1 S olomon planned to build a house for the name of the Lord, and a king’s house for himself.

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

2 S o he picked 70, 000 men to carry loads, 80, 000 men to cut stones in the mountains, and 3, 600 men to watch over these men.

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 King Huram of Tyre, saying, “You sent my father David cedar trees to build him a house to live in. Do the same 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 S ee, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God. I will set it apart for Him. There special perfume will be burned before Him. The holy bread will be there all the time. Burnt gifts will be given morning and evening, on Days of Rest, on new moons, and during the special suppers of the Lord our God. This is to be done 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 I am about to build will be great. For our God is greater 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 are not big enough to hold Him. So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except as a place to burn special perfume 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 an able man to work with gold, silver, brass, iron, and purple, red and blue cloth who knows how to cut all kinds of pictures. He will work with the able men I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David gave me.

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 cedar, cypress and algum trees from Lebanon. I know you have able men who know how to do this work. 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 cut many trees for me. For the house I am about to build will be very great and beautiful.

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

10 I will give to your servants who cut trees, 200, 000 baskets of crushed grain, 200, 000 baskets of barley, 200, 000 bottles of wine, and 200, 000 bottles of oil.”

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 King Huram of Tyre answered by letter to Solomon, “The Lord has made you king over His people because He loves 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 said, “Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He has made heaven and earth. And He has given King David a wise son. Wisdom and understanding have been given to David’s son who will build a house for the Lord and a king’s house 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 N ow I am sending Huram-abi, an able man of understanding.

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

14 H e is the son of a Danite woman and a Tyrian father. He knows how to work with gold, silver, brass, iron, stone and wood and with purple, blue, and red cloth. He knows how to cut all kinds of pictures, any kind given him to do. He is to work with your able 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 S o now let my lord send the grain, barley, oil and wine to his servant, as he has said.

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 trees you need in Lebanon, and bring them to you by ship to Joppa. Then you may carry them 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 those in Israel who were from other lands, using the number of them 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 picked 70, 000 of them to carry loads, 80, 000 to cut stones in the mountains, and 3, 600 men to see that the people did their 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.