2 Chronicles 2
Chapter 2
Preparations for Building the Temple
1 tSolomon decided to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD, and also a royal palace for himself.
2 tHe enlisted a force of 70,000 laborers, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the hill country, and 3,600 foremen.
3 Solomon also sent this message to King Hiramt at Tyre:
“Send me cedar logs as you did for my father, David, when he was building his palace.4 I am about to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God. It will be a place set apart to burn fragrant incense before him, to display the special sacrificial bread, and to sacrifice burnt offerings each morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, at new moon celebrations, and at the other appointed festivals of the LORD our God. He has commanded Israel to do these things forever.5 “This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods.6 But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?7 “So send me a master craftsman who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as with purple, scarlet, and blue cloth. He must be a skilled engraver who can work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem who were selected by my father, David.8 “Also send me cedar, cypress, and red sandalwoodt logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are without equal at cutting timber in Lebanon. I will send my men to help them.9 An immense amount of timber will be needed, for the Temple I am going to build will be very large and magnificent.10 In payment for your woodcutters, I will send 100,000 bushels of crushed wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley,t 110,000 gallons of wine, and 110,000 gallons of olive oil.t”
11 King Hiram sent this letter of reply to Solomon:
“It is because the LORD loves his people that he has made you their king!12 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son, gifted with skill and understanding, who will build a Temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.13 “I am sending you a master craftsman named Huram-abi, who is extremely talented.14 His mother is from the tribe of Dan in Israel, and his father is from Tyre. He is skillful at making things from gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and he also works with stone and wood. He can work with purple, blue, and scarlet cloth and fine linen. He is also an engraver and can follow any design given to him. He will work with your craftsmen and those appointed by my lord David, your father.15 “Send along the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine that my lord has mentioned.16 We will cut whatever timber you need from the Lebanon mountains and will float the logs in rafts down the coast of the Mediterranean Seat to Joppa. From there you can transport the logs up to Jerusalem.”17 Solomon took a census of all foreigners in the land of Israel, like the census his father had taken, and he counted 153,600.
18 He assigned 70,000 of them as common laborers, 80,000 as quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 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
