2 Chronicles 2

1Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom.

1Solomon decided to build a temple for the name of the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

2And Solomon counted out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand men that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

2He assigned 70,000 men to carry heavy loads, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors to manage 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 a house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.

3Solomon sent this message to King Huram of Tyre: 'Treat me as you treated my father David when you sent him cedar logs to build a palace for himself.

4Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt-offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

4I am about to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him. It will be a place to burn fragrant incense before him, to display the holy bread regularly, and to offer burnt sacrifices every morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, the New Moon festivals, and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is a permanent law for Israel.

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

5The temple I am building will be great because our God is greater than all other gods.

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

6But who is really able to build a house for him, since the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain him? So who am I to build him a temple, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

7Now therefore send me a man skilful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that knoweth how to grave all manner of gravings, to be with the skilful men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.

7Now send me a craftsman who is skilled at working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple, crimson, and blue fabrics. He must also be an expert engraver to work with the skilled craftsmen I have here in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.

8Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and algum-trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that thy servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

8Also send me cedar, cypress, and juniper logs from Lebanon, for I know your servants are experts at cutting timber there. My servants will work alongside yours

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

9to prepare a large amount of timber for me, because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful.

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.

10I will pay your servants, the loggers, 20,000 measures of crushed wheat, 20,000 measures of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of olive oil.'

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

11King Huram of Tyre sent this reply in a letter to Solomon: 'Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you their king.'

12Huram said moreover, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom.

12Huram also said: 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son, full of discretion and understanding, to build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

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

13I am sending you a very skilled and intelligent craftsman named Huram-Abi.

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 devise any device; that there may be a place appointed unto him with thy skilful men, and with the skilful men of my lord David thy father.

14His mother was from the tribe of Dan and his father was from Tyre. He is an expert at working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood. He can work with purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen. He can do any kind of engraving and can design anything you ask. He will work with your craftsmen and those of my lord, your father David.

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

15Now, my lord, please send your servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine you promised.

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.

16We will cut all the logs you need from Lebanon and float them in rafts by sea to Joppa. From there, you can transport them up to Jerusalem.'

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

17Solomon took a census of all the foreigners living in the land of Israel, similar to the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 of them.

18And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people at work.

18He assigned 70,000 of them to carry loads, 80,000 to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 to act as foremen to keep the people working.