2 Chronicles 2:1-10
Expanded Bible
Solomon Prepares for the Temple(A)
2 Solomon decided to build a ·temple [L house] ·as a place to worship [L for the name of] the Lord and also a ·palace [L royal 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; C variants 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 [L house] to live in. 4 I ·will [am about to] build a ·temple [L house] for ·worshiping [L the name of] the Lord my God, and I will ·give [dedicate] this ·temple [L house] 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 [T showbread] 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 [L permanently in/upon Israel].
5 “The ·temple [L house] I ·build [am about to build] will be great, because our God is greater than all gods. 6 But ·no one can really [L who 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 [L house] for him except as a place to burn ·sacrifices [or incense; C what 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 [L house] 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 [L twenty thousand kors] of wheat, ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [L twenty thousand kors] of barley, ·one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [L twenty thousand baths] of wine, and ·one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [L twenty thousand baths] of oil.”
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2 Chronicles 2:1-10
Amplified Bible
Solomon Will Build a Temple and Palace
2 [a]Now Solomon decided to build a house (temple) for the Name of the Lord, and a royal palace for himself. 2 [b]So Solomon assigned 70,000 men to carry loads, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 to supervise them.
3 Then Solomon sent word to [c]Hiram king of Tyre, saying, “As you dealt with my father David and sent him cedars to build himself a house in which to live, [please] do the same for me. 4 Observe, I am about to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God, dedicated to Him, to burn fragrant incense [of sweet spices] before Him, to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the festivals of the Lord our God, as ordained forever in Israel. 5 The house I am going to build will be great, for our God is greater than all the gods. 6 But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and [even] the highest heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I to build a house for Him, except [as a place] to burn incense before Him? 7 Now send me a man who is skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. 8 Send me also cedar, cypress, and [d]algum timber, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And indeed my servants will work with your servants 9 to prepare for me an abundance of timber, because the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful. 10 And I will give to your servants who cut timber, 20,000 [e]measures of crushed wheat and 20,000 measures of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of [olive] oil.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 2:1 Ch 1:18 in Hebrew.
- 2 Chronicles 2:2 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew.
- 2 Chronicles 2:3 Heb Huram.
- 2 Chronicles 2:8 Or almug.
- 2 Chronicles 2:10 Lit kors, about 10 bu.
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