Study Desk

Then David gave Shlomo his son the designs for the hall [of the temple], its buildings, its supply areas, its upper rooms, its inside rooms, and the place for the ark-cover;

"All this is in writing, as Adonai , with his hand on me, has given me good sense in working out these detailed plans."

Then David said to Shlomo his son, "Be strong, be bold, and do it! Don't be afraid or become discouraged! For Adonai , God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or abandon you until all the work for the service in the house of Adonai has been finished.

Shlomo sat on the throne of Adonai as king in place of David his father and prospered, and all Isra'el obeyed him.

The duration of his reign over Isra'el was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hevron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Yerushalayim.

Then he died, at a ripe old age, full of years, riches and honor; and Shlomo his son reigned in his place.

with all his reign and his power, and the events that he, Isra'el and the kingdoms of other countries experienced.

Shlomo the son of David grew stronger in his rulership; Adonai his God was with him, making him greater and greater.

Shlomo said to God, "You showed much grace to your servant David my father and have made me king in his place.

Huram the king of Tzor wrote this answer and sent it to Shlomo: "Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you king over them."

the son of a woman who was one of the daughters of Dan, while his father was a man from Tzor. He is skilled in working gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and timber, as well as purple and blue dyed materials, fine linen and crimson material; he can do any kind of engraving; and he can make all the equipment necessary to accomplish any task assigned to him, with the help of your craftsmen and those of my lord David your father.

Therefore let my lord send his servants the wheat, barley, oil and wine he has spoken of;

Shlomo took a census of all the foreigners in the land of Isra'el, following the pattern of the census of David his father; they were found to number 153,600.

Shlomo enlisted 70,000 men who carried loads, another 80,000 men who were stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 supervising them. Then Shlomo sent this message to Huram the king of Tzor: "[Deal with me] as you dealt with David my father when you sent him cedar logs, so that he could build himself a palace to live in. Here, I am about to build a house for the name of Adonai my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before Him incense made of sweet spices; the house will also be for the continuing showbread and for the burnt offerings presented every morning and evening, on the shabbats, at every Rosh-Hodesh, and at the designated times of Adonai our God. This is a perpetual regulation for Isra'el. The house I will build will be great, because our God is greater than all gods. But who is equal to building him a house? Why, heaven itself, even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain him; so who am I to build him a house, except to offer sacrifices before him? "Now, therefore, send me a man skilled at working with gold, silver, bronze and iron; dealing with purple, crimson, and blue dyed materials; and capable of doing all kinds of engraving. He will be with the skilled craftsmen I have with me in Y'hudah and Yerushalayim, whom David my father provided. Also send me cedar, cypress and sandalwood logs from the L'vanon; for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber in the L'vanon. I will have my servants work together with your servants to prepare me an abundant supply of timber, for the house I am about to build must be magnificent and wonderful. I will give your servants, the woodcutters who cut the timber, 100,000 bushels of cracked wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley, 100,000 gallons of wine, and 100,000 gallons of olive oil." Huram the king of Tzor wrote this answer and sent it to Shlomo: "Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you king over them." Huram continued, "Blessed be Adonai , the God of Isra'el, who made heaven and earth, who has given David the king a wise, knowledgeable son with common sense to build a house for Adonai and a royal palace for himself. Now I am sending a man of skill and understanding, my master craftsman Huram, the son of a woman who was one of the daughters of Dan, while his father was a man from Tzor. He is skilled in working gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and timber, as well as purple and blue dyed materials, fine linen and crimson material; he can do any kind of engraving; and he can make all the equipment necessary to accomplish any task assigned to him, with the help of your craftsmen and those of my lord David your father. Therefore let my lord send his servants the wheat, barley, oil and wine he has spoken of; and we will cut wood from the L'vanon, as much as you need; we will float it to you as rafts by sea to Yafo, and you will take it up to Yerushalayim." Shlomo took a census of all the foreigners in the land of Isra'el, following the pattern of the census of David his father; they were found to number 153,600. He appointed 70,000 of them to carry loads, 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as supervisors to assign the people their work.

Then Shlomo began to build the house of Adonai in Yerushalayim on Mount Moriyah, where Adonai had appeared to David his father. Provision had been made for this at the place David had chosen, the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi.

He began building in the fourth year of his reign, on the second day of the second month.

Thus all the work that Shlomo did for the house of Adonai was finished. Then Shlomo brought in the gifts which David his father had consecrated — the silver, the gold and all the utensils — and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.

King Shlomo and the whole community of Isra'el who had assembled in his presence were in front of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen in numbers beyond counting or recording.

then, when the trumpeters and singers were playing in concord, to be heard harmoniously praising and thanking Adonai , and they lifted their voices together with the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments to praise Adonai : "for he is good, for his grace continues forever" — then, the house, the house of Adonai , was filled with a cloud;

as he said, "Blessed be Adonai , the God of Isra'el, who spoke to my father David with his mouth and fulfilled his promise with his hand. He said,