y of David. He built
a beautiful house for himself there, and King Hiram of Tyre sent
skilled workmen, and cedar trees, and they built a house of cedar for
him. But stronger than the wish to have a house for himself was the
longing to see the Ark of God set within the curtains of the Tabernacle
in the city of David. It had been in the house of Abinadab in
Kirjath-Jearim for seventy years, ever since it was sent home by the
Philistines who captured it. Because the people had grown cold toward
God, they did not wish to hear the reading of the law, or be led by his
counsel. Now David called together the flower of all Israel, thirty
thousand men, and they went to bring the Ark to the city of David.
While on the way a man who had laid his hand upon the Ark when it was
unsteady was smitten and died, for no one but the priests and Levites
could touch the Ark of God. David feared to bring it further, and so
he placed it in the house of Obededom which was near by. It was there
three months, and great blessing came to the house because of it. When
David heard this he went joyfully down to bring the Ark to his city,
and it was with sacrifices, and shouting, and the sound of trumpet that
it was brought and set in the Tabernacle that had been made ready for
it. And so the worship of the Lord was established in Jerusalem, which
was to be the great altar for the sacrificial worship until the
sacrifice should be taken away, and the kingdom of Christ established
on the earth.

But David was not satisfied.

"See," he said to Nathan the prophet, "I dwell in a house of cedar, but
the Ark of God dwelleth within curtains."

That night the Lord spoke to Nathan and told him what to say to the
king. He promised to establish the royal house of David, and give
final peace to the people, and also to build a house for the worship of
the Lord, but he said that David's son, who should be king after him,
should build a house to his name, and of him the Lord said, "I will be
his Father, and he shall be my son."

Then King David went in to the Tabernacle and thanked the Lord for His
promise to him and to his son, and asked His blessing upon them.
Though he reigned forty years, he never forgot that his work was not to
build the temple of the Lord, but to prepare for it. So he subdued
enemies, built cities, made leagues with friendly nations, gathered
much wealth of wood, and stone, and gold, and silver and precious
stones for the house of