GOLD, and a THOUSAND THOUSAND Talents of SILVER; and of Brafs, and Iron, without weight (for it is in abundance:) Timber alfo and Stone have I prepared, and thou mayeft add thereto.

Dr. Prideaux computes an Hebrew Talent of Silver at 4501. Sterling; and aTalent of Gold at 72001. Sterling: By this Computation 1000000 Talents of Silver will amount to 450 Millions of Pounds Sterling, and 100000 Talents of Gold will Amount in Pounds Sterling to 7200 Millions, in both, 7650 Millions.

15 Moreover,

15 Moreover, there are Workmen with thee in abundance, Hewers, and Workers of Stone and Timber, and all manner of cunning Men for every manner of Work.

16 Of the GOLD, the SILVER, and the Brafs, and the Iron, there is no NUMBER. Arife therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

17 David alfo commanded all the Princes of Ifracl to help Solomon his Son, faying,

18* Is not the LORD your GOD with you? and hath he not given you REST on every fide? for he hath given the Inhabitants of the Land into mine Hand, and the LAND is SUBDUED before the LORD, and before his People.

19 Now fet your HEART and your SOUL to SEEK the LORD your GOD; arife therefore, and build ye the Sanctuary of the LORD GOD, to bring the ARK of the COVENANT of the LORD, and the holy Veffels of GOD, into the House that is to be built in the Name of the LORD.

CHAP. XXIII.

1 David in his old Age maketh Solomon King. 2 The Number and Distribution of the Levites. 7 The Families of the GerJhonites. 12 The Sons of Kohath. 21 The Sons of Merari. 24 The Office of the Levites.

Ver.

O when David was old and full of Days, he made
Solomon his Son King over Ifrael.

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2 And he gathered together all the Princes of Ifrael, with the Priests and the Levites.

3 Now the Levites were numbred from the Age of thirty Years, and upward: and their Number by their Polls, Man by Man, was THIRTY and EIGHT THOUSAND.

4 Of which, TWENTY and FOUR THOUSAND were to fet forward the WORK of the HOUSE of the LORD: and SIX THOUSAND were OFFICERS and JUDGES.

5 Moreover, FOUR THOUSAND were PORTERS, and FOUR THOUSAND PRAISED the LORD with the Inftruments which I made (faid David) to PRAISE therewith.

6 And DAVID DIVIDED them into COURSES among the Sons of Levi, namely, Gerfhon, Kohath, and Merari.

13 The Sons of Amram; Aaron and Mofes: and Aaron

David here acknowledges, that all the Promises made to the Patriarchs, concern=" ing the Land of Canaan, were exactly accomplished.

was

was feparated, that he should fanctify the most holy Things, he and his Sons for ever, to burn Incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to blefs in his Name for ever.

14 Now concerning Mofes the Man of GOD, his Sons were named of the Tribe of Levi.

15 The Sons of Mofes were Gerfhom and Eliezer.

25 David faid, The LORD GOD of Ifrael hath given REST unto his People, that they may dwell in Jerufalem for ever;

26 And also unto the Levites: they fhall no more carry the Tabernacle, nor any Veffels of it for the Service thereof.

28 Because their Office was to wait on the Sons of Aaron, for the Service of the Houfe of the LORD, in the Courts, and in the Chambers, and in the purifying of all holy Things, and the Work of the Service of the House of GOD;

30 And to ftand every MORNING to THANK and PRAISE the LORD, and likewife at EVEN:

31 And to offer all Burnt-facrifices unto the LORD in the Sabbaths, in the New-moons, and on the fet Feafts, by Number, according to the Order commanded unto them continually before the LORD:

32 And that they should keep the Charge of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the Charge of the HOLY PLACE, and the Charge of the Sons of Aaron their Brethren, in the Service of the House of the LORD.

CHA P. XXIV.

1 The Divifions of the Sons of Aaron by Lot into four and twenty Orders. 20 The Kohathites, 27 and the Merarites divided by Lot.

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1 The Number and Offices of the Singers. 8 Their Divifion by Lot into four and twenty Orders.

Ver. 1

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OREOVER, David and the Captains of the Hoft feparated to the Service of the Sons of ASAPH, and of HEMAN, and of JEDUTHUN, who should PROPHESY with HARPS, with PSALTERIES, and with

CYMBALS:

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