^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.