TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

I - Chapter 21

Translation and Transliteration of 

1David said, “Here will be the House of Hashem and here the mizbayach of burnt offerings for Yisrael.”

אוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד זֶה הוּא בֵּית יְהֹוָה הָאֱלֹהִים וְזֶה־מִּזְבֵּחַ לְעֹלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in the land of Yisrael, and assigned them to be hewers, to quarry and dress stones for building the House of Hashem.

בוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד לִכְנוֹס אֶת־הַגֵּרִים אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲמֵד חֹצְבִים לַחְצוֹב אַבְנֵי גָזִית לִבְנוֹת בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים׃

3Much iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clasps did David lay aside, and so much copper it could not be weighed,

גוּבַרְזֶל לָרֹב לַמִּסְמְרִים לְדַלְתוֹת הַשְּׁעָרִים וְלַמְחַבְּרוֹת הֵכִין דָּוִיד וּנְחֹשֶׁת לָרֹב אֵין מִשְׁקָל׃

4and cedar logs without number—for the Sidonians and the Tyrians brought many cedar logs to David.

דוַעֲצֵי אֲרָזִים לְאֵין מִסְפָּר כִּי הֵבִיאוּ הַצִּידֹנִים וְהַצֹּרִים עֲצֵי אֲרָזִים לָרֹב לְדָוִיד׃

5For David thought, “My son Shlomo is an untried youth, and the House to be built for Hashem is to be made exceedingly great to win fame and glory throughout all the lands; let me then lay aside material for him.” So David laid aside much material before he died.

va-YO-mer da-VEED sh'-lo-MOH v'-NEE NA-ar va-RAKH v'-ha-BA-yit liv-NOT la-do-NAI l'-hag-DEEL l'-MA-lah l'-SHAYM ul-tif-E-ret l'-khol HA-a-ra-TZOT a-KHEE-nah NA LO va-YA-khen da-VEED la-ROV lif-NAY mo-TO

הוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד שְׁלֹמֹה בְנִי נַעַר וָרָךְ וְהַבַּיִת לִבְנוֹת לַיהֹוָה לְהַגְדִּיל לְמַעְלָה לְשֵׁם וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת לְכָל־הָאֲרָצוֹת אָכִינָה נָּא לוֹ וַיָּכֶן דָּוִיד לָרֹב לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ׃

22:5   Let me then lay aside material for him

Even though he has not been instructed to do so, King David begins preparations for the construction of the Temple. He feels that if he would leave all of the preparation to Shlomo, who was still young at the time, the building project would be delayed significantly. In addition, it is likely that David feels an overpowering urge to do whatever he can for God’s glory. While he has been told that he will not be able to build the Beit Hamikdash, there is nothing stopping him from preparing for its construction. He simply cannot ignore his concern that God’s honor is impugned by the lack of a permanent home.

6Then he summoned his son Shlomo and charged him with building the House for God of Yisrael.

ווַיִּקְרָא לִשְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ וַיְצַוֵּהוּ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

7David said to Shlomo, “My son, I wanted to build a House for the name of Hashem my God.

זוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד לִשְׁלֹמֹה בנו [בְּנִי] אֲנִי הָיָה עִם־לְבָבִי לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי׃

8But the word of Hashem came to me, saying,‘You have shed much blood and fought great battles; you shall not build a House for My name for you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.

חוַיְהִי עָלַי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר דָּם לָרֹב שָׁפַכְתָּ וּמִלְחָמוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת עָשִׂיתָ לֹא־תִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי כִּי דָּמִים רַבִּים שָׁפַכְתָּ אַרְצָה לְפָנָי׃

9But you will have a son who will be a man at rest, for I will give him rest from all his enemies on all sides; Shlomo will be his name and I shall confer peace and quiet on Yisrael in his time.

טהִנֵּה־בֵן נוֹלָד לָךְ הוּא יִהְיֶה אִישׁ מְנוּחָה וַהֲנִחוֹתִי לוֹ מִכָּל־אוֹיְבָיו מִסָּבִיב כִּי שְׁלֹמֹה יִהְיֶה שְׁמוֹ וְשָׁלוֹם וָשֶׁקֶט אֶתֵּן עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָמָיו׃

10He will build a House for My name; he shall be a son to Me and I to him a father, and I will establish his throne of kingship over Yisrael forever.'

יהוּא־יִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי וְהוּא יִהְיֶה־לִּי לְבֵן וַאֲנִי־לוֹ לְאָב וַהֲכִינוֹתִי כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד־עוֹלָם׃

11Now, my son, may Hashem be with you, and may you succeed in building the House of Hashem your God as He promised you would.

יאעַתָּה בְנִי יְהִי יְהֹוָה עִמָּךְ וְהִצְלַחְתָּ וּבָנִיתָ בֵּית יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלֶיךָ׃

12Only let Hashem give you sense and understanding and put you in charge of Yisrael and the observance of the Teaching of Hashem your God.

יבאַךְ יִתֶּן־לְּךָ יְהֹוָה שֵׂכֶל וּבִינָה וִיצַוְּךָ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלִשְׁמוֹר אֶת־תּוֹרַת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ׃

13Then you shall succeed, if you observantly carry out the laws and the rules that Hashem charged Moshe to lay upon Yisrael. Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid or dismayed.

יגאָז תַּצְלִיחַ אִם־תִּשְׁמוֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ אַל־תִּירָא וְאַל־תֵּחָת׃

14See, by denying myself, I have laid aside for the House of Hashem one hundred thousand kikarim of gold and one million kikarim of silver, and so much copper and iron it cannot be weighed; I have also laid aside wood and stone, and you shall add to them.

ידוְהִנֵּה בְעָנְיִי הֲכִינוֹתִי לְבֵית־יְהֹוָה זָהָב כִּכָּרִים מֵאָה־אֶלֶף וְכֶסֶף אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים כִּכָּרִים וְלַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְלַבַּרְזֶל אֵין מִשְׁקָל כִּי לָרֹב הָיָה וְעֵצִים וַאֲבָנִים הֲכִינוֹתִי וַעֲלֵיהֶם תּוֹסִיף׃

15An abundance of workmen is at your disposal—hewers, workers in stone and wood, and every kind of craftsman in every kind of material—

טווְעִמְּךָ לָרֹב עֹשֵׂי מְלָאכָה חֹצְבִים וְחָרָשֵׁי אֶבֶן וָעֵץ וְכָל־חָכָם בְּכָל־מְלָאכָה׃

16gold, silver, copper, and iron without limit. Go and do it, and may Hashem be with you.”

טזלַזָּהָב לַכֶּסֶף וְלַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְלַבַּרְזֶל אֵין מִסְפָּר קוּם וַעֲשֵׂה וִיהִי יְהֹוָה עִמָּךְ׃

17David charged all the officers of Yisrael to support his son Shlomo,

יזוַיְצַו דָּוִיד לְכָל־שָׂרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעְזֹר לִשְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ׃

18“See, Hashem your God is with you, and He will give you rest on every side, for He delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand so that the land lies conquered before Hashem and before His people.

יחהֲלֹא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם עִמָּכֶם וְהֵנִיחַ לָכֶם מִסָּבִיב כִּי נָתַן בְּיָדִי אֵת יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ וְנִכְבְּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וְלִפְנֵי עַמּוֹ׃

19Now, set your minds and hearts on worshiping Hashem your God, and go build the Sanctuary of Hashem your God so that you may bring the Aron Brit Hashem and the holy vessels of Hashem to the house that is built for the name of Hashem.”

יטעַתָּה תְּנוּ לְבַבְכֶם וְנַפְשְׁכֶם לִדְרוֹשׁ לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְקוּמוּ וּבְנוּ אֶת־מִקְדַּשׁ יְהֹוָה הָאֱלֹהִים לְהָבִיא אֶת־אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָה וּכְלֵי קֹדֶשׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לַבַּיִת הַנִּבְנֶה לְשֵׁם־יְהֹוָה׃