2 Chronicles 1–2

Solomon’s Request for Wisdom

1Solomon son of David strengthened his hold on his kingdom. ^aThe Lord his God was with him and highly exalted him. ^b2Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the heads of the families. ^c3Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place that was in Gibeon ^dbecause God’s tent of meeting, which the Lord’s servant Moses had made ^ein the wilderness, was there. ⁴Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place ^fhe had set up for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem, ^g5but he put ^hthe bronze altar, which Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, ⁱin front of the Lord’s tabernacle. Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him ^jthere. ⁶Solomon offered sacrifices there in the Lord’s presence on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting; he offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it. ^k

⁷That night ^lGod appeared to Solomon and said to him: “Ask. What should I give you?”

⁸And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great and faithful love to my father David, and You have made me king in his place. ^m9Lord God, let Your promise to my father David now come true. ⁿFor You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. ^o10Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, ^pfor who can judge this great people of Yours?”

¹¹God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart, and you have not requested riches, wealth, or glory, or for the life of those who hate you, and you have not even requested long life, but you have requested for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king, ¹²wisdom and knowledge are given to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and glory, unlike what was given to the kings who were before you, or will be given to those after you.” ^q13So Solomon went to Jerusalem from ^rthe high place that was in Gibeon in front of the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Horses and Wealth

¹⁴Solomon ^saccumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, ^twhich he stationed in the chariot cities ^uand with the king in Jerusalem. ¹⁵The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. ¹⁶Solomon’s horses came from Egypt and Kue. ^vThe king’s traders would get them from Kue at the going price. ¹⁷A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 15 pounds ^wof silver and a horse for about four pounds. ^xIn the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.

Solomon’s Letter to Hiram

2^ySolomon decided to build a temple for the name of Yahweh and a royal palace for himself, ^z2aso he assigned 70,000 men as porters, 80,000 men as stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 as supervisors over them. ^b

³Then Solomon sent word to King Hiram ^cdof Tyre: ^e

Do for me what you did for my father David. You sent him cedars to build him a house to live in. ^f4Now I am building a temple for the name of Yahweh my God in order to dedicate it to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, ^gfor displaying the rows of the bread of the Presence continuously, ^hand for sacrificing burnt offerings for the morning and the evening, ⁱthe Sabbaths ^jand the New Moons, and the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is ordained for Israel forever. ⁵The temple that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than any of the gods. ^k6But who is able to build a temple for Him, since even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Him? ^lWho am I then that I should build a temple for Him except as a place to burn incense before Him? ⁷Therefore, send me a craftsman who is skilled in engraving to work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and with purple, crimson, and blue yarn. He will work with the craftsmen who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, ^mappointed by my father David. ⁿ⁸Also, send me cedar, cypress, and algum ^oplogs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut the trees of Lebanon. Note that my servants will be with your servants ^q9to prepare logs for me in abundance because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful. ¹⁰I will give your servants, the woodcutters who cut the trees, 100,000 bushels ^rof wheat flour, 100,000 bushels ^sof barley, 110,000 gallons ^tof wine, and 110,000 gallons ^uof oil.

Hiram’s Reply

¹¹Then King Hiram of Tyre wrote a letter ^vand sent it to Solomon:

Because the Lord loves His people, He set you over them as king. ^w

¹²Hiram also said:

May the Lord God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth, ^xbe praised! He gave King David a wise son with insight and understanding, ^ywho will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself. ^z13I have now sent Huram-abi, ^aa skillful man who has understanding. ^b14He is the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan. His father is a man of Tyre. He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, with purple, blue, crimson yarn, and fine linen. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and to execute any design that may be given him. I have sent him to be with your craftsmen and the craftsmen of my lord, your father David. ¹⁵Now, let my lord send the wheat, barley, oil, and wine to his servants as promised. ^c16We will cut logs from Lebanon, as many as you need, and bring them to you as rafts by sea to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem. ^d

Solomon’s Work Force

¹⁷Solomon took a census of all the foreign men in the land of Israel, after the census that his father David had conducted, ^eand the total was 153,600. ¹⁸Solomon made 70,000 of them porters, 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors to make the people work. ^f