1 AND Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdom.
2 And 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.
3 And 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.
4 Behold, 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.
5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
6 But 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?
7 Send 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.
8 Send 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,
9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
10 And, 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.
12 Huram 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.
13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,
14 The 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.
15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:
16 And 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.
17 And 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.

18 And 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

1And Solomon determined to build an house for the Name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdome.

2And Solomon told out threescore and tenne thousand men to beare burdens, and fourescore thousand to hewe in the mountaine, and three thousand and sixe hundred to ouersee them.

3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou diddest deale with Dauid my father, and diddest send him Cedars to builde him an house to dwell therein, euen so deale with me.

4Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burne before him sweet incense, and for the continuall shew-bread, and for the burnt offrings morning and euening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new Moones, and on the solemne feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance for euer to Israel.

5And the house which I build, is great: for great is our God aboue all gods.

6But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heauen, and heauen of heauens cannot conteine him? who am I then that I should build him an house? saue onely to burne sacrifice before him?

7Send me now therefore a man, cunning to worke in gold and in siluer, and in brasse, and in yron, and in purple and crimson, and blew, and that can skil to graue, with the cunning men that are with me in Iudah, and in Ierusalem, whome Dauid my father did prouide.

8Send me also Cedar trees, firre trees, and Algume trees, out of Lebanon: (for I know that thy seruants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon) and behold, my seruants shalbe with thy seruants,

9Euen to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build, shalbe wonderfull great.

10And behold, I will giue to thy seruants the hewers that cut timber, twentie thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twentie thousand measures of barley, and twentie thousand baths of wine, and twentie thousand baths of oyle.

11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which hee sent to Solomon: Because the Lord hath loued his people, hee hath made thee King ouer them.

12Huram said moreouer, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made heauen and earth, who hath giuen to Dauid the King a wise sonne, indued with prudence and vnderstanding, that might build an house for the Lord, and an house for his kingdome.

13And now I haue sent a cunning man (indued with vnderstanding) of Huram my fathers:

14The sonne of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilfull to worke in golde and in siluer, in brasse, in yron, in stone and in timber, in purple, in blew, and in fine linen, and in crimson: also to graue any maner of grauing, and to find out euery deuice which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord Dauid thy father.

15Now therefore the wheate and the barley, the oyle and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send vnto his seruants:

16And wee will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need, and wee will bring it to thee in flotes by sea to Ioppa, and thou shalt carie it vp to Ierusalem.

17 And Solomon numbred all the strangers that were in the lande of Israel, after the numbring wherewith Dauid his father had numbred them: and they were found an hundred and fiftie thousand, and three thousand and sixe hundred.

18And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourescore thousand to be hewers in the mountaine, and three thousand and sixe hundred ouerseers to set the people a worke.

I == Kings 5:5

 

II == 1st Kings 5:15 ; 2nd Chr 2:18

 

III == 1st Kings 5:1 ; 1st Chr 14:1

 

 

IV == Ex 25:30 ; 30:7 ; Num 28:3 , 9 , 11 ; Lev 24:8 ; 2nd Chr 2:1

 

 

 

 

V == Ps 135:5

 

VI == 1st Kings 8:27 ; 2nd Chr 6:18 ; Isa 66:1

 

VII == 1st Chr 22:15

 

 

 

 

VIII == 1st Kings 5:6 ; 10:11

 

 

 

 

X == 1st Kings 5:11

 

 

 

XI == 1st Kings 10:9 ; 2nd Chr 9:8

 

 

XII == Gen 1:2 ; 1st Kings 5:7 ; Ps 33:6 ; 102:25 ; 124:8 ; 136:5-6 ; Acts 4:24 ; 14:15 ; Rev 10:6

 

 

 

XIV == 1st Kings 7:13-14

 

 

 

 

 

 

XV == 2nd Chr 2:10

 

XVI == Josh 19:46 ; 1st Kings 5:8-9 ; Acts 9:36

 

XVII == 1st Chr 22:2 ; 2nd Chr 2:2 ; 8:7-8 ; 1st Kings 5:13 , 15-16 ; 9:20-21

 

 

XVIII == 2nd Chr 2:2

 

 

 

1 He conscripted seventy thousand men to carry stone and eighty thousand to cut the stone in the mountains, and over these he placed three thousand six hundred overseers.

2 Moreover, Solomon sent this message to Huram, king of Tyre: "As you dealt with my father David, sending him cedars to build a house for his dwelling, so deal with me.

3 I intend to build a house for the honor of the LORD, my God, and to consecrate it to him, for the burning of fragrant incense in his presence, for the perpetual display of the showbread, for holocausts morning and evening, and for the sabbaths, new moons, and festivals of the LORD, our God: such is Israel's perpetual obligation.

4. And the house I intend to build must be large, for our God is greater than all other gods.

5 Yet who is really able to build him a house, since the heavens and even the highest heavens cannot contain him? And who am I that I should build him a house, unless it be to offer incense in his presence?

6 Now, send me men skilled at work in gold, silver, bronze and iron, in purple, crimson, and violet fabrics, and who know how to do engraved work, to join the craftsmen who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David appointed.

7 Also send me boards of cedar, cypress and cabinet wood from Lebanon, for I realize that your servants know how to cut the wood of the Lebanon. My servants will labor with yours

8 in order to prepare for me a great quantity of wood, since the house I intend to build must be lofty and wonderful.

9 I will furnish as food for your servants, the hewers who cut the wood, twenty thousand kors of wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, twenty thousand measures of wine, and twenty thousand measures of oil."

10 Huram, king of Tyre, wrote an answer which he sent to Solomon: "Because the LORD loves his people, he has placed you over them as king."

11 He added: "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, for having given King David a wise son of intelligence and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and also a house for his royal estate.

12 I am now sending you a craftsman of great skill, Huram-abi,

13 son of a Danite woman and of a father from Tyre; he knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze and iron, with stone and wood, with purple, violet, fine linen and crimson, and also how to do all kinds of engraved work and to devise every type of artistic work that may be given him and your craftsmen and the craftsmen of my lord David your father.

14 And now, let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, oil and wine which he has promised.

15 For our part, we will cut trees on Lebanon, as many as you need, and float them down to you at the port of Joppa, whence you may take them up to Jerusalem."

16 Thereupon Solomon took a census of all the alien men who were in the land of Israel (following the census David his father had taken of them), who were found to number one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred.

17 Of these he made seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand cutters in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to keep the people working.

There was now peace in the land so Solomon immediately set about to build the temple. He knew David and Hiram had a good relationship and informed him of his goal to obey the Lord and David by building the temple. Solomon requested to purchase cedar (also fir and algum) [which was use on steps in the temple and his house and for frames for harps and lyres] from Lebanon). Lebanon had not given Israel any trouble so they had not conquered it, but apparently Tyre had control over it and could sell timber from it. Solomon offered his workmen (70,000 carriers, 80,000 stone masons and 3,600 overseers), to work along with Hiram’s skilled workers. (They were skilled, 2 Chr. 2:7, in all metal, dyed cloth and engraving.) ( In 2 Chr, 2:1-10 Solomon declares the great purpose of the temple and his testimony of being unworthy before the Lord except to bring sacrifices to him). 

Perhaps through David, Hiram had come to know  the Lord, and he recognized Solomon’s wisdom. Hiram would agree with the Queen of Sheba, 10:9, that God made Solomon king because He loved his people Israel. He was pleased to do business with the young son of David and offered to be responsible for rafting the  logs to where an appropriate location (Joppa and Solomon would take it to Jerusalem). Hiram’s family and workers were to receive about 125,000 bushels of ground wheat, and 115,000 gallons of olive oil. (2 Chr. 2:10, also 125,000 bushels of barley and 115,000 gallons of wine.) It has been suggested that the food in Kings was for Hiram’s household, and that in Chronicles for the workmen. The two kings good treaty relationship lasted for many years.

The conscripted men were apparently Israelites, as were his chief officers, who were over the work. There were 30,000 who served by courses, 1 month working, 2 months home. The rest of them were not Israelites, 2 Chr. 2:17, but had been captured or chose to live in the land. They would have received good treatment, as Israel was not to oppress a stranger, Ex, 23:9.