CHAPTER 2
Then Solomon
sent
word to
King
Hiram
of Tyre:
“Do for me as
you did
for
my father
David
when you sent
him
cedars
to build
himself
a house
to live in.
Behold,
I am about to build
a house
for the Name
of the LORD
my God
to dedicate
to Him
for burning
fragrant
incense
before Him,
for displaying the showbread
continuously,
and for making burnt offerings
every morning
and evening
as well as on the Sabbaths,
New Moons,
and appointed feasts
of the LORD
our God.
This
is ordained for
Israel forever.
But who
is able
to build
a house
for Him,
since
the heavens,
even the highest heavens,
cannot
contain Him?
Who then
am I,
that
I should build
a house
for Him,
except as a place
to burn sacrifices
before Him?
Send
me,
therefore,
a craftsman
who is skilled
in engraving
to work
with gold
and silver,
bronze
and iron,
purple,
crimson,
and blue yarn.
He will work with
my craftsmen
in Judah
and Jerusalem,
whom
my father
David
provided.
Send me also
cedar,
cypress,
and algum
logs
from Lebanon,
for
I
know
that
your servants
have skill
to cut
timber
there.
And indeed,
my servants
will work with
yours
to prepare
for me
timber
in abundance,
because
the temple
I
am building
will be great
and wonderful.
I will pay
your servants,
the woodcutters,
20,000
cors
of ground
wheat,
20,000
cors
of barley,
20,000
baths
of wine,
and 20,000
baths
of olive oil.”
Then King
Hiram
of Tyre
wrote a letter
in reply
to
Solomon:
“Because the LORD
loves
His people,
He has set you
over them
as king.”
Hiram
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
with insight
and understanding,
who
will build
a temple
for the LORD
and a royal
palace for himself.
He is the son
of a woman
from
the daughters
of Dan,
and his father
is a man
of Tyre.
He is skilled
in work
with gold
and silver,
bronze
and iron,
stone
and wood,
purple,
blue,
and crimson yarn,
and fine linen.
He is experienced in every kind
of engraving
and can execute
any
design
that
is given
him.
He will work with
your craftsmen
and with those
of my lord,
your father
David.
We
will cut
logs
from
Lebanon,
as many
as you need,
and in rafts
by
sea
we will bring them
to you
at Joppa.
Then you
can take them up
to Jerusalem.”
Solomon
numbered
all
the foreign
men
in the land
of Israel,
following
the census
his father
David had conducted,
and there were found to be
153,600 in all.
Solomon made
70,000 of them
porters,
80,000
stonecutters
in the mountains,
and 3,600
supervisors.