Preparations for the Temple (1 Kings 5:1–6)
1 UDB Solomon decided that a temple should be built where Yahweh would be worshiped, and also that he would build a palace for himself. BSB BSB: Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the Name of the LORD and a royal palace for himself.
2 UDB He commanded seventy thousand men to carry the building supplies and eighty thousand men to cut stones from quarries in the hills. He also chose 3,600 men to supervise them. BSB BSB: So he conscripted 70,000 porters, 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors.
3 UDB Solomon sent this message to King Hiram of the city of Tyre: "Many years ago when my father David was building his palace, you sent him cedar logs. Will you send me cedar logs, too? BSB BSB: Then Solomon sent word to Hiram king of Tyre: “Do for me as you did for my father David when you sent him cedars to build himself a house to live in.
4 UDB We are about to build a temple to set it apart for Yahweh, to burn for him incense made from fragrant spices, to always display before him the bread, and to burn animal offerings every morning and evening and day of rest, as well as at every new moon and on the other special festivals to honor Yahweh our God. We want to do these things forever, as Yahweh has commanded. BSB BSB: Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever.
5 UDB We want this temple to be a great temple, because our God is greater than all other gods. BSB BSB: The house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.
6 UDB But no one can build a place for God to live in, since even the heavens and the earth are not big enough for him. I myself an not worthy to build him a house, except as a place to offer sacrifices to him. BSB BSB: But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain Him? Who then am I, that I should build a house for Him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before Him?
7 UDB Therefore, please send me someone who is very good at making things from gold and silver and bronze and iron, and at making things from purple and red and blue cloth. He should also know well how to engrave designs. I want him to work in Jerusalem and in other places in Judah with my skilled craftsmen, the ones whom my father David appointed. BSB BSB: Send me, therefore, a craftsman skilled in engraving to work with gold and silver, with bronze and iron, and with purple, crimson, and blue yarn. He will work with my craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.
8 UDB I know that your workers are skilled in cutting timber, so also please send me cedar logs, pine logs, and algum from the Lebanon mountains. My workers will work with your workers. BSB BSB: Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber there. And indeed, my servants will work with yours
9 UDB In that way, they will provide me with plenty of lumber. We will need plenty, because I want the temple that we will build to be large and beautiful. BSB BSB: to prepare for me timber in abundance, because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful.
10 UDB I will pay to your workers, the men who cut the logs, 4,400 cubic meters of ground wheat, 4,400 cubic meters of barley, and 440 cubic meters of wine, and 440 cubic meters of olive oil." BSB BSB: I will pay your servants, the woodcutters, 20,000 cors of ground wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of olive oil.”
Hiram’s Reply to Solomon (1 Kings 5:7–12)
11 UDB When Hiram received this message, he replied by sending a message back to Solomon: "Because Yahweh loves his people, he has appointed you to be their king. BSB BSB: Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.”
12 UDB Let everyone praise Yahweh, the God to whom the Israelite people belong, the one who created the sky and the earth! He has given King David a wise son, one who is very intelligent and who has good skill and understanding. He wants to build a temple for Yahweh and a palace for himself. BSB BSB: And Hiram added: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son with insight and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.
13 UDB I will send to you Huram-Abi, one of my skilled craftsmen. BSB BSB: So now I am sending you Huram-abi, a skillful man endowed with creativity.
14 UDB His mother was from the tribe of Dan, and his father was from here in Tyre. He is able to make things from gold and silver and bronze and iron and stone and wood, but he also makes nice things from purple and blue and red cloth, and he does all kinds of engraving. He can make things using any design that you give to him. He will work with your craftsmen, and the craftsmen who did work for your father, King David. BSB BSB: He is the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father is a man of Tyre. He is skilled in work with gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple, blue, and crimson yarn, and fine linen. He is experienced in every kind of engraving and can execute any design that is given him. He will work with your craftsmen and with those of my lord, your father David.
15 UDB Now please send us the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine that you promised to send to us. BSB BSB: Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he promised.
16 UDB When you do that, my workers will cut in the Lebanon mountains all the logs that you need and bring them down to the sea. Then we will tie the logs together to form rafts with them, and float them in the sea to the city of Joppa. From there, you can arrange for men to take them up to Jerusalem." BSB BSB: We will cut logs from Lebanon, as many as you need, and we will float them to you as rafts by sea down to Joppa. Then you can take them up to Jerusalem.”
17 UDB Solomon told his workers to count all the people from other countries who were living in Israel, similar to what his father David had done. There were 153,600 of them. BSB BSB: Solomon numbered all the foreign men in the land of Israel following the census his father David had conducted, and there were found to be 153,600 in all.
18 UDB Solomon assigned seventy thousand of them to carry materials, and eighty thousand to cut stone from quarries in the hills, and 3,600 of them to supervise the others and be sure that they worked steadily. BSB BSB: Solomon made 70,000 of them porters, 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.