2 Chronicles 2

King James Version

Full text for 2 Chronicles Chapter 2

1¶ And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

2And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

3And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, [even so deal with me].

4Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate [it] to him, [and] to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This [is an ordinance] for ever to Israel.

5And the house which I build [is] great: for great [is] our God above all gods.

6But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who [am] I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

7Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that [are] with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.

8Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants [shall be] with thy servants,

9Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build [shall be] wonderful great.

10And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

11¶ Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.

12Huram said moreover, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

13And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,

14The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father [was] a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

15Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:

16And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

17And Solomon numbered all the strangers that [were] in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.

18And he set threescore and ten thousand of them [to be] bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand [to be] hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Solomon resolves to construct a magnificent temple for the LORD and a house for his kingdom. He enlists a vast workforce and sends a request to King Huram of Tyre for skilled laborers and timber, offering provisions in return. Huram agrees, praising the LORD and sending a master craftsman, while Solomon organizes the foreign residents for the building project.

Medium Summary

King Solomon initiates plans to build a magnificent temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. He mobilizes a substantial workforce, comprising seventy thousand burden-bearers, eighty thousand stone-hewers, and three thousand six hundred overseers. Solomon dispatches a message to King Huram of Tyre, requesting cedar, fir, and algum trees from Lebanon, along with skilled artisans for intricate work, promising considerable provisions as payment. He articulates the temple's purpose for divine worship and acknowledges God's immeasurable greatness. Huram responds affirmatively, praising the LORD for Solomon's wisdom and agreeing to supply the requested timber, transported by sea to Joppa. He also sends a highly skilled craftsman named Huram-abi, proficient in various materials and designs. Finally, Solomon numbers the foreign residents in Israel, assigning them to the arduous tasks of bearing burdens and hewing stone, under the supervision of the appointed overseers.

Long Summary

King Solomon, having determined to build both a temple for the LORD and a house for his own kingdom, begins the monumental undertaking. He first organizes a vast labor force, detailing seventy thousand men to bear burdens, eighty thousand to hew timber in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred to oversee these workers. Solomon then sends an embassy to King Huram of Tyre, recalling the previous assistance Huram provided to his father, David, in supplying cedars for his palace. He explains that the house for the LORD God is to be dedicated for sacred worship, including the burning of sweet incense, the continual shewbread, and morning and evening burnt offerings on Sabbaths, new moons, and solemn feasts, affirming this as an eternal ordinance for Israel. Solomon emphasizes the greatness of the planned temple, reflecting the supreme greatness of God above all gods, yet humbly acknowledges that even the heavens cannot contain the Almighty, thus the temple serves primarily as a place for sacrifice. He specifically requests a man skilled in working with gold, silver, brass, iron, purple, crimson, and blue, and capable of intricate engraving, to collaborate with his own craftsmen. Furthermore, Solomon asks for cedar, fir, and algum trees from Lebanon, recognizing the expertise of Huram's servants in felling timber, and offers to send his own servants to assist. In exchange for these resources and skills, Solomon pledges twenty thousand measures each of beaten wheat, barley, wine, and oil. King Huram of Tyre responds in writing, expressing praise to the LORD God of Israel for bestowing upon David a wise son, endowed with prudence and understanding, capable of building both houses. Huram confirms he has sent a master craftsman, Huram-abi, whose mother was of the tribe of Dan and father was a Tyrian, a man exceptionally skilled in working with diverse materials such as gold, silver, brass, iron, stone, timber, and various dyes, as well as in all forms of engraving and devising. Huram agrees to provide the requested timber from Lebanon, cutting as much as needed and transporting it by sea in floats to Joppa, from where it would be carried up to Jerusalem. Finally, Solomon conducts a census of all the strangers residing in the land of Israel, identifying one hundred and fifty-three thousand six hundred individuals. From this group, he assigns seventy thousand as burden-bearers, eighty thousand as hewers in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred as overseers to manage the work, thus fully mobilizing the necessary labor for the ambitious construction projects.

Core Concepts

  • Temple Construction InitiativeSolomon's determination to build a magnificent house for the LORD, alongside a house for his kingdom, signifies the commencement of a major national project.
  • International CollaborationThe strategic alliance and communication between King Solomon of Israel and King Huram of Tyre were essential for acquiring specialized resources and skilled labor.
  • Divine Purpose of the TempleSolomon explicitly declares that the temple is dedicated to the LORD for specific acts of worship, including offerings, incense, and shewbread, as an eternal ordinance for Israel.
  • Humility in BuildingSolomon's theological understanding acknowledges that God is too great to be contained by any earthly structure, emphasizing that the temple serves as a designated place for human interaction with the divine through sacrifice.
  • Skilled CraftsmanshipThe crucial role of highly skilled artisans, exemplified by Huram-abi, who possessed expertise in various materials and intricate designs, was vital for the temple's elaborate construction.
  • Labor MobilizationSolomon's extensive organization of both Israelite and foreign residents into a vast workforce involved assigning them specific roles as burden-bearers, hewers, and overseers to accomplish the immense building tasks.
  • Resource ExchangeThe detailed agreement for the exchange of Lebanon's timber and Tyrian craftsmanship for Israel's agricultural provisions (wheat, barley, wine, and oil) highlights the economic aspects of the alliance.