From the Death of Saul to the Death of David - Flavius Josephus

Moses, and do not permit others to break them. Be zealous also to dedicate to
God a temple, which he hath chosen to be built under thy reign; nor be thou
aftrighted by the vastness of the work, nor set about it timorously, for I will
make all things ready before I die: and take notice, that there are already ten
thousand talents of gold, and a hundred thousand talents of silver (1)
collected together. I have also laid together brass and iron without number,
and an immense quantity of timber and of stones. Moreover, thou hast many
ten thousand stone-cutters and carpenters; and if thou shalt want any thing
further, do thou add somewhat of thine own. Wherefore, if thou performest
this work, thou wilt be acceptable to God, and have him for thy patron."
David also further exhorted the rulers of the people to assist his son in this
building, and to attend to the Divine service, when they should be free from
all their misfortunes, for that they by this means should enjoy, instead of
them, peace and a happy settlement, with which blessings God rewards such
men as are religious and righteous. He also gave orders, that when the temple
should be once built, they should put the ark therein, with the holy vessels;
and he assured them that they ought to have had a temple long ago, if their
fathers had not been negligent of God's commands, who had given it in
charge, that when they had got the possession of this land, they should build
him a temple. Thus did David discourse to the governors, and to his son.
3. David was now in years, and his body, by length of time, was become
cold, and benumbed, insomuch that he could get no heat by covering himself
with many clothes; and when the physicians came together, they agreed to
this advice, that a beautiful virgin, chosen out of the whole country, should
sleep by the king's side, and that this damsel would communicate heat to
him, and be a remedy against his numbness. Now there was found in the city
one woman, of a superior beauty to all other women, (her name was
Abishag,) who, sleeping with the king, did no more than communicate
warmth to him, for he was so old that he could not know her as a husband
knows his wife. But of this woman we shall speak more presently.
78