2 Solomon decided to build a house to give honour to the Lord 's name. He also decided to build a royal palace for himself. 2 He chose 70,000 men to carry the heavy things for the buildings, and 80,000 men to cut rocks in the hills. He also chose 3,600 men to lead these workers.
3 Solomon wrote this letter to King Huram of Tyre:
‘You helped my father King David when you sent him wood from cedar trees to build his palace. Please help me now. 4 I am ready to build a temple to give honour to the Lord my God. It will be a holy place that belongs to him. We Israelites will burn sweet incense for him there. We will put special bread there every day. We will burn sacrifices to the Lord our God every morning and every evening. We will also do that on Sabbath days, on New Moon festival days and on other special days that God has chosen. He has told us to do this for all time.
5 The house that I will build for our God will be a great temple, because he is greater than all gods. 6 I know that nobody can really build a house for our God. The whole sky, or even heaven itself, is not big enough to contain him. So I certainly cannot build a place for him to live in, but it will be a place where we can offer sacrifices to him.
7 Please send me a man who has special skills to work with gold, silver, bronze and iron, as well as with valuable red, purple and blue materials. He must also know how to cut pictures on metal. He will help my own workers here in Judah [ a ] and in Jerusalem. They are workers with special skills that my father David chose to do this work.
8 Please send me wood from cedar trees, cypress trees and other strong trees from Lebanon. I know that your men have good skills to cut down trees in Lebanon. My own men will help your men with the work. 9 I will need you to send me a lot of wood because I am ready to build a large and beautiful temple. 10 I will pay your men who cut down the trees. To pay them, I will send 2,000 tons of wheat, 2,000 tons of barley, 450,000 litres of wine and 450,000 litres of olive oil.’
11 King Huram of Tyre replied to Solomon with this letter:
‘Because the Lord loves his people, he has chosen you to be their king.’
12 Huram also said, ‘Praise the Lord , Israel's God! He made the whole universe. He has now given a wise son to King David, a son who is clever and who understands things well. He will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.
13 I have decided to send Huram-Abi to you. He is a wise man who has special skills. 14 His mother belonged to the tribe of Dan. His father came from Tyre. He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood. He can also work with purple, blue and red materials, and with white linen. He can make all kinds of pictures on metal, if you show him what you want. He will help your own workers and the workers that your father King David chose.
15 Please sir, now send us the wheat, barley, olive oil and wine that you promised. 16 Then we will cut the wood that you need from the trees in Lebanon. We will tie the wood together to make boats. Then we will send them on the sea to Joppa. You can take the wood from there up to Jerusalem.’ [ b ]
17 Solomon counted all the foreign men who were living in Israel, as his father David had done. There were 153,600 foreign men. 18 He chose 70,000 of them to carry things for the buildings and 80,000 of them to cut rocks in the hills. He also chose 3,600 of them to lead the workers, to make sure that they finished the work properly.
2 Solomon planned to build a Temple to give honor to the Lord ’s name. He also planned to build a palace for himself. 2 He got 70,000 laborers and 80,000 stonemasons to cut stones in the mountains. He chose 3600 foremen to supervise the workers.
3 Then Solomon sent this message to King Hiram of Tyre:
“Help me as you helped my father David. You sent him cedar logs so that he could build a palace for himself to live in. 4 I will build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God. At the Temple we will burn incense in front of him, and we will always put the holy bread on the special table. We will offer burnt offerings every morning and evening, on the Sabbath days, during New Moon celebrations, and on the other special meeting days that the Lord our God has commanded us to celebrate. This is a rule for the people of Israel to obey forever.
5 “I will build a great temple because our God is greater than all the other gods. 6 No one can really build a house to put our God in. The whole sky and the highest heaven cannot contain our God, so I cannot build a temple to put him in. I can only build a place to burn incense to honor him.
7 “Now I would like you to send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. He must know how to work with purple, red, and blue cloth. He will work here in Judah and Jerusalem with the craftsmen my father chose. 8 Also send me wood from cedar trees, pine trees, and algum trees [ a ] from the country of Lebanon. I know your servants are experienced at cutting down trees from Lebanon. My servants will help your servants. 9 I will need lots of wood because the Temple I am building will be very large and beautiful. 10 This is what I will pay for your servants to cut down the trees for wood. I will give them 125,000 bushels [ b ] of wheat for food, 125,000 bushels of barley, 115,000 gallons [ c ] of wine, and 115,000 gallons of oil.”
11 Then Hiram answered Solomon and sent this message to him:
“Solomon, the Lord loves his people. That is why he chose you to be their king.” 12 Hiram also said, “Praise the Lord , the God of Israel! He made heaven and earth. He gave a wise son to King David. Solomon, you have wisdom and understanding. You are building a Temple for the Lord . You are also building a palace for yourself. 13 I will send you a skilled craftsman named Huram Abi. [ d ] 14 His mother was from the tribe of Dan, and his father was from the city of Tyre. Huram Abi has skill in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood. He also has skill in working with purple, blue, and red cloth and expensive linen. Huram Abi can design and build anything you tell him. He will work with your craftsmen and with the craftsmen of your father King David.
15 “Now, sir, you offered to give us wheat, barley, oil, and wine. Give them to my servants, 16 and we will cut as much wood as you need from Lebanon. We will tie the logs together and float them by sea to the town of Joppa. Then you can carry the wood to Jerusalem.”
17 So Solomon counted all the foreigners living in Israel. (This was after the time when his father David counted the people.) They found 153,600 strangers in the country. 18 Solomon chose 70,000 men to carry the stones, 80,000 men to cut the stone in the mountains, and 3600 men to supervise the workers.
2 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord , and an house for his kingdom.
2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the Lord hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
12 Huram said moreover, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the Lord , and an house for his kingdom.
13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,
14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.
15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:
16 And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.
17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.
2 [ a ] ( A ) Now Solomon [ b ] decided to build a house for the name of the Lord , and a [ c ] royal palace for himself. 2 [ d ] So ( B ) Solomon [ e ] assigned seventy thousand men to carry loads, eighty thousand men to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 to supervise them.
3 ( C ) Then Solomon sent word to [ f ] Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “ ( D ) As you dealt with my father David and sent him cedars to build him a house to live in, do it for me . 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, dedicating it to Him, ( E ) to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out ( F ) the showbread continually, and to offer ( G ) burnt offerings morning and evening, ( H ) on Sabbaths, on new moons, and on the appointed feasts of the Lord our God. This is to be done in Israel forever. 5 The house which I am about to build will be great, for our God is ( I ) greater than all the gods. 6 But ( J ) who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? And who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to [ g ] burn incense before Him? 7 Now ( K ) send me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass, iron, and in purple, crimson, and violet fabrics , one who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled workers [ h ] ( L ) whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. 8 ( M ) Send me also cedar, juniper, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed ( N ) my servants will work with your servants, 9 to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful. 10 Now behold, ( O ) I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, [ i ] twenty thousand kors of crushed wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, [ j ] twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.”
11 Then Huram, king of Tyre, [ k ] answered in a letter sent to Solomon: “ ( P ) Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.” 12 Then Huram [ l ] continued, “Blessed be ( Q ) the Lord , the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, [ m ] endowed with discretion and understanding, ( R ) who will build a house for the Lord and a [ n ] royal palace for himself.
13 “Now then, I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, [ o ] endowed with understanding, 14 ( S ) the son of a [ p ] Danite woman and [ q ] a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, violet, linen, and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to [ r ] execute any design which is assigned to him, to work with your skilled workers and with [ s ] those of my lord, your father David. 15 Now then, let my lord send his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of ( T ) which he has spoken. 16 ( U ) We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you as rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon counted all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, ( V ) following the [ t ] census which his father David had [ u ] taken; and 153,600 were found. 18 ( W ) He appointed seventy thousand of them to carry loads and eighty thousand to quarry stones in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors to make the people work.
2 [ a ] Solomon gave orders to build a temple ( B ) for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself. ( C ) 2 He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them. ( D )
3 Solomon sent this message to Hiram [ b ] ( E ) king of Tyre:
“Send me cedar logs ( F ) 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 ( G ) for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense ( H ) before him, for setting out the consecrated bread ( I ) regularly, and for making burnt offerings ( J ) every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths, ( K ) at the New Moons ( L ) 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, ( M ) because our God is greater than all other gods. ( N ) 6 But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? ( O ) Who then am I ( P ) 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, ( Q ) whom my father David provided.
8 “Send me also cedar, juniper and algum [ c ] logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours 9 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 cors [ d ] of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors [ e ] of barley, twenty thousand baths [ f ] of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil. ( R ) ”
11 Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon:
“Because the Lord loves ( S ) 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! ( T ) 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, ( U ) a man of great skill, 14 whose mother was from Dan ( V ) and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained ( W ) to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue ( X ) 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 ( Y ) 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. ( Z ) You can then take them up to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon took a census of all the foreigners ( AA ) residing in Israel, after the census ( AB ) his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. 18 He assigned ( AC ) 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.
