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Forsooth Solomon deemed, or purposed, to build an house to the name of the Lord, and a palace to himself. (And Solomon decided to build a House in honour of the name of the Lord, and a palace for himself.)

And he numbered seventy thousand of men bearing (burdens) in shoulders, and fourscore thousand that should cut, or hew, stones in hills; and the sovereigns of them were three thousand and six hundred. (And he called up seventy thousand men who would carry burdens on their shoulders, and eighty thousand who would cut stones in the hills; and they had three thousand and six hundred rulers, or overseers.)

And Solomon sent to Hiram[a], the king of Tyre, and said, As thou didest with my father David, and sentest him trees of cedar, that he should build to him an house, in which also he dwelled; so do thou with me, (And Solomon sent word to Hiram, the king of Tyre, and said, As thou didest with my father David, and sentest cedar wood to him, so that he could build a house for himself, in which he would live, so do thou also with me;)

that I build an house to the name of the Lord my God, and that I hallow it, to burn incense before him, and to make odour of sweet smelling spiceries, and to [the] everlasting setting forth of loaves, and to [the] burnt sacrifices in the morrowtide and eventide, and in [the] sabbaths, and (on) new moons, that is, (at) feasts in the beginnings of months, and in solemnities of the Lord our God into without end, which observances and hallowings be commanded to Israel. (so that I can build a House in honour of the name of the Lord my God, and I shall consecrate it, so that I can burn incense before him, to make the odour of sweet smelling spices, and for the everlasting setting forth of loaves, and for burnt sacrifices in the morning and in the evening, and on sabbaths, and on new moons, that is, at feasts at the beginning of the month, and at the solemn, or annual, Feasts of the Lord our God forevermore, which observances and consecrations be commanded to Israel.)

For the house which I covet to build is great; forsooth the Lord our God is great over all gods.

Who therefore may have might to build a worthy house to him? For if heaven and heavens of heavens may not take, or hold, him, how great am I, that I may build an house to him, but to this thing only, that incense be burnt there before him? (And so who is able to build a House worthy of him? For if heaven and the heavens of heavens cannot hold him, who am I, that I build him a House, but only for this, so that incense can be burned there before him?)

Therefore send thou to me a learned man, that can work in gold, and in silver, in brass, and iron, in purple, and in red silk, and in jacinth; and that can grave graving with these craftsmen, which I have with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, the which men David, my father, before made ready. (And so send thou to me a learned man, who knoweth how to work with gold, and silver, and bronze, and iron, and purple, and red silk, and jacinth; one who knoweth how to engrave engravings with these craftsmen who I have with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, which men my father David provided.)

But also send thou to me cedar trees, and pine trees, and thyine trees of the Lebanon; for I know, that thy servants can cut trees of the Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants, (And also send thou to me cedar, and pine, and algum timber from Lebanon; for I know, that thy servants know how to cut down the trees of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants,)

that full many trees be made ready to me (so that a great deal of timber can be prepared for me); for the house which I covet to build is full great and noble.

10 Furthermore to thy servants, workmen that shall cut trees, I shall give into meats twenty thousand cors of wheat, and so many cors of barley, and twenty thousand measures of oil, that be called baths. (And for thy servants, the workmen who shall cut down the trees, I shall give for food twenty thousand cors of wheat, and as many cors of barley, and twenty thousand measures of oil, that be called baths.)

11 And Hiram, king of Tyre, said by letters which he sent to Solomon, For the Lord [hath] loved his people, therefore he hath made thee to reign upon it (and so he hath made thee to reign upon them).

12 And Hiram added to (that), saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, which hath given to king David a wise son, and learned, and witting, and prudent, that he should build an house to the Lord, and a palace to himself. (And Hiram added to that, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, and who hath given to King David a wise and learned son, knowledgeable and prudent, who shall build a House for the Lord, and a palace for himself.)

13 Therefore I have sent to thee a prudent man and most knowing, Hiram[b], my father, (And so I am sending to thee a prudent and most knowledgeable man, Hiram, my master craftsman,)

14 the son of a woman of the lineage of Dan, whose father was a man of Tyre; the which Hiram can work in gold, and silver, in brass, and in iron, and in marble, and in trees, also in purple, and jacinth, and bis, and in red silk; and the which Hiram can grave in all graving, and can find prudently, whatever thing is needful in work with thy craftsmen, and with the craftsmen of my lord David, thy father. (the son of a woman of the tribe of Dan, whose father was a man of Tyre; this Hiram knoweth how to work with gold, and silver, and bronze, and iron, and marble, and wood, and purple, and jacinth, and fine linen, and red silk; and this Hiram knoweth how to engrave in all manner of engraving, and knoweth how to prudently do whatever is needed to work with thy craftsmen, and with the craftsmen of thy father, my lord David.)

15 Therefore, my lord, send thou to (us) thy servants the wheat, and barley, and oil, and wine, which thou hast promised.

16 And we shall cut (down) trees of the Lebanon, how many ever thou hast need of; and we shall bring those trees in ships by the sea into Joppa; and it shall be thine doing to lead those over into Jerusalem.

17 Then Solomon numbered all men converted from heathenness, that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering that David, his father, had numbered; and an hundred thousand and three and fifty thousand and six hundred were found of them. (Then Solomon counted all the men converted from heathenness who were in the land of Israel, like in the census that his father David had taken; and a hundred and fifty-three thousand and six hundred were found of them.)

18 And he made of them seventy thousand, that should bear burdens on their shoulders, and fourscore thousand, that should cut, or hew, stones in hills; and he made three thousand and six hundred sovereigns of [the] works of the people. (And he ordained seventy thousand of them, who would carry burdens on their shoulders, and eighty thousand, who would cut stones in the hills; and he made three thousand and six hundred to be the rulers, or the overseers, who would make these people work.)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:3 Also known as Huram.
  2. 2 Chronicles 2:13 Also known as Huram(!).

Preparations for Building the Temple(A)

[a]Solomon gave orders to build a temple(B) for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself.(C) He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them.(D)

Solomon sent this message to Hiram[b](E) king of Tyre:

“Send me cedar logs(F) 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(G) for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense(H) before him, for setting out the consecrated bread(I) regularly, and for making burnt offerings(J) every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths,(K) at the New Moons(L) 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,(M) because our God is greater than all other gods.(N) But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him?(O) Who then am I(P) 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,(Q) whom my father David provided.

“Send me also cedar, juniper and algum[c] 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[d] of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors[e] of barley, twenty thousand baths[f] of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.(R)

11 Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon:

“Because the Lord loves(S) his people, he has made you their king.”

12 And Hiram added:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth!(T) He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself.

13 “I am sending you Huram-Abi,(U) a man of great skill, 14 whose mother was from Dan(V) and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained(W) to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue(X) and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father.

15 “Now let my lord send his servants the wheat and barley and the olive oil(Y) and wine he promised, 16 and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them as rafts by sea down to Joppa.(Z) You can then take them up to Jerusalem.”

17 Solomon took a census of all the foreigners(AA) residing in Israel, after the census(AB) his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. 18 He assigned(AC) 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:18, and 2:2-18 is numbered 2:1-17.
  2. 2 Chronicles 2:3 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram; also in verses 11 and 12
  3. 2 Chronicles 2:8 Probably a variant of almug
  4. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,200 metric tons of wheat
  5. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, probably about 3,000 tons or about 2,700 metric tons of barley
  6. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters

And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdom.

And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

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.

11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the Lord hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.

12 Huram said moreover, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the Lord, and an house for his kingdom.

13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,

14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:

16 And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.

18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.