2 Peter 1:15

¹⁹“Now therefore write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. ²⁰For when I have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant. ²¹It will happen, when many evils and troubles have come on them, that this song will testify before them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their descendants; for I know their ways and what they are doing today, before I have brought them into the land which I promised them.”

²²So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.

²³He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them. I will be with you.”

²⁴When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, ²⁵Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant, saying, ²⁶“Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the LORD your God’s covenant, that it may be there for a witness against you. ²⁷For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death? ²⁸Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them. ²⁹For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn away from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will happen to you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in the LORD’s sight, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.”

¹⁸Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

²⁴The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God, and we will listen to his voice.”

²⁵So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. ²⁶Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. ²⁷Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the LORD’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God.” ²⁸So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.

²⁹After these things, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred ten years old.

¹²Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth.

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

⁴by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. ⁵Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; ⁶and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness; ⁷and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

³¹who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,^[+] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

²The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

¹David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. ²Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, also onyx stones, stones to be set, stones for inlaid work of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. ³In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house: ⁴even three thousand talents of gold,^[+] of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents^[+] of refined silver, with which to overlay the walls of the houses; ⁵of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be made by the hands of artisans. Who then offers willingly to consecrate himself today to the LORD?”

⁶Then the princes of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly; ⁷and they gave for the service of God’s house of gold five thousand talents^[+] and ten thousand darics,^[+] of silver ten thousand talents, of bronze eighteen thousand talents, and of iron one hundred thousand talents. ⁸People with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the LORD’s house, under the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. ⁹Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

¹⁰Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. ¹¹Yours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. ¹²Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all! In your hand is power and might! It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all! ¹³Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name. ¹⁴But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given you of your own. ¹⁵For we are strangers before you and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining. ¹⁶LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and is all your own. ¹⁷I know also, my God, that you try the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you. ¹⁸LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you; ¹⁹and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.”

²⁰Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD your God!” All the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king.