2Ch 2 | BSB | STEP | Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the Name of the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

2 Chronicles 2

Preparations for the Temple

1 Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the Name of the LORD and a royal palace for himself. 2 So he conscripted 70,000 {} porters, 80,000 {} stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors. 3 Then Solomon sent word to King Hiram ^{▼▼Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram; also in verses 11 and 12} of Tyre: “Do for me as you did for my father David when you sent him cedars to build himself a house to live in . 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever. 5 The house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain Him? Who then am I, that I should build a house for Him, except [as a place] to burn sacrifices before Him? 7 Send me, therefore, a craftsman who is skilled in engraving to work with gold and silver, bronze and iron, purple, crimson, and blue yarn. He will work with my craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. 8 Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum ^{▼▼Probably a variant of almug} logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber [there] . And indeed, my servants will work with yours 9 to prepare for me timber in abundance, because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful. 10 I will pay your servants, the woodcutters, 20,000 {} cors ^{▼▼That is, probably about 3,600 tons or 3,250 metric tons of wheat} of ground wheat, 20,000 {} cors ^{▼▼That is, probably about 3,000 tons or 2,700 metric tons of barley} of barley, 20,000 {} baths ^{▼▼That is, about 118,000 gallons or 440,000 liters} of wine, and 20,000 {} baths of olive oil.”

Hiram's Reply

11 Then King Hiram of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.” 12 Hiram also said: “Blessed [be] the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son with insight and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. 13 So now I am sending you Huram-abi, a skillful man endowed with understanding. 14 He is the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father is a man of Tyre. He is skilled in work with gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple, blue, and crimson yarn, and fine linen. He is experienced in every kind of engraving and can execute any design that is given him. He will work with your craftsmen and with those of my lord, your father David. 15 Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he promised. 16 We will cut logs from Lebanon, as many as you need, and in rafts by sea we will bring them to you at Joppa. Then you can take them up to Jerusalem.” 17 Solomon numbered all the foreign men in the land of Israel, following the census his father David [had conducted] , and there were found to be 153,600 [in all] . 18 Solomon made 70,000 of them porters, 80,000 {} stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors.