Bible in 90 Days
The Divisions of the Priests
24 The following were the divisions for the sons of Aaron.
The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But because Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children, Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
3 David, together with Zadok, the representative of the male descendants of Eleazar, and Ahimelek, the representative of the male descendants of Ithamar, divided the priests into divisions to be assigned different forms of service.
4 Because the descendants of Eleazar had more men who were leaders of large groups than the descendants of Ithamar did, this is how the priests were divided: From the descendants of Eleazar there were sixteen heads of fathers’ houses, and from the descendants of Ithamar there were eight heads of their fathers’ houses.
5 They were assigned to their duties impartially by drawing lots. There were officials for the sanctuary and officials to serve in the presence of God from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar. 6 Shemaiah son of Nethanel, the scribe, who was a Levite, recorded the lots in the presence of the king and the government officials, namely, Zadok the priest, Ahimelek son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and of the Levites. One father’s house was chosen from the descendants of Eleazar, then another, and then one was chosen from the descendants of Ithamar.[a]
7 The first lot came out for Jehoiarib,
the second for Jedaiah,
8 the third for Harim,
the fourth for Seorim,
9 the fifth for Malkijah,
the sixth for Mijamin,
10 the seventh for Hakkoz,
the eighth for Abijah,
11 the ninth for Jeshua,
the tenth for Shekaniah,
12 the eleventh for Eliashib,
the twelfth for Jakim,
13 the thirteenth for Huppah,
the fourteenth for Jeshebeab,
14 the fifteenth for Bilgah,
the sixteenth for Immer,
15 the seventeenth for Hezir,
the eighteenth for Happizzez,
16 the nineteenth for Pethahiah,
the twentieth for Jehezkel,
17 the twenty-first for Jakin,
the twenty-second for Gamul,
18 the twenty-third for Delaiah,
and the twenty-fourth for Ma’aziah.
19 These were their assigned groups for their service, to come into the Lord’s house according to the regulations given to them by their forefather Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
The Divisions of Levites
20 From the rest of the descendants of Levi, the following were the heads and founders of divisions.
Leaders of the Kohathites
Shubael was from the sons of Amram,
and Jehdeiah was from the sons of Shubael.
21 Ishiah was the head from Rehabiah and the sons of Rehabiah.
22 Shelomoth was from the Izharites,
and Jahath was from the sons of Shelomoth.
23 The sons of Hebron[b] were Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
24 Micah was from the sons of Uzziel,
and Shamir was from the sons of Micah.
25 Ishiah was the brother of Micah,
and Zechariah was from the sons of Ishiah.
Leaders of the Merarites
26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.
The son of Ja’aziah was Beno.[c]
27 The sons of Merari from Ja’aziah were Beno,[d] Shoham, Zakkur, and Ibri.
28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
29 From Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahme’el.
30 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the descendants of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses.[e] 31 These all cast lots just as their brothers the sons of Aaron had done in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and of the Levites. The fathers’ houses of the oldest son cast lots just as those of his youngest brother did.
The Divisions of the Musicians
25 In addition, David and the officers of the army set apart for service certain of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men set apart for this work of service.
2 From the sons of Asaph:
Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied at the order of the king.
3 From Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun were:
Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied by giving thanks and praising the Lord with the lyre.
4 From Heman, the sons of Heman were:
Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer, to fulfill the promise of God to exalt him.[f] God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the direction of their father to make music in the Lord’s house, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of God’s house. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king. 7 The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to the Lord, all of whom were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight. 8 They cast lots for their offices, all alike, the least as well as the greatest, the teacher as well as the student.
9 So the first lot came out for Asaph’s son Joseph. ⎣He and his brothers and sons totaled twelve.⎦[g]
The second lot fell to Gedaliah, his brothers and sons, twelve,
10 the third to Zakkur, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
11 the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
14 the seventh to Jesarelah,[h] his sons and his brothers, twelve,
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
20 for the thirteenth lot Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
21 for the fourteenth Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
22 for the fifteenth Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
23 for the sixteenth Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
24 for the seventeenth Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
25 for the eighteenth Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
26 for the nineteenth Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
27 for the twentieth Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
28 for the twenty-first Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
29 for the twenty-second Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
30 for the twenty-third Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve,
31 for the twenty-fourth Romamti Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.
Divisions of the Gatekeepers
26 For the gatekeepers, the following were the divisions.
From the Korahites
From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, from the sons of Asaph.
2 Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.
4 Obed Edom had sons because God blessed him: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sakar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Pe’ullethai the eighth.
6 Sons were also born to his son Shemaiah, who ruled over the house of their father, for they were strong, capable men. 7 The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were capable men, Elihu and Semakiah. 8 All these were male descendants of Obed Edom. They and their sons and their brothers were strong, capable men for the service. There were sixty-two of them from Obed Edom.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, capable men, eighteen in all.
From the Merarites
10 Hosah from the descendants of Merari also had sons. They were Shimri the head (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him head), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. All the sons and brothers of Hosah totaled thirteen.
Gatekeepers
12 The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers, according to their influential leaders, who had offices[i] like their brothers, to minister in the Lord’s house. 13 They cast lots for every gate according to their fathers’ houses, the small as well as the great.
14 The lot for the east side fell to Shelemiah.
Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the north side.
15 For Obed Edom the lot was for the south side, and for his sons the lot was for the storehouse.
16 For Shuppim and Hosah the lot was for the west side, by the gate of Shalleketh, by the ramp that goes up. They were stationed with one watchman next to another.
17 On the east side there were six Levites each day,
on the north side four each day,
and on the south side four each day,
and at the storehouse two at a time.
18 For the covered courtyard[j] on the west side, four were stationed at the ramp, and two at the courtyard.
19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers from the descendants of the Korahites and from the descendants of Merari.
The Treasurers
20 From the Levites, Ahijah was[k] in charge of the treasuries[l] of God’s house and the treasuries for the consecrated things.
21 The sons of Ladan (who were descendants of Gershon through Ladan and who were the heads of the fathers’ households descended from Ladan the Gershonite) included Jehieli, 22 the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the Lord’s house.
23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24 Shebuel, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was supervisor over the treasuries.
25 His relatives were Eliezer, his son Rehabiah, and his son Jeshaiah, and his son Joram, and his son Zikri, and his son Shelomoth. 26 This Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasuries for the consecrated things, which David the king, together with the heads of the fathers’ households, the officers over thousands and hundreds, and the officers of the army, had dedicated. 27 They dedicated some of the plunder won in battles, to repair the Lord’s house. 28 Everything that Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah had dedicated, regardless of who had dedicated it, was under the control of Shelomoth and of his brothers.
The Government Officials
29 From the Izharites, Kenaniah and his sons were assigned to the civil administration of Israel as officers and judges. 30 From the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, seventeen hundred capable men were in charge of the administration of Israel west of the Jordan, for all the work of the Lord and for the service of the king.
31 For the Hebronites, Jeriah was the head of the Hebronites on the basis of their genealogical records according to their fathers’ households. The genealogical records were verified in the fortieth year of the reign of David, and capable men were found among them at Jazer of Gilead. 32 Among Jeriah’s brothers, who were capable men, there were twenty-seven hundred heads of fathers’ households, whom King David made overseers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for every matter pertaining to the king.
The Generals of the Army
27 The following is the list of the leaders of the people of Israel, those who were the heads of fathers’ houses and the commanders[m] of military units of a thousand and of a hundred, and the officers who served the king in any matter. They served in divisions that came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year. In every division there were twenty-four thousand men.
2 Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam son of Zabdiel. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men. 3 He was from the sons of Perez. He was the head of all the commanders of the army for the first month.
4 Over the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite. Mikloth was the leader of his division. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
5 The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the head priest. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men. 6 This is the same Benaiah who was the powerful warrior among the Thirty and the leader of the Thirty. Ammizabad his son was commander of his division.
7 The fourth commander for the fourth month was Asahel, the brother of Joab. Zebadiah his son succeeded him, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
8 The fifth commander for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
9 The sixth commander for the sixth month was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoan, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
10 The seventh commander for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, from the descendants of Ephraim, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
11 The eighth commander for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, from the descendants of Zerah. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
12 The ninth commander for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, from the descendants of Benjamin. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
13 The tenth commander for the tenth month was Mahrai the Netophathite, from the descendants of Zerah. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
14 The eleventh commander for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, from the descendants of Ephraim. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
15 The twelfth commander for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, from Othniel. In his division there were twenty-four thousand men.
The Leaders of the Tribes
16 The following were over the tribes of Israel:
Of the Reubenites, Eliezer son of Zikri was the leader,
Of the Simeonites, Shephatiah son of Ma’akah,
17 Of Levi, Hashabiah son of Kemuel,
Of the descendants of Aaron, Zadok,
18 Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David,
Of Issachar, Omri son of Michael,
19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah son of Obadiah,
Of Naphtali, Jeremoth son of Azriel,
20 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Azaziah,
Of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel son of Pedaiah,
21 Of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo son of Zechariah,
Of Benjamin, Ja’asiel son of Abner,
22 Of Dan, Azarel son of Jeroham.
These were the officers of the tribes of Israel.[n]
23 David did not count those twenty years old and under, because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began to take a census but did not finish, and wrath came on Israel because of this. The number was not put into the account in the annals of King David.
Other Officials
25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the king’s storehouses.
Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers.
26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of those who worked in the fields, farming the land.
27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards.
Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars.
28 Baal Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive trees and the sycamore fig trees that were in the Shephelah.[o]
Joash was in charge of the storehouses for oil.
29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds that grazed in Sharon.
Shaphat the son of Adlai was in charge of the herds that were in the lowlands.
30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels.
Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.
31 Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the flocks.
All these were in charge of the property which belonged to King David.
32 Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was an advisor, a man of understanding, and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hakmoni took care of[p] the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Arkite was the confidant.[q] 34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar. Joab was the commander of the king’s army.
The Plan for the Temple
28 David gathered all the officials of Israel in Jerusalem: namely, the officials over the tribes, the officers over the military divisions that served the king (the officers over the units of a thousand and the units of a hundred), the officials who were in charge of all the property and cattle that belonged to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the powerful men, all the strong, capable men.
2 Then King David stood up and said:
Listen to me, my brothers and my people. In my heart I wanted to build a house as a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and as a footstool for our God. So I made preparations to build. 3 But God said to me, “You will not build a house for my name because you are a man of war, and you have shed blood.” 4 Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from the whole house of my father to become king over Israel forever, because he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah he chose the house of my father, and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5 From all my sons (the Lord has given me many sons) he has chosen my son Solomon to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6 He said to me, “Solomon, your son, is the one who will build my house and my courtyards, because I have chosen him for myself as a son. I will be his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is committed to keeping my commandments and my ordinances, as is happening today.”
8 Now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God so that you may possess the good land and live in it as an inheritance for your children after you, forever.
9 You, Solomon, my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind because the Lord searches all hearts. He understands every thought people plan. If you seek him, he will let you find him. If you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10 Consider this carefully! Because the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the holy place, be strong and do it.
11 David gave his son Solomon the plan for the porch, its buildings, its storage rooms, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, and the chamber for the atonement seat. 12 He also gave him the plans for everything he had in mind for the courtyard of the House of the Lord, for all the chambers around it, for the storage rooms, and for the storage rooms for the dedicated gifts. 13 He gave the plans for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for all the work of service of the House of the Lord, and the designs for all the vessels and utensils for the service of the House of the Lord.
14 He prescribed the weight of the gold for all the vessels for every kind of service and the weight of the silver for all the vessels for every kind of service. 15 This included the weight of the gold for each gold lampstand and its lamps, the weight of the silver for the silver lampstands and their lamps according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 16 the weight of gold for each table for the bread that is arranged, the silver for the silver tables, 17 the weight for the meat hooks,[r] the sprinkling bowls, the pure gold pitchers, the weight for each gold bowl, the weight of silver for each small silver bowl,[s] 18 the weight of refined gold for the altar of incense, and the plan for the chariot for the gold cherubim who are spreading their wings and covering the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.
19 David said, “All this is in writing. Because the hand of the Lord was on me, he made clear all the specifications involved in the plan.”
20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and be courageous and do this. Do not fear and do not be overwhelmed, because the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you. He will not forsake you while all the work for the service for the House of the Lord is being finished. 21 Look, the divisions of the priests and the Levites have been designated for all the service in the house of God. With you in all this work is every willing man, skilled for every form of service, the officials, and all the people who are ready for all your directions.”
29 King David said this to the whole assembly:
My son Solomon, the one God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The work is great because this citadel is not for a man. It is for the Lord God. 2 According to all my strength, I have provided these things for the house of my God: gold for the gold items, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, wood for the wooden, onyx stones and settings, antimony,[t] stones of many different colors, every kind of precious stone, and alabaster[u] in abundance.
3 Because of my devotion to the house of my God, from my personal treasure of gold and silver I am also giving for the house of my God in addition to all that I have already provided for this holy house: 4 three thousand talents[v] of gold from Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the structures.
5 I have given gold for gold items and silver for silver items for all the work by the craftsmen. Who else is willing to dedicate himself to the Lord today?
6 The officials of fathers’ houses, the officials of the tribes of Israel, and the officers of the thousands and of the hundreds made their offerings to the officials who were in charge of the king’s work. 7 They gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics[w] of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 Anyone who possessed stones gave them to the treasury of the House of the Lord, which was under the control of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people rejoiced over their willing giving, since with an undivided heart they had offered freely to the Lord. King David also was very joyful.
10 David blessed the Lord in the presence of the entire assembly. He said:
Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel, our father, from eternity to eternity. 11 To you, O Lord, belong greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty, because everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to you. You, Lord, are exalted as head above everything. The kingdom belongs to you. 12 Riches and honor come from you. You are ruling over everything. In your hand are power and strength. It is in your power to make anyone great and strong. 13 Now, our God, we are thanking you and praising your glorious name.
14 Who am I? Who are my people that we are able to offer willingly like this? For everything comes from you. What we have given to you came from your hand. 15 We are aliens and temporary residents before you, as were all our fathers. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope of staying.
16 Lord, our God, all this abundance, which we have provided for building a house for you, for your holy name, is from your hand. This abundance belongs to you.
17 I know, my God, that you test the heart, and you take pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things. Now with joy I see your people, who are present here to bring the offering freely to you.
18 Lord, the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, preserve forever this purpose and way of thinking in the heart of your people. Direct their heart to you.
19 To my son Solomon, give an undivided heart to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, to do everything needed to build the citadel for which I have made preparations.
20 David said to the whole assembly, “Now bless the Lord your God.” So all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers. They bowed and stretched out flat on the ground before the Lord and the king. 21 They offered sacrifices to the Lord. On the next day they offered burnt offerings to the Lord (one thousand bulls, one thousand rams, one thousand lambs), their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 They ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great joy. They made Solomon, the son of David, king a second time. They anointed him as the ruler for the Lord and Zadok as the priest.
23 Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in the place of David his father. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officials, the strong warriors, and also all the sons of King David pledged loyalty to Solomon the king. 25 The Lord made Solomon extremely great in the presence of all Israel. He gave him kingly majesty, such as had not been bestowed upon any king before him in Israel.
26 David son of Jesse had been king over all Israel. 27 He was king over Israel for forty years, in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for thirty-three years. 28 He died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. Then Solomon his son reigned as king in his place.
29 The acts of King David from first to last are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records[x] of Nathan the prophet, and the records of Gad the seer, 30 including everything about his kingship, his mighty deeds, and the events that happened during his time, to him, to Israel, and to the kingdoms of the other lands.
God Blesses Solomon With Wisdom and Possessions
1 Solomon, the son of David, firmly established his rule over his kingdom. The Lord his God was with him and made him very great. 2 Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of the units of a thousand and a hundred, to the judges, to all the leaders of all Israel, that is, to all the leading fathers.[y]
3 Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place at Gibeon, because God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses, the servant of the Lord, had made in the wilderness, was located there.
4 (David had brought up the Ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar, which Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was set up in front of the Tent of the Lord, so that was where Solomon and the assembly sought God.)
6 Solomon went to the bronze altar there in the presence of the Lord at the Tent of Meeting, and he offered a thousand burnt offerings upon the altar.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give to you.”
8 Solomon said to God, “You have shown great mercy and faithfulness[z] to my father David, and you have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your commitment to David my father be fully realized, because you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I can come and go[aa] before this people, for who is up to the task of judging[ab] this great people of yours?”
11 God said to Solomon, “Because this was on your heart, and you did not ask for riches, possessions, and honor, or for the lives of those who hate you, or even for many days of life, and because you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself so that you can judge my people, over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, the likes of which the kings before you never had, nor will those who come after you.”
Military and Economic Prosperity
13 After Solomon had gone up to the high place in Gibeon, he returned from the Tent of Meeting to Jerusalem, and he ruled as king over Israel.
14 Solomon accumulated chariots and charioteers. He had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand charioteers, and he stationed them in the chariot cities, as well as with the king in Jerusalem. 15 In Jerusalem the king made silver and gold as plentiful as ordinary stones. He made cedar as plentiful as sycamore fig trees in the Shephelah.[ac] 16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue.[ad] The king’s dealers bought them from Kue for the market price. 17 They could import a chariot from Egypt for six hundred silver shekels and a horse for one hundred fifty. In the same way these dealers exported chariots to all the kings of the Hittites and Aram.
Preparations for Building the Temple
2 Solomon said that he would build a temple for the Name of the Lord and a palace for his kingdom.[ae] 2 He assigned seventy thousand men to transport materials, eighty thousand to quarry stone in the hills, and thirty-six hundred to supervise them.
Solomon’s Letter
3 Solomon sent this message to Huram[af] king of Tyre:
Send me cedar as you did for my father David, when you sent him cedar to build a house for himself to live in.
4 I am building a house for the Name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for the continual arrangement of bread, for burnt offerings in the morning and evening, for the sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is to be a permanent regulation for Israel.
5 The house that I am building will be great, because our God is greater than all the gods. 6 But who is able to build a house for him? The heavens, even the highest heaven,[ag] cannot contain him. Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to send incense and sacrifices up in smoke before him?
7 Now send me a man who is skillful at working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as with purple, crimson, and blue material, and who is trained in engraving. He will work with the skilled craftsmen who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.
8 Send me cedar, fir, and algum[ah] timber from Lebanon, because I know that your servants know how to cut timber from Lebanon. Look, my servants will work with your servants 9 to prepare lumber for me in abundance because the house which I am building will be great and wonderful.
10 To support the lumberjacks who work for you, I have set aside one hundred twenty thousand bushels[ai] of crushed wheat, and one hundred twenty thousand bushels of barley, one hundred twenty thousand gallons[aj] of wine, and one hundred twenty thousand gallons of olive oil.
Huram’s Reply
11 Huram king of Tyre sent a letter to Solomon which said:
Because of the love of the Lord for his people, he has made you king over them.
12 Huram also said:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth. He has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and a house for his kingdom.
13 Now I have sent a skilled man who has expertise, Huram Abi, 14 the son of a woman from among the daughters of Dan. His father is a man from Tyre. He is skillful at working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and with purple, blue, and crimson material and fine white linen. He is qualified to do all the engraving and to execute every design which is given to him, together with your craftsmen and the craftsmen of my lord David, your father.
15 Now let my lord Solomon send the wheat, barley, oil, and wine that he promised to us, his servants. 16 We will cut timber from Lebanon according to all your needs and will ship it to you at Joppa, as rafts upon the sea. You can then transport it up to Jerusalem.
17 Solomon took a census of all the male aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, after the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600.
18 Out of that number he designated 70,000 to transport materials, 80,000 to quarry stone in the hills, and 3600 overseers to make the people work.
The Construction of the Temple
3 Then Solomon began to build the House of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. He constructed it on the site that David had specified,[ak] namely, the threshing floor of Ornan[al] the Jebusite. 2 He began building on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.
The Sanctuary
3 Now these are the dimensions of the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God’s house. The length was ninety feet and the width thirty feet.[am] 4 The porch[an] that was in front of the temple building was thirty feet wide, the same as the width of the building, and it was thirty feet high.[ao]
He overlaid the inside with pure gold. 5 He lined the larger front room of the building with fir paneling,[ap] which he overlaid with fine gold and decorated with palm trees and chains. 6 He beautified the house with dazzling precious stones. The gold was gold of Parvaim.[aq] 7 He also overlaid the house, the beams and rafters, the thresholds and door frames, its walls, and its doors with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.
8 He made the Most Holy Place. It was thirty feet by thirty feet, the same dimensions as the width of the building, and he overlaid it with six hundred talents of fine gold.[ar] 9 The weight of the gold nails was more than a pound.[as] He overlaid the upper areas with gold.
The Cherubim
10 In the Most Holy Place he made two carved cherubim that were overlaid with gold. 11 The total wingspan of the cherubim was thirty feet. One wing of the first cherub was seven and a half feet long and touched the outer wall of the house. The other wing was also seven and a half feet long and touched the wing of the other cherub. 12 One wing of the other cherub was seven and a half feet long and touched the outer wall of the house. The other wing was also seven and a half feet long and touched the wing of the first cherub. 13 The wings of these cherubim spread out over thirty feet. They stood upright on their feet, and they faced toward the front of the sanctuary building.[at] 14 He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson material and fine white linen, and he decorated it with cherubim.
Pillars
15 For the front of the house he made two pillars with a combined height of fifty-three feet,[au] and the capitals that were on top of each of them were seven and a half feet tall. 16 He made chains for the inner sanctuary[av] and also put them on the tops of the pillars. He also made one hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains. 17 He set up the pillars in front of the temple building,[aw] one on the south side and the other on the north. He named the one on the south Jakin[ax] and the one on the north Boaz.[ay]
The Temple Furnishings
4 He made a bronze altar thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and fifteen feet high.
2 He also made the sea of cast metal. It was round and fifteen feet from rim to rim. It was seven and a half feet high and forty-five feet in circumference. 3 Under the rim, figurines of cattle[az] completely encircled it, one every two inches, all the way around the sea. These cattle were in two rows, cast as one piece with the sea. 4 The sea stood on twelve cattle, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, with all their hindquarters toward the center. 5 The sea was three inches[ba] thick. Its rim was shaped like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held eighteen thousand gallons.[bb]
6 He also made ten basins for washing and put five on the south side and five on the north. The pieces of the burnt offering were washed in the basins, but the priests washed in the sea.
7 He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications that had been given for them, and he set them in the outer room of the temple building, five on the south side and five on the north.
8 He made ten tables and placed them in the outer room of the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made one hundred gold sprinkling bowls.
9 He also made the courtyard of the priests and the great enclosure,[bc] and he made doors for the enclosure and overlaid them with bronze. 10 He set the sea on the south side of the temple building near its southeast corner.
11 Huram[bd] also made the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.
So Huram finished the work that he carried out for King Solomon for God’s house: 12 the two pillars, the two globe-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, the two latticeworks to cover the two globe-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, 13 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks (two rows of pomegranates for each latticework to cover the two globe-shaped capitals that were on the pillars). 14 He also made the carts, and he made the basins on the carts, 15 one sea, and the twelve cattle under it. 16 Huram Abi also made the pots, the shovels, the meat hooks,[be] and all the vessels of burnished bronze for King Solomon, for the House of the Lord.
17 The king cast them in clay molds, in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zeredatha.[bf] 18 Solomon made all these vessels in such great quantity that the weight of the bronze was not determined.
19 Solomon made all the furnishings that were in God’s house: the gold altar, the tables on which the Bread of the Presence was arranged, 20 and the lampstands with their lamps, which were to burn in front of the inner sanctuary according to the regulations. He made them of pure gold.[bg] 21 He also made the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of the purest gold,[bh] 22 and the snuffers, the sprinkling bowls, the small dishes, and the fire pans[bi] of pure gold. For the entrances into the sanctuary, he made the gold inner doors for the Most Holy Place and the gold doors for the front room of the sanctuary.
5 All the work which Solomon carried out for the House of the Lord was completed, so Solomon brought the things his father David had dedicated, namely, the silver, the gold, and all the vessels and utensils, and put them into the treasuries of the House of God.
The Ark Is Placed in the Temple
2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leading fathers[bj] of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, in order to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the City of David, that is, from Zion. 3 All the men of Israel gathered in the presence of the king at the festival that takes place during the seventh month.[bk] 4 Then when all the elders of Israel had come, the priests, who were Levites,[bl] lifted up the Ark. 5 They brought the Ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels which were in the tent. The priests and Levites[bm] brought them up.
6 King Solomon and the whole congregation of Israel that had gathered with him in front of the Ark were sacrificing sheep and oxen, too many to be counted or numbered.
7 The priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the House, that is, to the Most Holy Place, and they placed it under the wings of the cherubim. 8 The cherubim were spreading their wings over the place for the Ark, so that the cherubim covered the Ark and its poles from above. 9 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the Holy Place[bn] in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside. They are there to this day.
10 There was nothing in the Ark except the two tablets which Moses placed there at Horeb, where the Lord had made a covenant with the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt.
11 The priests then came out from the Holy Place. (All the priests who were present had consecrated themselves. They did not remain separated by their divisions.)
12 The levitical musicians, the divisions of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, including their sons and their relatives, were standing east of the altar. They were clothed in fine linen and had their cymbals, harps, and lyres with them. With them there were also one hundred twenty priests who blew trumpets.
13 The trumpeters and the singers joined together as one to praise and give thanks to the Lord. As they raised their voices to praise the Lord, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, they sang:
Truly, he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
Then the sanctuary of the House of the Lord was filled with a cloud. 14 The priests were not able to take their positions to minister because of the presence of the cloud, because the Glory of the Lord had filled the House of God.
Solomon’s Speech and Prayer of Dedication
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he dwells in thick darkness, 2 but I have truly built a majestic house for you, a place for you to dwell in forever.”
3 Then the king turned and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly of Israel was standing there. 4 Then Solomon said:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.
What he said with his mouth to my father David,
he has fulfilled with his hands.
5 The Lord said, “From the day I brought my people out from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a house for my Name to be there. I did not choose a man to be ruler over my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place where my Name will be, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.”
7 It was on my father David’s heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 However, the Lord said to my father David, “That it was on your heart to build a house for my Name was a good thing to have on your heart, 9 but you will not build the house. Your son, who will come from your own body, will build the house for my Name.”
10 So the Lord kept his word which he had spoken, and I arose in the place of my father David. Now I am seated on the throne of Israel just as the Lord said. I have built this house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant of the Lord, which he made with the people of Israel.
12 Then Solomon stood in front of the altar of the Lord, in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands.
13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. It was seven and a half feet by seven and a half feet square, and four and a half feet tall. He stood on it. Then he knelt in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said:
O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens above and on the earth below. You keep the covenant of mercy and faithfulness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart. 15 You have kept the word which you spoke to your servant, my father David. What you have said with your mouth, you have fulfilled with your hand, as can be seen today.
16 Now, Lord God of Israel, guard for your servant, my father David, the promise you made to him when you said, “You will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of Israel in my presence, if your sons guard their ways by walking in my law just as you have walked before me.”
17 Now, O God of Israel, let the words which you spoke to your servant, my father David, be confirmed.
18 But will God really dwell with man on the earth? Truly, the heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you! How much less this house which I have built! 19 But turn your face toward the prayer of your servant and to his plea for mercy. O Lord my God, listen to the cry and to the prayer that your servant offers before you.
20 Let your eyes be open toward this house day and night, toward the place where you have promised to set your Name and to listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.
21 When you hear your servant’s pleas for mercy and those of your people Israel when they pray toward this place, then hear in your dwelling place in heaven—hear and forgive.
The Petitions[bo]
22 If a man sins against his neighbor, and his neighbor places him under an oath, and the oath is presented before your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and take action. Provide justice for your servants by repaying the guilty person and bringing his ways down on his own head, and by declaring the righteous person innocent and dealing with him according to his righteousness.
24 If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they sinned against you, and they return to you and praise your Name and pray and seek your favor in this house, 25 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers.
26 When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, praise your Name, and turn from their sin because you have humbled them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, for you teach them the good way in which they are to walk. Provide rain upon our land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
28 When there is famine in the land, when there is plague, when there is blight or mildew, or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies are in the land besieging their gates, or when any disease or any sickness is present, 29 hear every prayer and every plea for mercy from each individual and from your whole people Israel, because each person knows his own affliction and his own sorrow. When he stretches out his hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and give to each man according to his ways,[bp] since you know his heart. You alone know the heart of everyone, 31 so that they fear you and walk in your ways all the days they live on the soil that you gave to our fathers.
32 Also for the foreigner, who is not one of your people Israel, but who comes from a distant land because of your great Name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, and who comes and prays toward this house, 33 for that foreigner, hear in heaven, which is your dwelling place, and do everything for which that foreigner cries out to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your Name and fear you, just as your people Israel do, because they know that your Name is proclaimed in this house that I have built.
34 When your people go out for battle against their enemies on whatever way you send them, and they pray to you, facing toward this city which you have chosen and toward the house which I have built for your Name, 35 then from heaven hear their prayer and their plea for mercy, and provide justice for them.
36 When they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin), and you become angry with them, and you give them up to an enemy, and they are taken captive to a land whether far or near, 37 when they come to their senses in the land to which they were carried, and they repent and plead to you for mercy in the land where they were exiled, and they say, “We have sinned. We have been guilty, and we have done evil,” 38 and they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land where they are exiled, and they pray toward their land which you gave to their fathers, and toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your Name, 39 then from heaven, from your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea for mercy and provide justice for them, and forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
40 Now please, my God, I ask that your eyes will be open and your ears attentive to prayer offered at this place.
41 Now arise, Lord God, to enter your resting place—you and the ark of your power. May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation. May your faithful ones rejoice in goodness. 42 Lord God, you will not turn away the face of your anointed one. Remember the mercy promised to your servant David.
The Dedication of the Temple
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The Glory of the Lord filled the house. 2 The priests were not able to go into the House of the Lord because the Glory of the Lord filled the House of the Lord. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the Glory of the Lord over the house, they bowed to the ground with their faces on the pavement, and they worshipped, giving thanks to the Lord:
Truly, he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
4 The king and all the people were offering sacrifices before the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. The king and all the people dedicated the House of God.
6 The priests stood at their assigned positions. The Levites, using the musical instruments for the Lord, which King David had made to give thanks to the Lord because his mercy endures forever, were offering the praises written by David. The priests who blew the trumpets stood across from them. All Israel was standing there.
7 Solomon consecrated the center of the courtyard that was in front of the Lord’s house, so that he could present the burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings there, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not large enough to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat from the fellowship offerings.
8 At that time Solomon celebrated the festival[bq] for seven days, and all Israel was with him, a very large assembly of people, who had come from as far away as Lebo Hamath and the Stream of Egypt. 9 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, because they had spent seven days on the dedication of the altar and on the festival. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people to their homes. When they left, they were joyful, and their hearts were glad because of the good things which the Lord had done for David, for Solomon, and for his people Israel.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.