1 aNow Solomon 2decided
to build
a house
for the name
of the LORD
and a 3royal
palace
for himself.
1So aSolomon 2assigned
70,000
men
to carry
loads
and 80,000
men
to quarry
stone in the mountains
and 3,600
to supervise
them.
aThen Solomon sent
word to 1Huram
the king
of Tyre
, saying
, " bAs you dealt
with David
my father
and sent
him cedars
to build
him a house
to dwell
in, so do for me.
"Behold, I am about to build
a house
for the name
of the LORD
my God
, dedicating
it to Him, ato burn
fragrant
incense
before
Him and to set out bthe showbread
continually
, and to offer cburnt
offerings
morning
and evening
, don sabbaths
and on new
moons
and on the appointed
feasts
of the LORD
our God
, this
being required forever
in Israel
.
"The house which
I am about to build
will be great
, for agreater
is our God
than
all
the gods
.
"But awho is able
to build
a house
for Him, for the heavens
and the highest
heavens
cannot
contain
Him? So who
am I, that I should build
a house
for Him, except
to 1burn
incense before
Him?
"Now asend
me a skilled
man
to work
in gold
, silver
, brass
and iron
, and in purple
, crimson
and violet
fabrics, and who knows
how to make
engravings
, to work with the skilled
men
1 bwhom
I have
in Judah
and Jerusalem
, whom
David
my father
provided
.
" aSend me also cedar
, cypress
and algum
timber
from Lebanon
, for I know
that your servants
know
how to cut
timber
of Lebanon
; and indeed
bmy servants
will work with your servants
,
to prepare timber
in abundance
for me, for the house
which
I am about to build
will be great
and wonderful
.
"Now behold, aI will give
to your servants
, the woodsmen
who cut
the timber
, 20,000
1kors
of crushed
wheat
and 20,000
1kors
of barley
, and 20,000
baths
of wine
and 20,000
baths
of oil
."
Then Huram, king
of Tyre
, 1answered
in a letter
sent
to Solomon
: " aBecause the LORD
loves
His people
, He has made
you king
over
them."
Then Huram 1continued
, "Blessed
be athe LORD
, the God
of Israel
, who
has made
heaven
and earth
, who
has given
King
David
a wise
son
, 2endowed
with discretion
and understanding
, bwho
will build
a house
for the LORD
and a 3royal
palace
for himself.
"Now I am sending
Huram-abi
, a skilled
man
, 1endowed
with understanding
,
athe son of a 1Danite
woman
and 2a Tyrian
father
, who knows
how to work
in gold
, silver
, bronze
, iron
, stone
and wood
, and in purple
, violet
, linen
and crimson
fabrics, and who knows how to make
all
kinds of engravings
and to 3execute
any
design
which
may be assigned
to him, to work with your skilled
men
and with 4those
of my lord
David
your father
.
"Now then, let my lord
send
to his servants
wheat
and barley
, oil
and wine
, of awhich
he has spoken
.
" aWe will cut whatever
timber
you need
from Lebanon
and bring
it to you on rafts
by sea
to Joppa
, so that you may carry
it up to Jerusalem
."
Solomon numbered
all
the aliens
who
were in the land
of Israel
, afollowing
the 1census
which
his father
David
had 2taken
; and 153,600
were found
.
aHe appointed 70,000
of them to carry
loads
and 80,000
to quarry
stones in the mountains
and 3,600
supervisors
to make the people
work
.