2 Chronicles 2

Solomon Assembles the Labor and Materials for the Temple—1 Kings 5:1–18; 7:13–14

1 Solomon gave orders to begin building the temple for the Lord’s name and a royal palace for himself.2 Solomon drafted 70,000 men to carry heavy loads, 80,000 to quarry stones in the mountains, and 3,600 foremen.3 Solomon sent word to King Huram of Tyre by saying, “Do what you did for my father David. You sent him cedar so that he could build a palace to live in.4 I want to build the temple for the name of the Lord my God. I want to dedicate it to him, burn sweet-smelling incense in his presence, and have rows of bread there continually. I want to sacrifice burnt offerings every morning and evening, on weekly worship days, New Moon Festivals, and during the annual festivals appointed by the Lord our God. (These festivals are always to be celebrated by Israel.)5 The temple I am building will be great because our God is greater than all other gods.

6 But who is able to build him a temple when heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold him? Who am I to build him a temple except as a place to sacrifice in his presence?
7 “Send me a man who has the skill to work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron as well as purple, dark red, and violet cloth. He should know how to make engravings with the skilled men whom my father David provided for me in Judah and Jerusalem.8 Send me cedar, cypress, and sandalwood from Lebanon. I know that your servants are skilled Lebanese lumberjacks. My workers will work with your workers.9 They’ll prepare plenty of lumber for me, because the temple I want to build will be large and astonishing.

10 I will give your lumberjacks 120,000 bushels of ground wheat, 120,000 bushels of barley, 200,000 gallons of wine, and 200,000 gallons of olive oil.”
11 Then King Huram of Tyre responded to Solomon by sending a letter that said, “Because the Lord loves his people, he made you their king.”12 Huram added, “May the Lord God of Israel be praised. He made the heavens and the earth and has given King David a wise son who has insight and intelligence and can build the Lord’s temple and a royal palace.13 And now, I’m sending a man with skill and intelligence—Huram Abi.14 He was the son of a woman from the tribe of Dan, and his father is a native of Tyre. Huram knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, wood, purple, violet, and dark red cloth, and linen. He also knows how to make all kinds of engravings and follow any set of plans that will be given to him. He can work with your skilled workmen and the skilled workmen of His Majesty David, your father.15 Your Majesty may now send the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he promised the workers.

16 We will cut all the lumber you need in Lebanon. Then we will make rafts out of it and send them to you in Joppa by sea. You can take it from there to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon counted all the men who were foreigners in the land of Israel, as his father David had counted them. Solomon counted 153,600 foreigners.

18 He made 70,000 of them carry heavy loads, 80,000 of them quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 of them supervise the work as foremen.

2 Chronicles 2

Solomon Gathers Building Materials for the Temple

1 s Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.t

2 Solomon hadt 70,000 common laborerst and 80,000 stonecutterst in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors.st
3 Solomon sent a message to King Huramt of Tyre:s “Help met as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logst for the construction of his palace.t4 Look, I am ready to build a temple to honort the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed,t and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis.t5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods.

6 Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the skyt and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him.t
7 “Now send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple, crimson, and violet colored fabrics, and who knows how to engrave. He will work with my skilled craftsmen here in Jerusalems and Judah, whom my father David provided.8 Send me cedars, evergreens, and algumt trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adeptt at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants9 to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple.

10 Look, I will pay your servants who cut the timber 20,000 korss of ground wheat, 20,000 kors of barley, 120,000 gallonst of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
11 King Huramt of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.”12 Huram also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.t13 Now I am sending you Huram Abi,s a skilled and capable man,14 whose mother is a Danite and whose father is a Tyrian.t He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stones, and wood, as well as purple, violet, white, and crimson fabrics. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and understands any design given to him. He will work with your skilled craftsmen and the skilled craftsmen of my lord David your father.15 Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he has promised;

16 we will get all the timber you need from Lebanont and bring itt in raft-like bundlest by sea to Joppa. You can then haul it on up to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon took a censust of all the male resident foreigners in the land of Israel, after the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 in all.

18 He designatedt 70,000 as common laborers,t 80,000 as stonecutterst in the hills, and 3,600 as supervisors to make sure the people completed the work.t