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Solomon Prepares for the Temple(A)

Solomon decided to build a ·temple [L house] ·as a place to worship [L for the name of] the Lord and also a ·palace [L royal house] for himself. He ·chose [assigned; conscripted] seventy thousand men ·to carry loads [as common laborers], eighty thousand men to ·cut [quarry] stone in the hill country, and thirty-six hundred men to ·direct the workers [supervise/oversee them].

Solomon sent this message to ·Hiram [or Huram; C variants of the same name; 1 Chr. 14:1 calls him Hiram; the Hebrew text here reads Huram] king of the city of Tyre: “·Help me as you helped [Do as you did for] my father David by sending him cedar logs so he could build himself a ·palace [L house] to live in. I ·will [am about to] build a ·temple [L house] for ·worshiping [L the name of] the Lord my God, and I will ·give [dedicate] this ·temple [L house] to him. There we will ·burn sweet-smelling spices [offer fragrant incense] ·in his presence [before him]. We will continually set out the ·holy bread [T showbread] in God’s presence. And we will burn sacrifices every morning and evening, on Sabbath days and New Moons, and on the other feast days ·commanded [appointed; prescribed] by the Lord our God. This ·is a rule for Israel to obey forever [L permanently in/upon Israel].

“The ·temple [L house] I ·build [am about to build] will be great, because our God is greater than all gods. But ·no one can really [L who is able to…?] build a house for our God. Not even the highest of heavens can ·hold [contain] him. ·How then can I [So who am I to] build a ·temple [L house] for him except as a place to burn ·sacrifices [or incense; C what is being burned is not indicated] to him?

“Now send me a man skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and with purple, ·red [crimson], and ·blue thread [violet cloth]. He must also know how to make engravings. He will work with my skilled craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David ·chose [provided].

“Also send me cedar, ·pine [cypress; juniper; evergreens], and ·juniper logs [sandalwood/algum timber] from Lebanon. I know your servants are ·experienced [skilled; adept] at cutting down the trees in Lebanon, and my servants will help them. Send me a ·lot [vast amount] of wood, because the ·temple [L house] I am going to build will be large and ·wonderful [magnificent]. 10 I will give your servants who cut the wood ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [L twenty thousand kors] of wheat, ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [L twenty thousand kors] of barley, ·one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [L twenty thousand baths] of wine, and ·one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [L twenty thousand baths] of oil.”

11 Then ·Hiram [or Huram; v. 3] king of Tyre answered Solomon with this letter: “Solomon, because the Lord loves his people, he ·chose [made] you to be their king.” 12 ·Hiram [or Huram; v. 3] also said: “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, the God of Israel, who made ·heaven [the sky] and earth! He has given King David a wise son, ·one [endowed; gifted] with ·wisdom [discernment; intelligence; discretion] and ·understanding [insight], who will build a ·temple [L house] for the Lord and a ·palace [L house] for himself.

13 “I will send you a skilled and ·wise [talented; capable] man named Huram-Abi. 14 His mother was from the people of Dan, and his father was from Tyre. Huram-Abi is ·skilled [trained; knowledgeable] in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and with purple, ·blue [violet], and ·red thread [crimson cloth/yarn], and ·expensive [fine] linen. He is skilled in making engravings and can ·make [execute] any design ·you show [given to] him. He will help your ·craftsmen [artisans] and the craftsmen of your father David.

15 “Now my lord send ·my [L to his] servants the wheat, barley, oil, and wine you ·promised [spoke of]. 16 We will cut as much wood from Lebanon as you need and will bring it on rafts by sea to Joppa. Then you may ·carry [haul; transport] it to Jerusalem.”

17 Solomon ·counted [numbered; took a census of] all the foreigners living in Israel. (This was after the time his father David had counted the people [2 Sam. 24; 1 Chr. 21].) There were one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred foreigners. 18 Solomon ·chose [assigned; conscripted] seventy thousand of them ·to carry loads [as common laborers], eighty thousand of them to ·cut [quarry] stone in the mountains, and thirty-six hundred of them to ·direct [supervise; oversee] the workers and to keep the people working.

Preparing to Build the Temple(A)

Hiram, the king of Tyre, had always been David’s friend. When Hiram heard that Solomon had been ·made [L anointed] king in ·David’s [L his father’s] place, he sent his ·messengers [ambassadors; servants] to Solomon. Solomon sent this message back to King Hiram: “You ·remember [L know] my father David had to fight many wars with ·the countries around [enemies surrounding] him, so he was never able to build a ·temple for worshiping [L house for the name of] the Lord his God. David was waiting until the Lord ·allowed him to defeat all his enemies [L put them under the soles of his feet]. But now the Lord my God has given me ·peace [rest] on all sides of my country. I have no enemies now, and no ·danger threatens my people [adversity; calamity; misfortune].

“The Lord ·promised [L told] my father David, ‘I will ·make your son king after you [L put your son on the throne in your place], and he will build ·a temple for worshiping me [L the house/temple for my name].’ Now, I plan to build ·that temple for worshiping [L a house for the name of] the Lord my God. So ·send your men [command them] to cut down cedar trees for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay them whatever wages you decide. We don’t have anyone who can cut down ·trees [timber] as well as the people of Sidon.”

When Hiram heard what Solomon asked, he ·was very happy [rejoiced greatly]. He said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great ·nation [people]!” Then Hiram sent back this message to Solomon: “I ·received [heard] the message you sent, and I will ·give you [supply] all the cedar and ·pine trees [cypress; juniper] you ·want [need]. My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. There I will ·tie them together [L make them into rafts] and ·float them along the shore [go by sea] to the place you choose. Then I will separate the logs there, and you can take them away. ·In return it is my wish that you give [And you shall meet my needs/desire by providing] food to ·all those who live with me [L my household].” 10 So Hiram gave Solomon as much cedar and ·pine [cypress; juniper] as he wanted. 11 And Solomon gave Hiram about ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [L twenty thousand cors] of wheat each year ·to feed the people who lived with him [L for his household]. Solomon also gave him ·about one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [L twenty cors] of pure olive oil every year.

12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; these two kings made a ·treaty between themselves [covenant; alliance].

13 King Solomon ·forced [conscripted] thirty thousand men of Israel to help in this work. 14 He sent ·a group [shifts; relays] of ten thousand men each month to Lebanon. Each group worked in Lebanon one month, then went home for two months. A man named Adoniram was in ·charge [charge of the forced labor/or this labor force]. 15 Solomon ·forced [had] eighty thousand men to work in the hill country, cutting stone, and he had seventy thousand ·men to carry the stones [common laborers]. 16 There were also thirty-three hundred ·men who directed the workers [foremen; overseers]. 17 King Solomon commanded them to cut large blocks of ·fine [costly; high-quality] stone to ·be used for the foundation of the Temple [lay the foundation of the house with dressed/cut stone]. 18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders and the ·men from Byblos [L Gebalites; C Gebal was a Phoenician city the Greeks called Byblos] carved the stones and prepared the stones and the ·logs [timber] for building the ·Temple [L house].

The Temple Is Completed Inside(A)

13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and had ·Huram [L Hiram; C a variant spelling of Huram (2 Chr. 2:13; 4:11); this craftsman is to be distinguished from the king of the same name (5:1)] brought to him. 14 ·Huram’s mother was [L He was the son of] a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was from Tyre and had been ·skilled in making things from [a craftsman/artisan in] bronze. ·Huram [L He] was also very skilled and ·experienced [knowledgeable; wise] in bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all ·the bronze [his] work.

15 He made two bronze pillars, each one ·twenty-seven feet [L eighteen cubits] tall and ·eighteen feet [L twelve cubits] ·around [in circumference]. 16 He also made two bronze capitals that were ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] tall, and he put them on top of the pillars. 17 Then he made a net of seven ·chains [sets of filigree/latticework] for each capital, which covered the capitals on top of the two pillars. 18 He made two rows of bronze pomegranates to go ·on [around] the nets. These covered the capitals at the top of the pillars. 19 The capitals on top of the pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies, and they were ·six feet [L four cubits] tall. 20 The capitals were on top of both pillars, above the ·bowl-shaped [round] section and next to the nets. At that place there were two hundred pomegranates in rows all around the capitals. 21 ·Huram [L He] put these two bronze pillars at the ·porch [portico; entrance] of the ·Temple [L house]. He named the ·south [right-hand] pillar ·He Establishes [L Jachin] and the ·north [left-hand] pillar ·In Him Is Strength [L Boaz]. 22 The capitals on top of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the work on the pillars was finished [C pillars represent establishment].

23 Then ·Huram [L he] made from bronze a large round bowl, which was called the Sea [C symbol of chaos subdued]. It was ·forty-five feet [L thirty cubits] around, ·fifteen feet [L ten cubits] across, and ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] deep. 24 Around the outer edge of the bowl was a rim. Under this rim were two rows of ·bronze plants [gourds] which surrounded the ·bowl [Sea]. There were ten ·plants [gourds] every ·eighteen inches [L cubit], and these ·plants [gourds] were made in one piece with the bowl. 25 The ·bowl [Sea] rested on the backs of twelve ·bronze bulls [oxen] that faced outward from the center of the bowl. Three bulls faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. 26 The sides of the bowl were ·four inches [L a hand’s breadth] thick, and it held ·about eleven thousand gallons [L two thousand baths]. The rim of the bowl was like the rim of a cup or like a lily blossom.

27 Then ·Huram [L he] made ten bronze ·stands [water carts], each one ·six feet [L four cubits] long, ·six feet [L four cubits] wide, and ·four and one-half feet [L three cubits] high. 28 The ·stands [water carts] were made from ·square sides, which were put on frames [or side panels braced with crossbars/uprights]. 29 On the sides were bronze lions, ·bulls [oxen], and ·creatures with wings [L cherubim]. On the ·frames [panels] above and below the lions and ·bulls [oxen] were ·designs of flowers [wreaths] hammered into the bronze. 30 Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. At the corners there were bronze supports for a ·large bowl [basin], and the supports had ·designs of flowers [wreaths]. 31 There was a frame on top of the bowls, ·eighteen inches [L one cubit] high above the bowls. The opening of the bowl was round, ·twenty-seven inches [L one and one-half cubits] deep. ·Designs [Engravings] were carved into the bronze on the frame, which was square, not round. 32 The four wheels, placed under the frame, were ·twenty-seven inches [L one and one-half cubits] high. The axles between the wheels were ·made as one piece with [within; attached to] the stand. 33 The wheels were like a chariot’s wheels. Everything on the wheels—the axles, rims, spokes, and hubs—were ·made [cast] of bronze.

34 The four supports were on the four corners of each stand. They were made as one piece with the stand. 35 A ·strip of bronze [rim; band] around the top of each stand was ·nine inches [L one-half cubit] deep. ·It was [The corner supports were] also made as one piece with the stand. 36 ·Wherever there was room [L According to the space of each], the sides of the stand and the frames were ·covered with carvings of [engraved with] ·creatures with wings [cherubim; 6:23], as well as lions, palm trees, and ·flowers [wreaths]. 37 This is the way ·Huram [L he; v. 13] made the ten ·stands [water carts]. ·The bronze for each stand [L Each] was melted and poured into a mold, ·so all the stands were [L all] the same size and shape.

38 ·Huram [L He] also made ten bronze ·bowls [basins], one ·bowl [basin] for each of the ten ·stands [water carts]. Each bowl was ·six feet [L four cubits] across and could hold ·about two hundred thirty gallons [L forty baths]. 39 ·Huram [Hiram] put five stands on the ·south [right] side of the ·Temple [L house] and five on the ·north [left] side. He put the ·large bowl [Sea on the right] in the southeast corner of the ·Temple [L house]. 40 ·Huram [Hiram] also made ·bowls [washbasins; pots], shovels, and small bowls.

So ·Huram [L Hiram; v. 13] finished all his work for King Solomon on the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord:

41 two pillars;
two ·large bowls for the [bowl-shaped] capitals on top of the pillars;
two ·nets [sets of latticework/filigree] to cover the two large bowls for the capitals on top of the pillars;
42 four hundred pomegranates for the two ·nets [sets of latticework/filigree] (there were two rows of pomegranates for each ·net [set of latticework/filigree] covering the bowls for the capitals on top of the pillars);
43 ten ·stands [water carts] with a ·bowl [basin] on each ·stand [one];
44 the ·large bowl [Sea] with twelve ·bulls [oxen] under it;
45 the ·pots [pails; ash buckets], shovels, small bowls, and all the utensils for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.

·Huram [L Hiram] made everything King Solomon wanted from ·polished [burnished] bronze. 46 The king had these things ·poured [cast] into clay molds that were made in the plain of the Jordan River between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon never weighed the bronze used to make these things, because there ·was too much to weigh [were so many]. So the total weight of all the bronze was never ·known [calculated].

48 Solomon also made all the items for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord:

the golden altar;
the golden table which held the bread ·that shows God’s people are in his presence [of the Presence];
49 the lampstands of pure gold (five on the right side and five on the left side in front of the inner ·room [L house], the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies]);
the flowers, lamps, and tongs—all of gold;
50 the pure gold bowls, wick ·trimmers [snuffers], small bowls, pans, and ·dishes used to carry coals [firepans; incense burners];
the gold hinges for the doors of the inner ·room [L house], the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies] and the ·main room [main hall; nave] of the ·Temple [L house].

51 ·Finally [Thus] the work King Solomon did for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was finished. Solomon brought in everything his father David had ·set apart [dedicated; consecrated] for the ·Temple [L house]—silver, gold, and ·other articles [the various utensils]. He put everything in the treasuries of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.

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