2 Chronicles 2
Preparations for Building the Temple
1 Solomon gave orders to build a temple for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself.2 He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them.
3 Solomon sent this message to Hiramt king of Tyre:
"Send me cedar logs as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in.4 Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.
5 "The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods.6 But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?
7 "Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled workers, whom my father David provided.
8 "Send me also cedar, juniper and algumt logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours9 to provide me with plenty of lumber, because the temple I build must be large and magnificent.10 I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand corst of ground wheat, twenty thousand corst of barley, twenty thousand bathst of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil."
11 Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon:
"Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king."
12 And Hiram added:
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself.
13 "I am sending you Huram-Abi, a man of great skill,14 whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father.
15 "Now let my lord send his servants the wheat and barley and the olive oil and wine he promised,16 and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them as rafts by sea down to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem."
17 Solomon took a census of all the foreigners residing in Israel, after the census his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600.18 He assigned 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them 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
