Preparations for the Temple (2 Chronicles 2:1–10)
1 Brenton And Solomon took to himself the daughter of Pharao to wife, and brought her into the city of David until he had finished the house of the Lord, and his own house, and the wall of Jerusalem. Then went up Pharao the king of Egypt, and took Gazer, and burnt it and the Chananite dwelling in Mergab; and Pharao gave them as a dowry to his daughter the wife of Solomon: and Solomon rebuilt Gazer. And Chiram king of Tyre sent his servants to anoint Solomon in the room of David his father, because Chiram always loved David. BSB BSB: Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
2 Brenton And Solomon sent to Chiram, saying, BSB BSB: And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram:
3 Brenton Thou knewest my father David, that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord my God because of the wars that compassed him about, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. BSB BSB: “As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet.
4 Brenton And now the Lord my God has given me rest round about; there is no one plotting against me , and there is no evil trespass against me . BSB BSB: But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.
5 Brenton And, behold, I intend to build a house to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord God spoke to my father David, saying, Thy son whom I will set on thy throne in thy place, he shall build a house to my name. BSB BSB: So behold, I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, according to what the LORD said to my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the house for My Name.’
6 Brenton And now command, and let men cut wood for me out of Libanus: and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, and I will give thee the wages of thy service, according to all that thou shalt say, because thou knowest that we have no one skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians. BSB BSB: Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.”
Hiram’s Reply to Solomon (2 Chronicles 2:11–18)
7 Brenton And it came to pass, as soon as Chiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be God to-day, who has given to David a wise son over this numerous people. BSB BSB: When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day! He has given David a wise son over this great people!”
8 Brenton And he sent to Solomon, saying, I have listened concerning all that thou hast sent to me for: I will do all thy will: as for timber of cedar and fir, BSB BSB: Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber.
9 Brenton my servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: I will form them into rafts, and bring them to the place which thou shalt send to me about ; and I will land them there, and thou shalt take them up: and thou shalt do my will, in giving bread to my household. BSB BSB: My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.”
10 Brenton So Chiram gave to Solomon cedars, and fir trees, and all his desire. BSB BSB: So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
11 Brenton And Solomon gave to Chiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of beaten oil thus Solomon gave to Chiram yearly. BSB BSB: and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil.
12 Brenton And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon as he promised him; and there was peace between Chiram and Solomon, and they made a covenant between them. BSB BSB: And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.
Solomon’s Labor Force 13 Brenton And the king raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men. BSB BSB: Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.
14 Brenton And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand taking turn every month: they were a month in Libanus and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. BSB BSB: He sent them to Lebanon in monthly shifts of 10,000 men, so that they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. And Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.
15 Brenton And Solomon had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the mountain; BSB BSB: Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,
16 Brenton besides the rulers that were appointed over the works of Solomon, there were three thousand six hundred masters who wrought in the works. BSB BSB: not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.
18 Brenton And they prepared the stones and the timber during three years. BSB BSB: So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.