Preparations For Building The Temple
February 24, 2021
Commentary
God had not let David begin building the temple. However, David had received detailed instructions about how it was to be built along with the furnishings that were to be included. He had purchased the site and had gathered the materials and workmen to bring it to pass (I Chronicles 21:18-22:19, 28-29). It now fell to his son and successor Solomon to bring the dream to reality. “Solomon determined to build a house for the Lord” (v.1). Solomon used the same connections his father had. Because this was done for the Lord it was to be the very best. Solomon sends the blueprint for the temple to Hiram, the king of Tyre. Hiram readily received Solomon’s request and “answered in writing” (v. 1). The terms and conditions Solomon set were acceptable to Hiram in every way. This country recognized and accepted the new leadership of Solomon as King over Israel. Hiram wrote “Because the Lord has loved his people, he has made you king over them."
The man who Hiram chose to send to Solomon as the chief craftsman was Huram-abi, a half Israelite, whose mother was from the tribe of Dan. According to I Kings 7:14, his “mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali.” This difference may be explained by understanding Dan to be her tribe by birth and Naphtal, her residence, or vice versa. The terms and conditions Solomon set were acceptable to Hiram in every way. He would immediately cut and ship the timber by sea to the Israel part of Joppa from where it would be transported overland to Jerusalem. With the arrangements now complete, Solomon gathers his work gangs drawing them from Israelites and from resident aliens (v. 17, and I Chronicles 22:2). This presupposes class structures in which non-Israelites were sometimes forced into public service projects such as this project of temple building.
Application
When was the last time you made something with your own hands for someone else? Have you ever made anything for God alone? You could write something, build something, draw something, or do something just for Him. Make this the best you’ve ever done. It is for our great God!
2 Chronicles 2:1– 18 (NET)
1 (1:18) Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. 2 (2:1) Solomon had 70,000 common laborers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors.
3 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. 4 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. 5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 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.
7 “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. 8 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 servants 9 to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple. 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.”
11 King Huram of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.” 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. 13 Now I am sending you Huram Abi, a skilled and capable man, 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. 15 Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he has promised; 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.”
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. 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.