2 Chronicles 2:1-2
King James Version
2 And Solomon determined
to build an house
for the name of the Lord,
and an house for his kingdom.
2 And Solomon told out threescore
and ten thousand men to bear burdens,
and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain,
and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
Only the BEST materials for the "house of God".
We mentioned in the previous article, "The CEDAR tree", that GOD appointed Solomon to build that house, in place of David.
King David was a warrior king.
In Solomon's time, Israel was going to have peace.
And thus, a proper "house of God" was to be built.
Scripture gives us more details on the cedar used for GOD's house.
2 Chronicles 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And 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
an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
4 Behold, I build an house
to the name of the Lord my God,
to dedicate it to him,
and to burn before him sweet incense,
and for the continual shewbread,
and for the burnt offerings morning and evening,
on the sabbaths, and on the new moons,
and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God.
This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
5 And the house which I build is great:
for great is our God above all gods.
2 Chronicles 2:8-10
King James Version
8 Send me also cedar trees,
fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon:
for I know that thy servants can skill
to cut timber in Lebanon;
and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance:
for the house which I am about to build
shall be wonderful great.
10 And, 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.
2 Chronicles 2:11-12
King James Version
11 Then Huram the king of Tyre
answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon,
Because the Lord hath loved his people,
he hath made thee king over them.
12 Huram said moreover,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
that made heaven and earth,
who hath given to David the king a wise son,
endued with prudence and understanding,
that might build an house for the Lord,
and an house for his kingdom.
2 Chronicles 2:13-14
King James Version
13 And now I have sent a cunning man,
endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,
14 The 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 find out every device
which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men,
and with the cunning men
of my lord David thy father.
2 Chronicles 2:15-16
King James Version
15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil,
and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of,
let him send unto his servants:
16 And 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.
2 Chronicles 2:17-18
King James Version
17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers
that were in the land of Israel,
after the numbering wherewith
David his father had numbered them;
and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand
and three thousand and six hundred.
18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them
to be bearers of burdens,
and fourscore thousand to be hewers
in the mountain,
and three thousand and six hundred overseers
to set the people a work.
Are we still able to work such magnificent projects today?
Well, most projects these days are for man's vanity.
But in David, and Solomon's time, it was for GOD.
More articles here.
Related material:
Top image: Prof. Julian Evans for Free Bible Images
