Preparation for building the temple.

¹⁾And Solomon determined to build ana house for the name of the LORDLord, and ana 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 ana house to dwell therein, therefore, even so deal with me.

⁴⁾Behold, I build ana house to the name of the LORDLord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbreadshowbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORDLord our God. ThisAnd is anthis ordinance forshall everbe tokept in Israel forever.

⁵⁾And the house which I build isshall be a great: house; for great is the Lord our God above all gods.

⁶⁾But who is able to build him ana house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him ana 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 canhas 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 canhave skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, I will send 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 LORDLord hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.

¹²⁾Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORDLord 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 ana house for the LORDLord, and ana 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, 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 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 ana 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 aat work.