2 Chronicles 1:1–2:18
1 Now aSolomon the son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and bexalted him greatly.
2 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.
3 Then 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 the Lord had made in the wilderness.
4 However, 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.
5 Now athe bronze altar, which Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, 1was there before the tabernacle of the Lord, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out.
6 Solomon went up there before the Lord to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and aoffered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7 aIn that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.”
8 Solomon said to God, “You have dealt with my father David with great lovingkindness, and ahave made me king in his place.
9 “Now, O Lord God, aYour 1promise to my father David is fulfilled, 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 rule this great people of Yours?”
11 aGod said to Solomon, “Because 1you had this in mind, and did not ask for riches, wealth or honor, 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 rule My people over whom I have made you king,
12 wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And aI will give you riches and wealth and honor, 1such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor those who will 2come after you.”
13 aSo Solomon went 1from the high place which was at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.
14 aSolomon amassed chariots and horsemen. bHe had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in cthe chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
15 aThe king made bsilver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the 1lowland.
16 Solomon’s ahorses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s traders procured them from Kue for a price.
17 They 1imported chariots from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver apiece and horses for 150 apiece, and 2by the same means they 3exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
Solomon Will Build a Temple and Palace
1 1aNow Solomon 2decided to build a house for the name of the Lord and a 3royal palace for himself.
2 1So aSolomon 2assigned 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains and 3,600 to supervise them.
3 aThen 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 dwell in, so do for me.
4 “Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, dedicating it to Him, 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 the Lord our God, this being required forever in Israel.
5 “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 “Now asend 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 1bwhom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.
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 indeed bmy servants will work with your servants,
9 to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful.
10 “Now behold, aI will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, 20,000 1kors of crushed wheat and 20,000 1kors of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil.”
11 Then Huram, king of Tyre, 1answered in a letter sent to Solomon: “aBecause the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.”
12 Then Huram 1continued, “Blessed be athe Lord, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, 2endowed with discretion and understanding, bwho will build a house for the Lord and a 3royal palace for himself.
13 “Now I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, 1endowed with understanding,
14 athe 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, violet, linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to 3execute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with 4those of my lord David your father.
15 “Now then, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of awhich he has spoken.
16 “aWe 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.”
17 Solomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, afollowing the 1census which his father David had 2taken; and 153,600 were found.
18 aHe 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.