2 Chronicles 2

Solomon Prepares for the Temple

1 Solomon decided to build a temple as a place to worship the Lord and also a palace for himself.

2 He chose seventy thousand men to carry loads, eighty thousand men to cut stone in the hill country, and thirty-six hundred men to direct the workers.
3 Solomon sent this message to Hiram king of the city of Tyre: “Help me as you helped my father David by sending him cedar logs so he could build himself a palace to live in.

4 I will build a temple for worshiping the Lord my God, and I will give this temple to him. There we will burn sweet-smelling spices in his presence. We will continually set out the holy bread in God’s presence. And we will burn sacrifices every morning and evening, on Sabbath days and New Moons, and on the other feast days commanded by the Lord our God. This is a rule for Israel to obey forever.
5 “The temple I build will be great, because our God is greater than all gods.

6 But no one can really build a house for our God. Not even the highest of heavens can hold him. How then can I build a temple for him except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?

7 “Now send me a man skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and with purple, red, and blue thread. He must also know how to make engravings. He will work with my skilled craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David chose.
8 “Also send me cedar, pine, and juniper logs from Lebanon. I know your servants are experienced at cutting down the trees in Lebanon, and my servants will help them.9 Send me a lot of wood, because the temple I am going to build will be large and wonderful.

10 I will give your servants who cut the wood one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels of wheat, one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels of barley, one hundred fifteen thousand gallons of wine, and one hundred fifteen thousand gallons of oil.”
11 Then Hiram king of Tyre answered Solomon with this letter: “Solomon, because the Lord loves his people, he chose you to be their king.”

12 Hiram also said: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, one with wisdom and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself.
13 “I will send you a skilled and wise man named Huram-Abi.

14 His mother was from the people of Dan, and his father was from Tyre. Huram-Abi is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and with purple, blue, and red thread, and expensive linen. He is skilled in making engravings and can make any design you show him. He will help your craftsmen and the craftsmen of your father David.
15 “Now send my servants the wheat, barley, oil, and wine you promised.

16 We will cut as much wood from Lebanon as you need and will bring it on rafts by sea to Joppa. Then you may carry it to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon counted all the foreigners living in Israel. (This was after the time his father David had counted the people.) There were one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred foreigners in the country.18 Solomon chose seventy thousand of them to carry loads, eighty thousand of them to cut stone in the mountains, and thirty-six hundred of them to direct the workers and to keep the people working.

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