^1aNow Solomon ²decided to build a house for the name of the LORD and a ³royal palace for himself. 2 ¹So ^aSolomon ²assigned 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains and 3,600 to supervise them.

3 ^aThen Solomon sent word to ¹Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “^bAs you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build him a house to dwell in, so do for me. 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, dedicating it to Him, ^ato burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out ^bthe showbread continually, and to offer ^cburnt offerings morning and evening, ^don sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, this being required forever in Israel. 5 The house which I am about to build will be great, for ^agreater is our God than all the gods. 6 But ^awho is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to ¹burn incense before Him? 7 Now ^asend me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass and iron, and in purple, crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men ^1bwhom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. 8 ^aSend me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed ^bmy servants will work with your servants, 9 to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful. 10 Now behold, ^aI will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, 20,000 ¹kors of crushed wheat and 20,000 ²kors of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil.”

11 Then Huram, king of Tyre, ¹answered in a letter sent to Solomon: “^aBecause the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them.” 12 Then Huram ¹continued, “Blessed be ^athe LORD, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, ²endowed with discretion and understanding, ^bwho will build a house for the LORD and a ³royal palace for himself.

13 “Now I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, ¹endowed with understanding, 14 ^athe son of a ¹Danite woman and ²a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood, and in purple, violet, linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to ³execute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with ⁴those of my lord David your father. 15 Now then, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of ^awhich he has spoken. 16 ^aWe will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.”

17 Solomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, ^afollowing the ¹census which his father David had ²taken; and 153,600 were found. 18 ^aHe appointed 70,000 of them to carry loads and 80,000 to quarry stones in the mountains and 3,600 supervisors to make the people work.

^1aNow Solomon decided to build a house (temple) for the Name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. 2 ^1aSo Solomon assigned 70,000 men to carry loads, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 to supervise them.

3 ^aThen Solomon sent word to ¹Hiram king of Tyre, saying, “^bAs you dealt with my father David and sent him cedars to build himself a house in which to live, please do the same for me. 4 Observe, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, dedicated to Him, to ^aburn fragrant incense of sweet spices before Him, to set out ^bthe showbread continually, and to offer ^cburnt offerings morning and evening, ^don Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the festivals of the LORD our God, as ordained forever in Israel. 5 The house I am going to build will be great, for our God is ^agreater than all the gods. 6 But ^awho is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and even the highest heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I to build a house for Him, except as a place to burn incense before Him? 7 Now ^asend me a man who is skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men ^bwho are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. 8 ^aSend me also cedar, cypress, and ¹algum timber, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And indeed ^bmy servants will work with your servants 9 to prepare for me an abundance of timber, because the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful. 10 And ^aI will give to your servants who cut timber, 20,000 ¹measures of crushed wheat and 20,000 measures of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of olive oil.”

11 Then Hiram, king of Tyre replied in a letter sent to Solomon: “^aBecause the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them.” 12 Hiram said also, “Blessed be ^athe LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, ^bwho will build a house for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

13 “Now I am sending a skilled man, endowed with understanding, Huram-abi, 14 ^athe son of a ¹Danite woman and a Tyrian father. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood; in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics, and in fine linen. He is able to make any kind of engraving and to carry out any design given him. He will work with your skilled men and those of my lord, David your father. 15 Now then, let my lord send to his servants the wheat, the barley, the oil, and the wine of ^awhich he has spoken. 16 ^aWe will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem.”

17 Then Solomon took a count of all the aliens in the land of Israel, ^alike the census that his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. 18 ^aHe assigned 70,000 of them to carry loads and 80,000 to quarry stone in the mountain, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.

^1aThen Solomon ²decided to build a house for the name of Yahweh and a ³royal palace for himself. 2 ¹So ^aSolomon numbered 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to hew stone in the mountains and 3,600 to direct them.

3 ^aThen Solomon sent word to ¹Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “^bAs you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build him a house to live in, so do for me. 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, setting it apart to Him as holy, ^ato burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out ^bthe showbread continually, and to offer ^cburnt offerings morning and evening, ^don sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of Yahweh our God, this being required forever in Israel. 5 Now the house which I am about to build will be great, for ^agreater is our God than all the gods. 6 But ^awho is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to ¹burn incense before Him? 7 So now, ^asend me a wise man to work in gold, silver, brass, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the wise men ^1bwhom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father prepared. 8 ^aSend me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and behold, ^bmy servants will work with your servants, 9 to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful. 10 And behold, ^aI will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, ¹20,000 kors of crushed wheat and 20,000 kors of barley, and ²20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil.”

11 Then Huram king of Tyre said in a letter ¹sent to Solomon: “^aBecause Yahweh loves His people, He has given you to be king over them.” 12 Then Huram said, “Blessed be ^aYahweh, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, knowledgeable in insight and understanding, ^bwho will build a house for Yahweh and a ¹royal palace for himself.

13 “So now, I am sending Huram-abi, a wise man, who is knowledgeable in understanding, 14 ^athe son of a ¹Danite woman and ²a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, linen, and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to devise any design which may be given to him, to work with your wise men and with the wise men of my lord David your father. 15 So now, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of ^awhich he has spoken. 16 ^aAnd we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.”

17 Then Solomon numbered all the sojourners who were in the land of Israel, ^afollowing the ¹census which his father David had ²taken; and 153,600 were found. 18 ^aAnd he made 70,000 of them to carry loads and 80,000 as hewers of stone in the mountains and 3,600 directors to make the people work.