1Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.H8010H1121H1732H2388H4438H3068H430H1431H4605 2Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel—the generals and captains of the army, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.H8010H559H3478H8269H505H3967H8199H5387H3478H7218H1 3Then he led the entire assembly to the place of worship in Gibeon, for God's Tabernacle was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the LORD's servant, had made in the wilderness.)H8010H6951H3212H1116H1391H168H4150H430H4872H5650H3068H6213H4057 4David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem.H61H727H430H1732H5927H7157H1732H3559H5186H168H3389 5But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was there at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD.H5178H4196H1212H1121H221H1121H2354H6213H7760H6440H4908H3068H8010H6951H1875 6There in front of the Tabernacle, Solomon went up to the bronze altar in the LORD's presence and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it.H8010H5927H5178H4196H6440H3068H168H4150H5927H505H5930 7That night God appeared to Solomon and said, "What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!"H3915H430H7200H8010H559H7592H5414 8Solomon replied to God, "You showed faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place.H8010H559H430H6213H1419H2617H1732H1H4427 9O LORD God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth!H3068H430H1697H1732H1H539H4427H5971H6083H776H7227 10Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?"H5414H2451H4093H3318H935H6440H5971H8199H5971H1419 11God said to Solomon, 'Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—H430H559H8010H3824H7592H6239H5233H3519H5315H8130H7592H7227H3117H7592H2451H4093H8199H5971H4427 12I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!"H2451H4093H5414H5414H6239H5233H3519H4428H6440H310 13Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.H8010H935H1116H1391H3389H6440H168H4150H4427H3478 14Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem.H8010H622H7393H6571H505H702H3967H7393H8147H6240H505H6571H3240H7393H5892H4428H3389 15The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.H4428H5414H3701H2091H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H7230 16Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia; the king's traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.H8010H5483H4161H4714H4723H4428H5503H3947H4723H4242 17At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.H5927H3318H4714H4818H8337H3967H3701H5483H3967H2572H3318H4428H2850H4428H758H3027
2Solomon decided to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD, and also a royal palace for himself.H8010H559H1129H1004H8034H3068H1004H4438 2He enlisted a force of 70,000 laborers, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the hill country, and 3,600 foremen.H8010H5608H7657H505H376H5449H8084H505H376H2672H2022H7969H505H8337H3967H5329 3Solomon also sent this message to King Hiram at Tyre: "Send me cedar logs as you did for my father, David, when he was building his palace.H8010H7971H2361H4428H6865H559H6213H1732H1H7971H730H1129H1004H3427 4I am about to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God. It will be a place set apart to burn fragrant incense before him, to display the special sacrificial bread, and to sacrifice burnt offerings each morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, at new moon celebrations, and at the other appointed festivals of the LORD our God. He has commanded Israel to do these things forever.H1129H1004H8034H3068H430H6942H6999H6440H5561H7004H8548H4635H5930H1242H6153H7676H2320H4150H3068H430H5769H3478 5"This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods.H1004H1129H1419H1419H430H430 6But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?H6113H3581H1129H1004H8064H8064H8064H3557H1129H1004H518H6999H6440 7"So send me a master craftsman who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as with purple, scarlet, and blue cloth. He must be a skilled engraver who can work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem who were selected by my father, David.H7971H376H2450H6213H2091H3701H5178H1270H710H3758H8504H3045H6605H6603H2450H3063H3389H1732H1H3559 8"Also send me cedar, cypress, and red sandalwood logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are without equal at cutting timber in Lebanon. I will send my men to help them.H7971H730H6086H1265H418H3844H3045H5650H3045H3772H6086H3844H5650H5650 9An immense amount of timber will be needed, for the Temple I am going to build will be very large and magnificent.H3559H6086H7230H1004H1129H6381H1419 10In payment for your woodcutters, I will send 100,000 bushels of crushed wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley, 110,000 gallons of wine, and 110,000 gallons of olive oil."H5414H5650H2404H3772H6086H6242H505H3734H4347H2406H6242H505H3734H8184H6242H505H1324H3196H6242H505H1324H8081 11King Hiram sent this letter of reply to Solomon: "It is because the LORD loves his people that he has made you their king!H2361H4428H6865H559H3791H7971H8010H3068H160H5971H5414H4428 12Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son, gifted with skill and understanding, who will build a Temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.H2361H559H1288H3068H430H3478H6213H8064H776H5414H1732H4428H2450H1121H3045H7922H998H1129H1004H3068H1004H4438 13"I am sending you a master craftsman named Huram-abi, who is extremely talented.H7971H2450H376H3045H998H2361H1 14His mother is from the tribe of Dan in Israel, and his father is from Tyre. He is skillful at making things from gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and he also works with stone and wood. He can work with purple, blue, and scarlet cloth and fine linen. He is also an engraver and can follow any design given to him. He will work with your craftsmen and those appointed by my lord David, your father.H1121H802H1323H1835H1H376H6876H3045H6213H2091H3701H5178H1270H68H6086H713H8504H948H3758H6605H6603H2803H4284H5414H2450H2450H113H1732H1 15"Send along the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine that my lord has mentioned.H2406H8184H8081H3196H113H559H7971H5650 16We will cut whatever timber you need from the Lebanon mountains and will float the logs in rafts down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa. From there you can transport the logs up to Jerusalem."H3772H6086H3844H6878H935H7513H3220H3305H5927H3389 17Solomon took a census of all foreigners in the land of Israel, like the census his father had taken, and he counted 153,600.H8010H5608H582H1616H776H3478H310H5610H1732H1H5608H4672H3967H2572H505H7969H505H8337H3967 18He assigned 70,000 of them as common laborers, 80,000 as quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 as foremen.H6213H7657H505H5449H8084H505H2672H2022H7969H505H8337H3967H5329H5647H5971H5647
3So Solomon began to build the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David, his father. The Temple was built on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the site that David had selected.H8010H2490H1129H1004H3068H3389H2022H4179H7200H1732H1H4725H1732H3559H1637H771H2983 2The construction began in midspring, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign.H2490H1129H8145H8145H2320H702H8141H4438 3These are the dimensions Solomon used for the foundation of the Temple of God (using the old standard of measurement). It was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide.H8010H3245H1129H1004H430H753H520H7223H4060H8346H520H7341H6242H520 4The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple, and 30 feet high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.H197H6440H753H7341H1004H6242H520H1363H3967H6242H6823H6441H2889H2091 5He paneled the main room of the Temple with cypress wood, overlaid it with fine gold, and decorated it with carvings of palm trees and chains.H1419H1004H2645H1265H6086H2645H2896H2091H5927H8561H8333 6He decorated the walls of the Temple with beautiful jewels and with gold from the land of Parvaim.H6823H1004H3368H68H8597H2091H2091H6516 7He overlaid the beams, thresholds, walls, and doors throughout the Temple with gold, and he carved figures of cherubim on the walls.H2645H1004H6982H5592H7023H1817H2091H6605H3742H7023 8He made the Most Holy Place 30 feet wide, corresponding to the width of the Temple, and 30 feet deep. He overlaid its interior with 23 tons of fine gold.H6213H6944H6944H1004H753H6440H7341H1004H6242H520H7341H6242H520H2645H2896H2091H8337H3967H3603 9The gold nails that were used weighed 20 ounces each. He also overlaid the walls of the upper rooms with gold.H4948H4548H2572H8255H2091H2645H5944H2091 10He made two figures shaped like cherubim, overlaid them with gold, and placed them in the Most Holy Place.H6944H6944H1004H6213H8147H3742H6816H4639H6823H2091 11The total wingspan of the two cherubim standing side by side was 30 feet. One wing of the first figure was 7 1/2 feet long, and it touched the Temple wall. The other wing, also 7 1/2 feet long, touched one of the wings of the second figure.H3671H3742H6242H520H753H259H3671H2568H520H5060H7023H1004H312H3671H2568H520H5060H3671H312H3742 12In the same way, the second figure had one wing 7 1/2 feet long that touched the opposite wall. The other wing, also 7 1/2 feet long, touched the wing of the first figure.H3671H259H3742H2568H520H5060H7023H1004H312H3671H2568H520H1695H3671H312H3742 13So the wingspan of the two cherubim side by side was 30 feet. They stood on their feet and faced out toward the main room of the Temple.H3671H3742H6566H6242H520H5975H7272H6440H1004 14Across the entrance of the Most Holy Place he hung a curtain made of fine linen, decorated with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and embroidered with figures of cherubim.H6213H6532H8504H713H3758H948H5927H3742 15For the front of the Temple, he made two pillars that were 27 feet tall, each topped by a capital extending upward another 7 1/2 feet.H6213H6440H1004H8147H5982H7970H2568H520H753H6858H7218H2568H520 16He made a network of interwoven chains and used them to decorate the tops of the pillars. He also made 100 decorative pomegranates and attached them to the chains.H6213H8333H1687H5414H7218H5982H6213H3967H7416H5414H8333 17Then he set up the two pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one to the south of the entrance and the other to the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz.H6965H5982H6440H1964H259H3225H259H8040H7121H8034H3233H3227H3199H8034H8042H1162
4Solomon also made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.H6213H4196H5178H6242H520H753H6242H520H7341H6235H520H6967 2Then he cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 7 1/2 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.H6213H3332H3220H6235H520H8193H8193H5696H5439H2568H520H6967H6957H7970H520H5437H5439 3It was encircled just below its rim by two rows of figures that resembled oxen. There were about six oxen per foot all the way around, and they were cast as part of the basin.H1823H1241H5437H5439H6235H520H5362H3220H5439H8147H2905H1241H3332H4166 4The Sea was placed on a base of twelve bronze oxen, all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east, and the Sea rested on them.H5975H8147H6240H1241H7969H6437H6828H7969H6437H3220H7969H6437H5045H7969H6437H4217H3220H4605H268H1004 5The walls of the Sea were about three inches thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a water lily blossom. It could hold about 16,500 gallons of water.H5672H2947H8193H4639H8193H3563H6525H7799H2388H3557H7969H505H1324 6He also made ten smaller basins for washing the utensils for the burnt offerings. He set five on the south side and five on the north. But the priests washed themselves in the Sea.H6213H6235H3595H5414H2568H3225H2568H8040H7364H4639H5930H1740H3220H3548H7364 7He then cast ten gold lampstands according to the specifications that had been given, and he put them in the Temple. Five were placed against the south wall, and five were placed against the north wall.H6213H6235H4501H2091H4941H5414H1964H2568H3225H2568H8040 8He also built ten tables and placed them in the Temple, five along the south wall and five along the north wall. Then he molded 100 gold basins.H6213H6235H7979H3240H1964H2568H3225H2568H8040H6213H3967H4219H2091 9He then built a courtyard for the priests, and also the large outer courtyard. He made doors for the courtyard entrances and overlaid them with bronze.H6213H2691H3548H1419H5835H1817H5835H6823H1817H5178 10The great bronze basin called the Sea was placed near the southeast corner of the Temple.H5414H3220H3233H3802H6924H4136H5045 11Huram-abi also made the necessary washbasins, shovels, and bowls. So at last Huram-abi completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of God.H2361H6213H5518H3257H4219H2361H2438H3615H6213H4399H6213H4428H8010H1004H430 12the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two networks of interwoven chains that decorated the capitals;H8147H5982H1543H3805H7218H5982H8147H7639H3680H8147H1543H3805H7218H5982 13the 400 pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that decorated the capitals on top of the pillars);H702H3967H7416H8147H7639H8147H2905H7416H259H7639H3680H8147H1543H3805H6440H5982 14the water carts holding the basins;H6213H4350H3595H6213H4350 15the Sea and the twelve oxen under it;H259H3220H8147H6240H1241 16the ash buckets, the shovels, the meat hooks, and all the related articles. Huram-abi made all these things of burnished bronze for the Temple of the LORD, just as King Solomon had directed.H5518H3257H4207H3627H2361H1H6213H4428H8010H1004H3068H4838H5178 17The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan.H3603H3383H4428H3332H5645H127H5523H6868 18Solomon used such great quantities of bronze that its weight could not be determined.H8010H6213H3627H3966H7230H4948H5178H2713 19Solomon also made all the furnishings for the Temple of God: the gold altar; the tables for the Bread of the Presence;H8010H6213H3627H1004H430H2091H4196H7979H3899H6440 20the lampstands and their lamps of solid gold, to burn in front of the Most Holy Place as prescribed;H4501H5216H1197H4941H6440H1687H5462H2091 21the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs—all of the purest gold;H6525H5216H4457H2091H4357H2091 22the lamp snuffers, bowls, dishes, and incense burners—all of solid gold; the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of the Temple, overlaid with gold.H4212H4219H3709H4289H5462H2091H6607H1004H6442H1817H6944H6944H1817H1004H1964H2091
Dublin, OH
, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.H8010
