1 Solomon|strong="H8010" planned to|strong="H5921" build a|strong="H5921" Temple to|strong="H5921" give honor to|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" LORD’S name. He|strong="H8010" also|strong="H8010" planned to|strong="H5921" build a|strong="H5921" palace for|strong="H5921" himself|strong="H0376".
2 He|strong="H0834" got 70,000 laborers and|strong="H4428" 80,000 stonemasons to|strong="H0413" cut stones in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H0559" mountains. He|strong="H0834" chose|strong="H6213" 3600 foremen|strong="H6213" to|strong="H0413" supervise the|strong="H0559" workers|strong="H6213".
3 Then|strong="H2009" Solomon sent this|strong="H2063" message|strong="H3068" to|strong="H5921" King|strong="H5921" Hiram of|strong="H1004" Tyre:
4 I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H0430" build|strong="H1129" a|strong="H3588" Temple|strong="H1004" to|strong="H0430" honor the|strong="H3605" name of|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" LORD my|strong="H3605" God|strong="H0430". At|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" Temple|strong="H1004" we|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0430" burn incense in|strong="H0430" front of|strong="H1004" him|strong="H3605", and|strong="H0430" we|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0430" always put the|strong="H3605" holy bread on|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" special table. We|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0430" offer burnt offerings|strong="H3588" every|strong="H3605" morning and|strong="H0430" evening, on|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" Sabbath days, during|strong="H3605" New Moon celebrations, and|strong="H0430" on|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" special meeting days that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H3605" LORD our|strong="H3605" God|strong="H0430" has|strong="H0430" commanded us|strong="H3588" to|strong="H0430" celebrate. This|strong="H3588" is|strong="H0834" a|strong="H3588" rule for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H0834" of|strong="H1004" Israel to|strong="H0430" obey forever.
5 “I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H4310" build|strong="H1129" a|strong="H3588" great temple|strong="H1004" because|strong="H3588" our|strong="H3588" God|strong="H3808" is|strong="H0834" greater than|strong="H3808" all the|strong="H6440" other gods.
6 No one|strong="H0376" can|strong="H0834" really build a|strong="H7971" house to|strong="H7971" put|strong="H7971" our|strong="H0834" God|strong="H7971" in|strong="H0376". The|strong="H0834" whole sky and|strong="H3063" the|strong="H0834" highest heaven cannot contain our|strong="H0834" God|strong="H7971", so|strong="H6213" I|strong="H0834" cannot build a|strong="H7971" temple to|strong="H7971" put|strong="H7971" him|strong="H7971" in|strong="H0376". I|strong="H0834" can|strong="H0834" only build a|strong="H7971" place|strong="H3559" to|strong="H7971" burn incense to|strong="H7971" honor him|strong="H7971".
7 “Now|strong="H2009" I|strong="H0589" would|strong="H0834" like|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" to|strong="H7971" send|strong="H7971" me|strong="H7971" a|strong="H3588" man who|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" skilled in|strong="H5650" working with|strong="H5973" gold, silver, bronze, and|strong="H7971" iron. He|strong="H0834" must know|strong="H3045" how|strong="H0834" to|strong="H7971" work with|strong="H5973" purple, red, and|strong="H7971" blue cloth. He|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" work here|strong="H2009" in|strong="H5650" Judah and|strong="H7971" Jerusalem with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H0834" craftsmen my|strong="H7971" father chose.
8 Also|strong="H3588" send me|strong="H0589" wood|strong="H6086" from|strong="H6086" cedar trees|strong="H6086", pine trees|strong="H6086", and|strong="H1004" algum trees|strong="H6086" from|strong="H6086" the|strong="H0834" country of|strong="H1004" Lebanon. I|strong="H0589" know your|strong="H0834" servants are|strong="H0834" experienced at|strong="H1004" cutting down|strong="H3588" trees|strong="H6086" from|strong="H6086" Lebanon. My|strong="H0834" servants will|strong="H0834" help your|strong="H0834" servants.
9 I|strong="H5414" will|strong="H5650" need lots of|strong="H5650" wood|strong="H6086" because the|strong="H5414" Temple I|strong="H5414" am building will|strong="H5650" be|strong="H5414" very large and|strong="H6086" beautiful.
10 This|strong="H3068" is|strong="H3068" what|strong="H5921" I|strong="H5414" will|strong="H3068" pay|strong="H5414" for|strong="H5921" your|strong="H3068" servants to|strong="H0413" cut down|strong="H7971" the|strong="H0853" trees for|strong="H5921" wood. I|strong="H5414" will|strong="H3068" give|strong="H5414" them|strong="H0413" 125,000 bushels of|strong="H4428" wheat for|strong="H5921" food, 125,000 bushels of|strong="H4428" barley, 115,000 gallons of|strong="H4428" wine, and|strong="H3068" 115,000 gallons of|strong="H4428" oil.”
11 Then|strong="H0853" Hiram answered|strong="H0559" Solomon and|strong="H1121" sent|strong="H5414" this|strong="H0834" message|strong="H3068" to|strong="H0559" him|strong="H5414":
12 Hiram also|strong="H3045" said, “Praise the|strong="H3045" LORD, the|strong="H3045" God|strong="H7971" of|strong="H0376" Israel! He|strong="H7971" made|strong="H3045" heaven and|strong="H7971" earth. He|strong="H7971" gave|strong="H7971" a|strong="H7971" wise|strong="H2450" son|strong="H2450" to|strong="H7971" King David|strong="H7971". Solomon|strong="H7971", you|strong="H7971" have|strong="H0001" wisdom|strong="H2450" and|strong="H7971" understanding|strong="H0998". You|strong="H7971" are|strong="H0376" building a|strong="H7971" Temple for|strong="H7971" the|strong="H3045" LORD. You|strong="H7971" are|strong="H0376" also|strong="H3045" building a|strong="H7971" palace for|strong="H7971" yourself|strong="H3045".
13 I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" send|strong="H5414" you|strong="H0834" a|strong="H5414" skilled|strong="H2450" craftsman named Huram Abi|strong="H0001".
14 His|strong="H0834" mother was|strong="H0834" from|strong="H7971" the|strong="H0559" tribe of|strong="H5650" Dan, and|strong="H7971" his|strong="H0834" father was|strong="H0834" from|strong="H7971" the|strong="H0559" city of|strong="H5650" Tyre. Huram Abi has|strong="H0834" skill in|strong="H5650" working with|strong="H7971" gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone|strong="H0834", and|strong="H7971" wood. He|strong="H0834" also|strong="H0834" has|strong="H0834" skill in|strong="H5650" working with|strong="H7971" purple, blue, and|strong="H7971" red cloth and|strong="H7971" expensive linen. Huram Abi can|strong="H0834" design and|strong="H7971" build anything you|strong="H0834" tell|strong="H0559" him|strong="H7971". He|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" work with|strong="H7971" your|strong="H0834" craftsmen and|strong="H7971" with|strong="H7971" the|strong="H0559" craftsmen of|strong="H5650" your|strong="H0834" father King David|strong="H7971".
15 “Now|strong="H0935", sir, you|strong="H0859" offered|strong="H5927" to|strong="H0935" give|strong="H0935" us|strong="H5921" wheat, barley, oil, and|strong="H0935" wine. Give|strong="H0935" them|strong="H0853" to|strong="H0935" my|strong="H3605" servants,
16 and|strong="H3478" we|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0776" cut as|strong="H0834" much|strong="H0834" wood as|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" need|strong="H0376" from|strong="H0376" Lebanon. We|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0776" tie the|strong="H3605" logs together and|strong="H3478" float them|strong="H0310" by|strong="H3478" sea to|strong="H3478" the|strong="H3605" town of|strong="H0776" Joppa. Then|strong="H0310" you|strong="H0834" can|strong="H0834" carry the|strong="H3605" wood to|strong="H3478" Jerusalem.”
17 So|strong="H6213" Solomon counted all|strong="H0505" the|strong="H0853" foreigners living in|strong="H0505" Israel|strong="H5971". (This|strong="H6213" was|strong="H2022" after|strong="H1992" the|strong="H0853" time when|strong="H6213" his|strong="H5647" father David counted the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H5971".) They|strong="H1992" found 153,600 strangers in|strong="H0505" the|strong="H0853" country|strong="H2022".
18 Solomon chose 70,000 men to carry the stones, 80,000 men to cut the stone in the mountains, and 3600 men to supervise the workers.