2 Solomon determined to build a temple for the [a]Name of the Lord and a royal capitol.
2 And Solomon counted out 70,000 men to bear burdens, 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hill country, and 3,600 overseers.
3 And Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying, As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build himself a house in which to dwell, even so deal with me.
4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God, dedicated to Him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before Him, for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.
5 The house which I am to build is great, for our God is greater than all gods.
6 But who is able to build Him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain Him? Who am I to build Him a house, except as a place to burn incense in worship before Him?
7 Now therefore, send a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue colors, who is a trained engraver, to work with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.
8 Send me also from Lebanon cedar, cypress, and algum timber, for I know your servants can skillfully cut timber in Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants,
9 To prepare for me timber in abundance, for the house I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.
10 And I will give to your servants who cut timber 20,000 measures of crushed wheat and also of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and also of oil.
11 Then Hiram king of Tyre replied in writing sent to Solomon, Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.
12 Hiram said also, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who made heaven and earth, Who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, who should build a house for the Lord and a royal palace as his capitol.
13 Now I have sent a skilled man, endued with understanding, even Huram-abi, my trusted counselor,
14 The son of a woman of the daughters of [b]Dan; his father was a man of Tyre. He is a trained worker in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood; in purple, blue, and crimson colors, and in fine linen; and also to engrave any type of engraving and to carry out any design given him, with your skilled men and those of my lord, David your father.
15 Now therefore, the wheat, barley, oil, and wine of which my lord has spoken, let him send them to his servants,
16 And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so you may take it up to Jerusalem.
17 Then Solomon took a census of all the aliens in the land of Israel, like the census of them which his father David had taken. They were found to be 153,600.
18 And he assigned 70,000 of them to be burden bearers, 80,000 to work in the mountain quarries, and 3,600 as overseers to direct the people’s work.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 2:1 See footnote on Deut. 12:5.
- 2 Chronicles 2:14 I Kings 7:14 says that this woman was of the tribe of Naphtali. Doubtless her mother’s marriage identified her with a tribe of which she was not a native.