2 Chronicles 2: Preparing to Build
Solomon gathers laborers and seeks help from Huram of Tyre, confessing that no house can contain the God who is great above all gods.
2 Chronicles 2 (WEB)
1 Now Solomon decided to build a house for Yahweh’s name, and a house for his kingdom.
2 Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and eighty thousand men who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
3 Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “As you dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build him a house in which to dwell, so deal with me.
4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual show bread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Yahweh our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.
5 “The house which I build is great; for our God is great above all gods.
6 But who is able to build him a house, since heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, except just to burn incense before him?
7 “Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and who knows how to engrave engravings, to be with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.
8 “Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon: and behold, my servants shall be with your servants,
9 even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.
10 Behold, I will give to your servants, the cutters who 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.”
11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, “Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them.”
12 Huram continued, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.
13 Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed 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, skillful 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 engrave any kind of engraving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.
15 “Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants:
16 and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need; and we will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa; and you shall carry it up to Jerusalem.”
17 Solomon numbered all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, after the numbering with which David his father had numbered them; and they were found one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred.
18 He set seventy thousand of them to bear burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to set the people at work.
2 Chronicles 2 (KJV)
1 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.
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.
6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2 Chronicles 2 (ASV)
1 Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom.
2 And Solomon counted out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand men that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
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 a house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt-offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah 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.
6 But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?
7 Now therefore send me a man skilful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that knoweth how to grave all manner of gravings, to be with the skilful men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
8 Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and algum-trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that thy servants know how 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 great and wonderful.
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.
11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because Jehovah loveth his people, he hath made thee king over them.
12 Huram said moreover, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom.
13 And now I have sent a skilful 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 devise any device; that there may be a place appointed unto him with thy skilful men, and with the skilful men of my lord David thy father.
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.
17 And Solomon numbered all the sojourners that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found a hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people at work.
Summary
Solomon decides to build a house for Yahweh's name and a royal palace for himself. He counts out tens of thousands of laborers, burden-bearers, stonecutters, and overseers for the great work ahead. He sends to Huram, king of Tyre, asking for cedar, fir, and algum timber from Lebanon and for a skilled craftsman to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, and rich-colored fabrics. Solomon explains that the house must be great because his God is great above all gods, yet he humbly acknowledges that even the highest heavens cannot contain the Lord, so the temple is meant only to honor him in worship. Huram replies with a blessing, praising Yahweh who made heaven and earth and gave David a wise son. He gladly sends timber by sea to Joppa and dispatches a gifted craftsman named Huram, skilled in every kind of work. Solomon also numbers the foreigners living in Israel and assigns them to the labor force. The chapter captures the careful, worshipful preparation behind a holy task, and the surprising witness of a pagan king honoring the God of Israel.
Key Figures
- Solomon — The king who organizes the immense labor and materials for the temple, confessing that no house can truly contain the great God he serves.
- Huram, king of Tyre — The Gentile ally who blesses Yahweh, recognizes Solomon's wisdom, and supplies timber and a master craftsman for the work.
- Huram the craftsman — A skilled artisan, son of a woman of Dan and a man of Tyre, gifted to work in metals, stone, timber, and fine fabric and engraving.
Key Verse
2 Chronicles 2:6 (WEB)
But who is able to build him a house, since heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, except just to burn incense before him?
Lessons Learned
- Great work for God deserves careful, thoughtful preparation rather than haste.
- Even the grandest temple is too small for God; worship honors him, it does not house him.
- God can stir the hearts of outsiders to bless his name and assist his people.
- Skill and craftsmanship are gifts from God to be offered back in his service.
- Build for God's name, not your own. Solomon resolves to build “a house for Yahweh’s name” (2 Chronicles 2:1, WEB). The purpose of the work is to honor God, and that purpose orders everything else.
- God is greater than anything we make for him. “Heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain him” (2 Chronicles 2:6, WEB). The temple is an act of worship, never a box that confines the infinite God.
- God's reputation reaches beyond his people. Huram, a foreign king, blesses “Yahweh, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth” (2 Chronicles 2:12, WEB). God's glory draws even outsiders to honor his name.
- Offer your skill as worship. The craftsman is sent because he is “skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber” (2 Chronicles 2:14, WEB). God uses dedicated ability to build what honors him.
- What does Solomon's careful organization of workers and materials teach about doing God's work well?
- How does Solomon hold together two truths: that the house must be great, yet God cannot be contained?
- Why is it striking that Huram, a pagan king, blesses the God of Israel?
- Solomon enlists gifted craftsmen for sacred work. How might your own skills be offered in God's service?
- Where in your life is God calling you to prepare carefully and prayerfully before beginning an important task?
- Solomon numbers laborers, secures the best timber, and seeks the most skilled craftsman (2:2, 7-9). Holy work is worthy of our best planning and resources; carelessness dishonors the One we serve. Diligence here is itself a form of reverence.
- He says the house is great “for our God is great above all gods” (2:5), yet admits the heavens cannot contain him (2:6). The temple expresses God's worth without ever limiting his being; it is for worship, not containment.
- Huram's blessing (2:11-12) shows that God's fame extends beyond Israel and that he can move foreign hearts to honor him. It quietly anticipates the day all nations will come to worship the true God.
- This is partly personal application. The text honors craftsmen who give their best skill to God (2:13-14). Invite members to name a talent they could more intentionally offer to the church or to others for God's glory.
- This is a personal-application question. Encourage members to identify one significant undertaking and to consider what faithful, prayerful preparation would look like. Affirm that careful preparation is a way of honoring God, not a lack of faith.