Preparing to Build the Temple

2 Chronicles 2

1 1 x Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal palace for himself. 2 2 y And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and z 3,600 to oversee them. 3 a And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: b "As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of c incense of sweet spices before him, and for d the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for e burnt offerings morning and evening, f on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel. 5 The house that I am to build will be great, g for our God is greater than all gods. 6 h But who is able to build him a house, since h heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? 7 So now i send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, j whom David my father provided. 8 Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that k your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, 9 to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful. 10 l I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors 3 of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths 4 of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil."

11 Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, m "Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you king over them." 12 Hiram also said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, n who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, o who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.

13 "Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, 14 p the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is q trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. 15 Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, r of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. 16 s And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to t Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem."

17 Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, u after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. 18 v Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.

  1. Cross References
    1 Kings 5:5
    And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.
  2. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:18
    Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.
    1 Kings 5:15 - 16
    Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country.
    2 Chronicles 8:7 - 8
    All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel.
    1 Kings 9:20 - 21
    All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel -
  3. Cross References
    1 Kings 5:16
    Besides Solomon's 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work.
  4. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:3 - 16
    And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: "As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me.
    1 Kings 5:2 - 11
    And Solomon sent word to Hiram.
  5. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 14:1
    And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also masons and carpenters to build a house for him.
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 30:7
    And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it.
  7. Cross References
    Leviticus 24:5 - 8
    You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf.
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 28:3 - 8
    And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the Lord : two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering.
  9. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 8:13
    As the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual feasts - the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.
    Numbers 28:9
    On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering:
    Numbers 28:11
    At the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord : two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish.
    Numbers 28:19
    But offer a food offering, a burnt offering to the Lord : two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish.
    Numbers 28:26
    On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work.
  10. Cross References
    Psalms 135:5
    For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
    Exodus 15:11
    Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
    1 Chronicles 16:25
    For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods.
    Psalms 86:8
    There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
  11. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 6:18
    But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!
    1 Kings 8:27
    But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
    Isaiah 66:1
    Thus says the Lord : "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
    Acts 7:49
    'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?
  12. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 6:18
    But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!
    1 Kings 8:27
    But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
    Isaiah 66:1
    Thus says the Lord : "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
    Acts 7:49
    Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:13 - 14
    Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi.
  14. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 22:15
    You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working
  15. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:10 - 11
    Moreover, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones.
  16. Cross References
    1 Kings 5:11
    While Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.
  17. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 9:8
    Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the Lord your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.
    1 Kings 10:9
    Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 1:1
    In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
  19. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:1
    Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal palace for himself.
  20. Cross References
    1 Kings 7:14
    He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.
  21. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:7
    So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.
  22. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:10
    I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil.
  23. Cross References
    1 Kings 5:9
    My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.
  24. Cross References
    Joshua 19:46
    And Me-jarkon and Rakkon with the territory over against Joppa.
  25. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 22:2
    David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God.
  26. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 2:2
    And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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