2 Chronicles 1–2

CHAPTER 1

Solomon Goes Before Yahweh

¹Now ^aSolomon the son of David strengthened himself over his kingdom, and ¹Yahweh his God was with him and highly ^bexalted him.

²And Solomon spoke to all Israel, ^ato the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ households.

³Then Solomon and all the assembly with him went to ^athe high place which was at Gibeon, ^bfor God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness.

⁴However, David had brought up ^athe ark of God from Kiriath-jearim ¹to ^bthe place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

⁵Now ^athe bronze altar, which Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, ¹was there before the tabernacle of Yahweh, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out.

⁶And Solomon went up there before Yahweh to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and ^aoffered one thousand burnt offerings on it.

^7aIn that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I should give to you.”

God Gives Wisdom to Solomon

⁸Then Solomon said to God, “You have shown great lovingkindness to my father David, and ^ahave made me king in his place.

⁹“Now, O Yahweh God, ^alet Your ¹promise to my father David ²endure, for You have made me king over ^ba people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

¹⁰“^aGive me now wisdom and knowledge, ^bthat I may go out and come in before this people, for who can do justice for this great people of Yours?”

^11aAnd God said to Solomon, “Because ¹you had this in your heart, and did not ask for riches, wealth, or glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may do justice for My people over whom I have made you king,

¹²wisdom and knowledge have been given to you. And ^aI will give you riches and wealth and glory, ¹such as none of the kings who were before you had nor those who will ²come after you.”

^13aSo Solomon went ¹from the high place which was at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Chariots and Horsemen

^14aAnd Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. ^bAnd he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in ^cthe chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

^15aThe king also made ^bsilver and gold as plentiful as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the ¹Shephelah.

¹⁶Solomon’s import of ^ahorses was from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price.

¹⁷And they ¹imported a chariot from Egypt for ²600 shekels of silver and a horse for ³150; and ⁴by the same means they ⁵exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

CHAPTER 2

Yahweh’s House Will Be Great

^11aThen Solomon ²decided to build a house for the name of Yahweh and a ³royal palace for himself.

²¹So ^aSolomon numbered 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to hew stone in the mountains and 3,600 to direct them.

^3aThen Solomon sent word to ¹Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “^bAs you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build him a house to live in, so do for me.

⁴“Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, setting it apart to Him as holy, ^ato burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out ^bthe showbread continually, and to offer ^cburnt offerings morning and evening, ^don sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of Yahweh our God, this being required forever in Israel.

⁵“Now the house which I am about to build will be great, for ^agreater is our God than all the gods.

⁶“But ^awho 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 ¹burn incense before Him?

⁷“So now, ^asend me a wise man to work in gold, silver, brass, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the wise men ^1bwhom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father prepared.

⁸“^aSend me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and behold, ^bmy servants will work with your servants,

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

¹⁰“And behold, ^aI will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, ¹20,000 kors of crushed wheat and 20,000 kors of barley, and ²20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil.”

Covenant with Huram King of Tyre

¹¹Then Huram king of Tyre said in a letter ¹sent to Solomon: “^aBecause Yahweh loves His people, He has given you to be king over them.”

¹²Then Huram said, “Blessed be ^aYahweh, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, knowledgeable in insight and understanding, ^bwho will build a house for Yahweh and a ¹royal palace for himself.

¹³“So now, I am sending Huram-abi, a wise man, who is knowledgeable in understanding,

^14athe son of a ¹Danite woman and ²a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, linen, and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to devise any design which may be given to him, to work with your wise men and with the wise men of my lord David your father.

¹⁵“So now, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of ^awhich he has spoken.

¹⁶“^aAnd we 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.”

¹⁷Then Solomon numbered all the sojourners who were in the land of Israel, ^afollowing the ¹census which his father David had ²taken; and 153,600 were found.

^18aAnd he made 70,000 of them to carry loads and 80,000 as hewers of stone in the mountains and 3,600 directors to make the people work.