Preparing to Build the Temple^(A)

5 Hiram, the king of Tyre, had always been David’s friend. When Hiram heard that Solomon had been ·made [^Lanointed] king in ·David’s [^Lhis father’s] place, he sent his ·messengers [ambassadors; servants] to Solomon. ² Solomon sent this message back to King Hiram: ³ “You ·remember [^Lknow] my father David had to fight many wars with ·the countries around [enemies surrounding] him, so he was never able to build a ·temple for worshiping [^Lhouse for the name of] the Lord his God. David was waiting until the Lord ·allowed him to defeat all his enemies [^Lput them under the soles of his feet]. ⁴ But now the Lord my God has given me ·peace [rest] on all sides of my country. I have no enemies now, and no ·danger threatens my people [adversity; calamity; misfortune].

⁵ “The Lord ·promised [^Ltold] my father David, ‘I will ·make your son king after you [^Lput your son on the throne in your place], and he will build ·a temple for worshiping me [^Lthe house/temple for my name].’ Now, I plan to build ·that temple for worshiping [^La house for the name of] the Lord my God. ⁶ So ·send your men [command them] to cut down cedar trees for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay them whatever wages you decide. We don’t have anyone who can cut down ·trees [timber] as well as the people of Sidon.”

⁷ When Hiram heard what Solomon asked, he ·was very happy [rejoiced greatly]. He said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great ·nation [people]!” ⁸ Then Hiram sent back this message to Solomon: “I ·received [heard] the message you sent, and I will ·give you [supply] all the cedar and ·pine trees [cypress; juniper] you ·want [need]. ⁹ My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. There I will ·tie them together [^Lmake them into rafts] and ·float them along the shore [go by sea] to the place you choose. Then I will separate the logs there, and you can take them away. ·In return it is my wish that you give [And you shall meet my needs/desire by providing] food to ·all those who live with me [^Lmy household].” ¹⁰ So Hiram gave Solomon as much cedar and ·pine [cypress; juniper] as he wanted. ¹¹ And Solomon gave Hiram about ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [^Ltwenty thousand cors] of wheat each year ·to feed the people who lived with him [^Lfor his household]. Solomon also gave him ·about one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [^Ltwenty cors] of pure olive oil every year.

¹² The Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; these two kings made a ·treaty between themselves [covenant; alliance].

¹³ King Solomon ·forced [conscripted] thirty thousand men of Israel to help in this work. ¹⁴ He sent ·a group [shifts; relays] of ten thousand men each month to Lebanon. Each group worked in Lebanon one month, then went home for two months. A man named Adoniram was in ·charge [charge of the forced labor/or this labor force]. ¹⁵ Solomon ·forced [had] eighty thousand men to work in the hill country, cutting stone, and he had seventy thousand ·men to carry the stones [common laborers]. ¹⁶ There were also thirty-three hundred ·men who directed the workers [foremen; overseers]. ¹⁷ King Solomon commanded them to cut large blocks of ·fine [costly; high-quality] stone to ·be used for the foundation of the Temple [lay the foundation of the house with dressed/cut stone]. ¹⁸ Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders and the ·men from Byblos [^LGebalites; ^CGebal was a Phoenician city the Greeks called Byblos] carved the stones and prepared the stones and the ·logs [timber] for building the ·Temple [^Lhouse].

The Temple Is Completed Inside^(A)

¹³ King Solomon sent to Tyre and had ·Huram [^LHiram; ^Ca variant spelling of Huram (2 Chr. 2:13; 4:11); this craftsman is to be distinguished from the king of the same name (5:1)] brought to him. ¹⁴ ·Huram’s mother was [^LHe was the son of] a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was from Tyre and had been ·skilled in making things from [a craftsman/artisan in] bronze. ·Huram [^LHe] was also very skilled and ·experienced [knowledgeable; wise] in bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all ·the bronze [his] work.

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.