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.

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.

And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.

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?

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.

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,

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.

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Solomon sent this message to Hiram[a](A) king of Tyre:

“Send me cedar logs(B) as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in. Now I am about to build a temple(C) for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense(D) before him, for setting out the consecrated bread(E) regularly, and for making burnt offerings(F) every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths,(G) at the New Moons(H) and at the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.

“The temple I am going to build will be great,(I) because our God is greater than all other gods.(J) But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him?(K) Who then am I(L) to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

“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,(M) whom my father David provided.

“Send me also cedar, juniper and algum[b] logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours 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[c] of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors[d] of barley, twenty thousand baths[e] of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:3 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram; also in verses 11 and 12
  2. 2 Chronicles 2:8 Probably a variant of almug
  3. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,200 metric tons of wheat
  4. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, probably about 3,000 tons or about 2,700 metric tons of barley
  5. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters