2 Chronicles 2

In this chapter, Solomon prepares for the construction of the temple, continuing his father David’s desire to build a house for the Lord. He seeks help from Hiram, the king of Tyre, in obtaining materials and skilled workers. The chapter emphasizes the scale of Solomon’s project, the resources needed, and his commitment to honoring God through the temple.

2 Chronicles 2:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Then Solomon determined to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal house for himself.
2 Solomon selected seventy thousand men to bear burdens, eighty thousand to quarry stone in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them.
3 Then Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying, “As you have dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me.
4 Behold, I am building a temple for the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to Him, to burn before Him sweet incense, for the continual showbread, for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, on the New Moons, and on the set feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.
5 And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.

Solomon takes on the responsibility to build both a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself. The workforce is immense, with tens of thousands involved in labor and stonecutting. Solomon reaches out to Hiram of Tyre, continuing the friendly relationship established with his father, David. He explains his purpose in building the temple, detailing the daily and ceremonial rituals that would be performed there, all part of Israel's worship system. Solomon emphasizes the greatness of God, highlighting that the temple’s splendor is to reflect God’s superiority above all other deities.

2 Chronicles 2:6 (NKJV)
6 But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?

Solomon acknowledges the vastness of God's presence, admitting that no physical structure can truly contain Him. He humbly reflects on his own unworthiness to undertake such a project, noting that the temple will primarily serve as a place for sacrifices, not a house to confine God.

2 Chronicles 2:7-10 (NKJV)
7 Therefore send me at once a man skillful to work in gold and silver, in bronze and iron, in purple and crimson and blue, who has skill to engrave with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.
8 Also send me cedar and cypress and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber in Lebanon. And indeed my servants will be with your servants,
9 to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the temple which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.
10 And indeed I will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, twenty thousand kors of ground wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

Solomon requests a skilled artisan to lead the temple's intricate craftsmanship, specifying the need for expertise in various precious materials and fabrics. He also asks for high-quality timber from Lebanon, recognizing the expertise of Hiram's workers. In return for their labor, Solomon promises a generous payment of wheat, barley, wine, and oil for the workers, emphasizing the grandeur and splendor of the temple he is about to build.

2 Chronicles 2:11-12 (NKJV)
11 Then Hiram king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon: Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.
12 Hiram also said: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, for He has given King David a wise son, endowed with prudence and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal house for himself!

Hiram responds with admiration for Solomon, recognizing that God’s favor upon Israel is evident in Solomon's wisdom and leadership. He praises the God of Israel, acknowledging His role in the creation of the world and expressing approval of Solomon’s plan to build both the temple and the royal palace. Hiram’s blessing reflects respect for Israel’s God and its leadership.

2 Chronicles 2:13-16 (NKJV)
13 And now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, Huram my master craftsman
14 (the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre), skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple and blue, fine linen and crimson, and to make any engraving and to accomplish any plan which may be given to him, with your skillful men and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.
15 Now therefore, the wheat, the barley, the oil, and the wine which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants.
16 And we will cut wood from Lebanon, as much as you need; we will bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, and you will carry it up to Jerusalem.

Hiram fulfills Solomon's request by sending Huram, a highly skilled craftsman whose expertise spans a wide range of materials and techniques. He acknowledges the earlier agreement regarding the payment for the workers and reaffirms his commitment to providing the necessary timber from Lebanon. The wood will be floated to Joppa, from where Solomon’s workers will transport it to Jerusalem. This cooperation highlights the logistical complexity of the project and the international partnership between the two kings.

2 Chronicles 2:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Then Solomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census in which David his father had numbered them; and there were found to be one hundred and fifty-three thousand six hundred.
18 And he made seventy thousand of them bearers of burdens, eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred overseers to make the people work.

Solomon completes a census of foreigners living in Israel, identifying 153,600 laborers. From this group, he assigns various roles: seventy thousand as burden carriers, eighty thousand as stonecutters, and three thousand six hundred as overseers. This workforce, largely composed of non-Israelites, is organized to handle the massive scale of the temple’s construction, demonstrating the thorough planning and resource management necessary for the project. Solomon’s approach reflects both his organizational skill and the magnitude of the temple’s importance.