# 2 Chronicles 02 đź“–: Preparing to Build the Temple
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Solomon Gathers Building Materials for the Temple
[[#Verse 01.]] (1:18) Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.
[[#Verse 02.]] (2:1) Solomon had 70,000 common laborers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors.
[[#Verse 03.]] Solomon sent a message to King Huram of Tyre: “Help me as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs for the construction of his palace.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed, and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis.Â
[[#Verse 05.]]Â I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him.
[[#Verse 07.]] “Now send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple-, crimson-, and blue-colored fabrics, and who knows how to engrave. He will work with my skilled craftsmen here in Jerusalem and Judah, whom my father David provided.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] Send me cedars, evergreens, and algum trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adept at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servantsÂ
[[#Verse 09.]]Â to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple.
[[#Verse 10.]] Look, I will pay your servants who cut the timber 20,000 cors of ground wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 120,000 gallons of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
[[#Verse 11.]] King Huram of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.”
[[#Verse 12.]] Huram also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given King David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] Now I am sending you Huram Abi, a skilled and capable man,Â
[[#Verse 14.]] whose mother is a Danite and whose father is a Tyrian. He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stones, and wood, as well as purple, blue, white, and crimson fabrics. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and understands any design given to him. He will work with your skilled craftsmen and the skilled craftsmen of my lord David your father.Â
[[#Verse 15.]]Â Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he has promised;Â
[[#Verse 16.]] we will get all the timber you need from Lebanon and bring it in raft-like bundles by sea to Joppa. You can then haul it on up to Jerusalem.”
[[#Verse 17.]] Solomon took a census of all the male resident foreigners in the land of Israel, after the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 in all.Â
[[#Verse 18.]] He designated 70,000 as common laborers, 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills, and 3,600 as supervisors to make sure the people completed the work.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Huram is the Chronicler's spelling of Hiram, king of Tyre (1 Kings 5:1).
2. Tyre was a wealthy Phoenician port city famous for seafaring and skilled craftsmen.
3. The cedars of Lebanon were prized across the ancient world for their strength, fragrance, and resistance to rot.
4. Solomon conscripted 70,000 laborers to carry loads and 80,000 to cut stone, with 3,600 foremen (2:2, 18).
5. Solomon paid Huram's workers with 20,000 cors of wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of olive oil (2:10).
6. The timber was floated in rafts by sea down to Joppa (2:16), then carried overland to Jerusalem.
7. Joppa is the same port where Jonah boarded a ship (Jonah 1:3) and where Peter received his vision (Acts 10:5-16).
8. The master craftsman sent by Huram had a mother from Israel and a father from Tyre (2:13-14).
9. A census found 153,600 foreign residents in the land, and they made up the labor force (2:17).
10. Solomon's letter lists the regular worship the temple would hold: incense, the bread of the presence, and offerings on Sabbaths, new moons, and festivals (2:4).
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is God dwelling with His people. Solomon admitted that even the highest heavens cannot contain God (2:6), yet the Word became flesh and lived among us (John 1:14).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Solomon said the temple had to be great because God is greater than all gods (2:5). How should God's greatness shape the effort we give Him?
2. Solomon asked, "Who am I to build Him a temple?" (2:6). How does humility help us serve God well?
3. A foreign king, Huram, praised the Lord and helped with the work (2:11-12). What does this teach about how God can use unexpected people?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 5: The temple will be great because our God is greater than all gods.
- đź“– verse 6: Even the highest heavens cannot contain God.
- đź“– verses 11-12: Huram of Tyre praises the Lord, who gave David a wise son.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[1 Kings 05#Verse 01.|1 Kings 5:1-18]] - The parallel account of Solomon's agreement with Hiram.
- đź”— [[1 Kings 08#Verse 27.|1 Kings 8:27]] - Heaven cannot contain God, much less this temple.
- đź”— [[Acts 07#Verse 48.|Acts 7:48-50]] - The Most High does not live in houses made by hands.
- đź”— [[John 01#Verse 14.|John 1:14]] - The Word became flesh and lived among us.
- đź”— [[Colossians 03#Verse 23.|Colossians 3:23]] - Work at everything as for the Lord.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[2 Chronicles 02 - SOAP|Give God Your Best]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes