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Solomon Petitions the King of Tyre

[a] And Solomon planned to build a house for the name of Yahweh and a royal palace for himself.[b] And Solomon assigned seventy thousand men to bear burdens[c] and eighty thousand quarriers[d] in the hill country, and three thousand six hundred men to supervise them. And Solomon sent word to Huram[e] king of Tyre, saying, “As you have dealt with David my father and sent cedar to him to build for himself a house in which to live, please deal with me. Look, I am building a house for the name of Yahweh my God to dedicate to him, to offer sweet spices of incense before him, and for the regular rows of bread, and burnt offerings for mornings, evenings, Sabbaths, and new moon festivals, and for appointed feasts of Yahweh our God which are everlasting for Israel. And the house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. Now who indeed has adequate strength to build a house for him? For the heavens and the highest heavens[f] are not able to contain him. Now who am I that I would build a house for him, except to burn incense before him? So then, send to me skilled men to work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and with purple, crimson, and blue fabric, knowledgeable in engraving, with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father has established. Send me trees of cedar, cypress, and algum from Lebanon, for I myself know that your servants are knowledgeable in cutting the trees of Lebanon. Now see, my servants will be with your servants to prepare trees in abundance for me, for the house that I am building will be great and wonderful. 10 Now see, I will provide twenty thousand dry measures of crushed wheat, twenty thousand dry measures of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil to the woodcarvers and those who cut timber.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:1 2 Chronicles 2:1–18 in the English Bible is 1:18–2:17 in the Hebrew Bible
  2. 2 Chronicles 2:1 Literally “house for his kingdom”
  3. 2 Chronicles 2:2 Literally “carriers”
  4. 2 Chronicles 2:2 Literally “stone craftsmen”
  5. 2 Chronicles 2:3 This is the spelling in Hebrew, though many translations have “Hiram”
  6. 2 Chronicles 2:6 Literally “the heavens of the heavens”

Solomon Enlists King Hiram’s Help to Build the Temple(A)

[a]Now Solomon was determined[b] to build a temple dedicated to the Name of the Lord as well as his own royal palace. [c]So Solomon conscripted 70,000 men to do heavy work, 80,000 men to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to supervise them. Solomon also sent this message to King Hiram[d] of Tyre:

“Just as you did with my father David, sending him cedars to build him a palace to live in, do the same for me. Look, I’m building a temple dedicated to the name of the Lord my God, to his glory, so we can burn fragrant incense in his presence, display rows of the bread of his presence continuously, and make burnt offerings in the morning, evening, on Sabbath days,[e] during New Moon festivals,[f] and during appointed festivals scheduled[g] by the Lord our God. This is mandated forever in Israel.

“The Temple that I’m building will be great, because the greatness of our God surpasses that of[h] all gods. But who can build a temple for him, since neither heaven nor the highest of the heavens can contain him? So who am I, that I should build a temple to him, except to burn incense in his presence?

“At any rate, send me an individual who is a skilled craftsman in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as in purple, crimson, and blue[i] materials,[j] who knows how to craft engravings, so he may work with the craftsmen whom I have assembled in Judah and Jerusalem, as provided for by my father David. Also send me cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, since I’m aware that your servants know how to cut down timber from Lebanon. My servants will accompany your servants to prepare an abundant amount of timber for me, because the Temple that I’m building is to be great and awesome.

10 “Now look! I will pay your servants, the lumberjacks who prepare the timber, 20,000 measures[k] of barley, 20,000 baths[l] of wine, and 20,000 baths[m] of oil.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:1 This v. is 1:18 in MT and LXX
  2. 2 Chronicles 2:1 Lit. saying
  3. 2 Chronicles 2:2 This v. is 2:1 in MT and LXX, and so throughout the chapter
  4. 2 Chronicles 2:3 Or Huram, and so throughout the chapter
  5. 2 Chronicles 2:4 The Heb. lacks days
  6. 2 Chronicles 2:4 The Heb. lacks festivals
  7. 2 Chronicles 2:4 The Heb. lacks scheduled
  8. 2 Chronicles 2:5 The Heb. lacks surpasses that of
  9. 2 Chronicles 2:7 Or violet
  10. 2 Chronicles 2:7 The Heb. lacks materials
  11. 2 Chronicles 2:10 Lit. homers, about 720,000 bushels or 4,400,000 liters, at six bushels or 220 liters per homer
  12. 2 Chronicles 2:10 I.e. about 720,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters, at six gallons or 22 liters per bath
  13. 2 Chronicles 2:10 I.e. about 720,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters, at six gallons or 22 liters per bath