Preparations for the Temple (2 Chronicles 2:1–10)
1 DBY And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram 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 DBY And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, BSB BSB: And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram:
3 DBY Thou knowest that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah 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 DBY But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side: there is neither adversary nor evil event. BSB BSB: But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.
5 DBY And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto 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 DBY And now command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are experienced in cutting timber like to the Zidonians. 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 DBY And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great 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 DBY And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the things which thou sentest to me for: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress. 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 DBY My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will convey them by sea in rafts to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for 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 DBY So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees according to all his desire. BSB BSB: So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
11 DBY And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 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 DBY And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league. 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 DBY And king Solomon 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 DBY And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, 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 DBY And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountains; BSB BSB: Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,
16 DBY besides the overseers whom Solomon had set over the work, three thousand three hundred, who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. BSB BSB: not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.
17 DBY And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house. BSB BSB: And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
18 DBY And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Giblites hewed them, and prepared timber and stones to build the house. 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.