2 Chronicles 2:3–16

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