1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the
LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
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 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?
7 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.
8 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,
9 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.
