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 on  earth,  and  that  you  may  be  eternally  happy  in  heaven. Therefore, because I wish  this,  I say  most  earnestly  to  you: “Honour  and love your  parents  and  obey  them,  or  else  you  will  know  no  happiness on  earth  and  never  get  to  heaven."  Woe  to  those  children who  do  not  observe  the  fourth  Commandment!

AVID was  thirty  years  old  when  he  ascended  the  throne of Israel,  and  he  reigned  forty  years  in  honour  and  glory. When the  time  of  his  death  drew  near,  he  gathered  together  the princes of  Israel,  and  told  them  that  he  had  intended  to  build  a house  to  the  Lord,  and  had  prepared  all  the  materials  for  a new Temple; but that  the  Lord  had  not  allowed  him  to  carry  out  his plan, because  he  had  shed  much  blood  in  his  many  battles.

The building  of  the  Temple  was  reserved  for  Solomon,  his son, whose  kingdom  should  be  great  and  powerful  if  he  would be faithful  to  the  Commandments  of  God. David therefore  exhorted his  son  to  serve  God  with  a good  will,  because  the  Lord sounds the  depths  of  hearts  and  penetrates  the  thoughts  of  men. “If thou  seek  Him”,  said  David,  “thou  shalt  find  Him;  but  if thou  forsake  Him,  He  will  cast  thee  off  for  ever.”

David then  gave  his  son  gold  and  silver  for  the  vessels  of the  Sanctuary,  together  with  the  plan  of  the  Temple  and  its precincts, and  said  to  him:  “All  these  things  came  to  me  written by the  hand  of  the  Lord. Act like  a man,  take  courage  and fear not; for  the  Lord  my  God  will  be  with  thee  nor  forsake  thee till thou  hast  finished  the  House  of  the  Lord.”