Solomon Prepares for the Temple^(A)

2 Solomon decided to build a ·temple [^Lhouse] ·as a place to worship [^Lfor the name of] the Lord and also a ·palace [^Lroyal house] for himself. ² He ·chose [assigned; conscripted] seventy thousand men ·to carry loads [as common laborers], eighty thousand men to ·cut [quarry] stone in the hill country, and thirty-six hundred men to ·direct the workers [supervise/oversee them].

³ Solomon sent this message to ·Hiram [or Huram; ^Cvariants of the same name; 1 Chr. 14:1 calls him Hiram; the Hebrew text here reads Huram] king of the city of Tyre: “·Help me as you helped [Do as you did for] my father David by sending him cedar logs so he could build himself a ·palace [^Lhouse] to live in. ⁴ I ·will [am about to] build a ·temple [^Lhouse] for ·worshiping [^Lthe name of] the Lord my God, and I will ·give [dedicate] this ·temple [^Lhouse] to him. There we will ·burn sweet-smelling spices [offer fragrant incense] ·in his presence [before him]. We will continually set out the ·holy bread [^Tshowbread] 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 [appointed; prescribed] by the Lord our God. This ·is a rule for Israel to obey forever [^Lpermanently in/upon Israel].

⁵ “The ·temple [^Lhouse] I ·build [am about to build] will be great, because our God is greater than all gods. ⁶ But ·no one can really [^Lwho is able to…?] build a house for our God. Not even the highest of heavens can ·hold [contain] him. ·How then can I [So who am I to] build a ·temple [^Lhouse] for him except as a place to burn ·sacrifices [or incense; ^Cwhat is being burned is not indicated] to him?

⁷ “Now send me a man skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and with purple, ·red [crimson], and ·blue thread [violet cloth]. He must also know how to make engravings. He will work with my skilled craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David ·chose [provided].

⁸ “Also send me cedar, ·pine [cypress; juniper; evergreens], and ·juniper logs [sandalwood/algum timber] from Lebanon. I know your servants are ·experienced [skilled; adept] at cutting down the trees in Lebanon, and my servants will help them. ⁹ Send me a ·lot [vast amount] of wood, because the ·temple [^Lhouse] I am going to build will be large and ·wonderful [magnificent]. ¹⁰ I will give your servants who cut the wood ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [^Ltwenty thousand kors] of wheat, ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [^Ltwenty thousand kors] of barley, ·one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [^Ltwenty thousand baths] of wine, and ·one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [^Ltwenty thousand baths] of oil.”

¹¹ Then ·Hiram [or Huram; v. 3] king of Tyre answered Solomon with this letter: “Solomon, because the Lord loves his people, he ·chose [made] you to be their king.” ¹² ·Hiram [or Huram; v. 3] also said: “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, the God of Israel, who made ·heaven [the sky] and earth! He has given King David a wise son, ·one [endowed; gifted] with ·wisdom [discernment; intelligence; discretion] and ·understanding [insight], who will build a ·temple [^Lhouse] for the Lord and a ·palace [^Lhouse] for himself.

¹³ “I will send you a skilled and ·wise [talented; capable] man named Huram-Abi. ¹⁴ His mother was from the people of Dan, and his father was from Tyre. Huram-Abi is ·skilled [trained; knowledgeable] in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and with purple, ·blue [violet], and ·red thread [crimson cloth/yarn], and ·expensive [fine] linen. He is skilled in making engravings and can ·make [execute] any design ·you show [given to] him. He will help your ·craftsmen [artisans] and the craftsmen of your father David.

¹⁵ “Now my lord send ·my [^Lto his] servants the wheat, barley, oil, and wine you ·promised [spoke of]. 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 [haul; transport] it to Jerusalem.”

¹⁷ Solomon ·counted [numbered; took a census of] all the foreigners living in Israel. (This was after the time his father David had counted the people [2 Sam. 24; 1 Chr. 21].) There were one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred foreigners. ¹⁸ Solomon ·chose [assigned; conscripted] seventy thousand of them ·to carry loads [as common laborers], eighty thousand of them to ·cut [quarry] stone in the mountains, and thirty-six hundred of them to ·direct [supervise; oversee] the workers and to keep the people working.