2Chr 2
1
Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of YHWH, and a house for his kingdom.
2
And Solomon counted out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore
thousand men that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred
to oversee them.
3
And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As you did deal with David my
father, and did send him cedars to build him a house to dwell therein, [even so deal
with me].
4
Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of YHWH my God, to dedicate it to
him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual showbread,
and for the burnt-offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons,
and on the set feasts of YHWH our God. This is [an ordinance] for ever to Israel.
5
And the house which I build is great; for great is our God above all gods.
6
But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot
contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense
before him?
7
Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that knows how to grave [all
manner of] gravings, [to be] with the skillful men that are with me in Judah and in
Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
8
Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and algum-trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that
your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon: and, behold, my servants shall be
with your servants,
9
even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall
be great and wonderful.
10
And, behold, I will give to your 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
YHWH loves his people, he has made you king over them.
12
Huram said moreover, Blessed be YHWH, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth,
who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with discretion and understanding,
that should build a house for YHWH, and a house for his kingdom.
13
And now I have sent a skillful 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, skillful
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 devise any device; that there may be [a place] appointed to him with your skillful
men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.
15
Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my lord has spoken
of, let him send to his servants:
16
and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need; and we will bring
it to you in floats by sea to Joppa; and you shall carry it up to Jerusalem.
17
And Solomon numbered all the sojourners that were in the land of Israel, after the
numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found a hundred
and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18
And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand
that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to
set the people at work.