預備建聖殿

所羅門決定為耶和華的名建造殿宇,也為自己興建王宮。

他徵用七萬名搬運工、八萬名在山上鑿石的匠人、三千六百名監工, 並派人去見泰爾王希蘭,說:「你曾運香柏木給我父親建造王宮,請你也照樣幫助我。 現在,我要為我的上帝耶和華的名建一座殿,我要把殿獻給祂,在祂面前燒芬芳的香,經常獻上供餅,在每天早晚、安息日、朔日[a]及我們的上帝耶和華所定的節期獻上燔祭。這是以色列人應當永遠遵守的定例。 我要建造的殿宇極其宏偉,因為我們的上帝超越一切神明。 諸天尚且容納不下祂,誰能為祂建造殿宇呢?我是誰,怎能為祂建造殿宇?我不過是建個向祂燒香的地方。 現在,請你派一位巧匠來,他要懂得雕刻,會用金銀銅鐵鑄造物品,會編織紫色、朱紅色和藍色的布,好與我父大衛在猶大和耶路撒冷所預備的巧匠一起工作。 也請你從黎巴嫩運些香柏木、松木和檀香木來,因為我知道你的僕人擅長砍伐黎巴嫩的樹木。我會派人與你的僕人一起工作。 我要建的殿宇非常宏偉,所以需要的木料非常多。 10 我會供給你的伐木工人四百四十萬升小麥、四百四十萬升大麥、四十四萬升酒和四十四萬升油。」

11 泰爾王希蘭寫信給所羅門說:「耶和華愛祂的子民,所以立你做他們的王。 12 創造天地的以色列的上帝耶和華當受稱頌!祂賜給大衛王一個有智慧、謀略和悟性的兒子來為耶和華建殿,也為他自己建造王宮。 13 現在,我派聰明能幹的巧匠戶蘭去你那裡。 14 他的母親是但支派的人,父親是泰爾人。他精於雕刻和設計,善用金銀銅鐵和木石製造物品,又會編織紫色、藍色、朱紅色的布和細麻布。你可以讓他與你的工匠和你父親大衛的工匠一起工作。 15 現在,請我主把許諾的小麥、大麥、油和酒運給僕人。 16 我們會在黎巴嫩砍伐你需要的木材,紮成木筏,經海道運到約帕,你可以從那裡將木材轉運到耶路撒冷。」

17 所羅門依照他父親大衛的方法,統計所有寄居在以色列的外族人,共有十五萬三千六百人。 18 他指派其中的七萬人做搬運工,八萬人在山上採鑿石頭,三千六百人做監工。

Footnotes

  1. 2·4 朔日」即每月初一。

所罗门定意建殿(A)

所罗门决意要为耶和华的名建造殿宇,又为自己建造王宫。(本节在《马索拉文本》为1:18) 于是,所罗门选派了七万人作挑夫,八万人在山上凿石,三千六百人作督工。(本节在《马索拉文本》为2:1) 所罗门派人去见推罗王希兰说:“你怎样待我的父亲大卫,给他运来香柏木,为他建造宫殿居住,请你也这样待我。 现在我要为耶和华我 神的名建造殿宇,分别为圣献给他,在他面前焚烧芬芳的香,经常摆上陈设饼,每日早晚、安息日、初一,以及耶和华我们的 神所定的节日,都献上燔祭;这是以色列人永远的定例。 我要建造的殿宇必须宏伟,因为我们的 神伟大,超过众神。 但谁能为他建造殿宇呢?天和天上的天也容不下他;我是谁,怎能为他建造殿宇?我不过在他面前烧香罢了。 现在请你派一个巧匠到我这里来,他要精于使用金、银、铜、铁和紫色朱红色蓝色线工作,并且懂得雕刻,好与我的父亲大卫在犹大和耶路撒冷预备的巧匠一同工作。 又请你从黎巴嫩运送香柏木、松木和檀香木到我这里来,因为我知道你的臣仆善于砍伐黎巴嫩的树木;我的臣仆可以和你的臣仆一同工作。 给我预备大量的木材,因为我要建造的那殿宇,将会十分宏伟。 10 至于你的仆人,就是砍伐树木的人,我必给他们食物,就是小麦四百万公升、大麦四百万公升、酒四十万公升、油四十万公升。”

推罗王答应相助(B)

11 推罗王希兰回信给所罗门说:“耶和华因为爱自己的子民,所以立你作他们的王。” 12 希兰又说:“创造天地的耶和华以色列的 神,是应当称颂的!因为他赐给大卫王一个有智慧的儿子,有聪明有见识,可以为耶和华建造殿宇,为自己建造王宫。 13 现在我派一个技艺精巧、满有聪明的人来,他是我父亲希兰的匠人。 14 他是但支派一个妇人的儿子,他的父亲是推罗人。他精于使用金、银、铜、铁、石、木,以及紫色蓝色朱红色线和细麻作工,也能作各样雕刻的工作,又能设计各样交托他们的巧工。这人可以和你的巧匠,以及我主你父亲大卫的巧匠一同工作。 15 我主所说的小麦、大麦、酒和油,请派人运来给众仆人。 16 我们必照着你所需要的,从黎巴嫩砍下树木,扎成木筏,从海上运到约帕,你可以从那里把它们运上耶路撒冷。”

选派工人(C)

17 所罗门按照他父亲大卫数点的数目,又数点了住在以色列地所有的外族人,他们共有十五万三千六百人。 18 他选派七万人作挑夫,八万人在山上凿石头,三千六百人作监工,督促人民工作。

Having amassed his wealth, Solomon fulfilled God’s prediction that David’s son would build His house. Solomon decided to build a house honoring the reputation of the Eternal, a temple, and a house for himself, a palace. First Solomon procured the stone: 80,000 men would quarry it in the mountains, 70,000 men would carry it, and 3,600 men would supervise them. Then Solomon wrote to Huram, king of Tyre, asking for cedar.

Solomon: I come to ask for your fine cedarwood, just as my father David did so he could build his royal palace. Please do the same for me.

I am preparing to build a temple honoring the reputation of the Eternal One my God. It will be dedicated to Him and will be the site of our religious practices. There we will perform all the duties He perpetually requires of Israel: burning fragrant incense before Him, preparing the unleavened bread continually, and giving burnt offerings each morning and evening, on Sabbaths, new moons, and appointed feasts of the Eternal One our God. This temple must be great because our True God is more powerful than all the other gods. Though no one can build a house for Him because He inhabits the heavens and beyond, I am humbly building a place where we can encounter Him and burn incense before Him.

This temple on the elevated area overlooking the city of Jerusalem is truly remarkable. Moving from the outer court area, one observes a massive 15 by 30 foot altar to ritually sacrifice clean land animals and a huge “sea” or wash container 7½ by 15 feet to ceremonially wash the priests before they enter the next two areas: the holy place and the most holy place.

Moving into the actual temple structure is similar to being transported into the heavens. One passes between two larger-than-life tree-like columns and then into a brilliant golden room decorated with trees, pomegranates, winged creatures, and jewels. Upon entering the holy place during the eastern sunrise, one would be blinded as though looking into the sun. Then as the worshiper ascends the stairs, the most holy place has two enormous winged creatures flanking the Eternal’s temple footstool, the covenant chest. This room images the very heavenly throne room. To visualize and enter Solomon’s temple is to visualize and enter the heavens.

To this end, send me a man who can work gold, silver, brass, and iron; sew with purple, crimson, and violet fabrics; and engrave. Your servant will aid the skilled men whom David, my father, provided for me in Judah and Jerusalem. Send me cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know your servants can skillfully cut timber from Lebanon; My servants will work with your servants to prepare an abundance of timber for me to use in the temple, which will be great and wonderful. 10 I will pay your servants, the carpenters, 125,000 bushels of crushed wheat, 125,000 bushels of barley, 116,000 gallons of wine, and 116,000 gallons of oil.

Huram (in a letter answering Solomon): 11 Because the Eternal loves His people, He has made you their king. 12 The Eternal One, the God of Israel, creator of heaven and earth, is to be praised for giving King David such a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build houses for both the Eternal and for himself.

13-14 I am sending Huram-abi, a discerning man skilled in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood; in purple, violet, and crimson linen and other fabrics; in engravings; and in executing any design. He is the son of an Israelite woman (from the tribe of Dan) and a Tyrian father, so he will work well with your skilled men and with those of my lord David, your father. 15-16 In addition to sending workers, we will cut the timber you need from Lebanon and float it down the coast to Joppa, so that you then may transport it up to Jerusalem. When the men and supplies arrive at Joppa, please send your servants, my countrymen, the wheat, barley, oil, and wine you have promised them.

17 In preparation for the building projects, Solomon ordered a census to count only the foreigners residing in Israel. This census differed from his father’s census, which counted everyone in the nation. There were 153,600 foreigners living in Israel: 18 80,000 men would quarry stone in the mountains, 70,000 men would carry it, and 3,600[a] men would supervise their work.

Footnotes

  1. 2:18 1 Kings 5:16 “3,300”