1 N ow Solomon decided to build a house for the name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself.

Solomon determined to build a temple for the Name of the Lord and a royal capitol.

2 S o Solomon assigned 70, 000 men to carry loads and 80, 000 men to quarry stone in the mountains and 3, 600 to supervise them.

And Solomon counted out 70, 000 men to bear burdens, 80, 000 to be stonecutters in the hill country, and 3, 600 overseers.

3 T hen Solomon sent word to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “ As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build him a house to dwell in, so do for me.

And Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying, As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build himself a house in which to dwell, even so deal with me.

4 B ehold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, this being required forever in Israel.

Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God, dedicated to Him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before Him, for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.

5 T he house which I am about to build will be great, for greater is our God than all the gods.

The house which I am to build is great, for our God is greater than all gods.

6 B ut who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?

But who is able to build Him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain Him? Who am I to build Him a house, except as a place to burn incense in worship before Him?

7 N ow send me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass and iron, and in purple, crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.

Now therefore, send a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue colors, who is a trained engraver, to work with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.

8 S end me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed my servants will work with your servants,

Send me also from Lebanon cedar, cypress, and algum timber, for I know your servants can skillfully cut timber in Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants,

9 t o prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful.

To prepare for me timber in abundance, for the house I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.

10 N ow behold, I will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, 20, 000 kors of crushed wheat and 20, 000 kors of barley, and 20, 000 baths of wine and 20, 000 baths of oil.” Huram to Assist

And I will give to your servants who cut timber 20, 000 measures of crushed wheat and also of barley, and 20, 000 baths of wine and also of oil.

11 T hen Huram, king of Tyre, answered in a letter sent to Solomon: “ Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.”

Then Hiram king of Tyre replied in writing sent to Solomon, Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.

12 T hen Huram continued, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.

Hiram said also, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who made heaven and earth, Who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, who should build a house for the Lord and a royal palace as his capitol.

13 “ Now I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, endowed with understanding,

Now I have sent a skilled man, endued with understanding, even Huram-abi, my trusted counselor,

14 t he son of a Danite woman and a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood, and in purple, violet, linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to execute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with those of my lord David your father.

The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; his father was a man of Tyre. He is a trained worker in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood; in purple, blue, and crimson colors, and in fine linen; and also to engrave any type of engraving and to carry out any design given him, with your skilled men and those of my lord, David your father.

15 N ow then, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which he has spoken.

Now therefore, the wheat, barley, oil, and wine of which my lord has spoken, let him send them to his servants,

16 W e will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.”

And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so you may take it up to Jerusalem.

17 S olomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, following the census which his father David had taken; and 153, 600 were found.

Then Solomon took a census of all the aliens in the land of Israel, like the census of them which his father David had taken. They were found to be 153, 600.

18 H e appointed 70, 000 of them to carry loads and 80, 000 to quarry stones in the mountains and 3, 600 supervisors to make the people work.

And he assigned 70, 000 of them to be burden bearers, 80, 000 to work in the mountain quarries, and 3, 600 as overseers to direct the people’s work.