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MAY 29
6 Now therefore, command that they cut burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried
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down cedars for me from Lebanon; and stone in the mountains, besides three thousand
my servants will be with your servants, three hundred from the chiefs of Solomon’s
and I will pay you wages for your servants deputies, who supervised the people who
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according to whatever you say. For you labored in the work. And the king commanded
know there is none among us who has them to quarry large stones, costly stones, and
skill to cut timber like the Sidonians. hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the tem-
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ple. So Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders,
and the Gebalites quarried them; and they pre-
pared timber and stones to build the temple.
And it came to pass in the four hundred and
5:6 cedars…from Lebanon. The cedars of 6 eightieth year after the children of Israel
Lebanon symbolized majesty and might (Ps. had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth
92:12; Ezek. 31:3). Because cedar was durable,
resistant to rot and worms, closely grained, year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the
and could be polished to a fine shine,its wood month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he
2
was regarded as the best timber for building. began to build the house of the LORD. Now the
The logs were tied together and floated down house which King Solomon built for the LORD,
the Mediterranean to Joppa (v. 9; 2 Chr. 2:16), its length was sixty cubits, its width twenty, and
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from where they could be transported to its height thirty cubits. The vestibule in front
Jerusalem, 35 miles inland. of the sanctuary of the house was twenty
cubits long across the width of the house, and
the width of the vestibule extended ten cubits
7 So it was, when Hiram heard the words of from the front of the house. And he made for
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Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, the house windows with beveled frames.
5 Against the wall of the temple he built
Blessed be the LORD this day, for He chambers all around, against the walls of the
has given David a wise son over this temple, all around the sanctuary and the inner
great people!
sanctuary. Thus he made side chambers all
8 Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: around it. The lowest chamber was five cubits
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wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the
I have considered the message which third was seven cubits wide; for he made nar-
you sent me, and I will do all you row ledges around the outside of the temple,
desire concerning the cedar and so that the support beams would not be fas-
cypress logs. 7
9 My servants shall bring them down tened into the walls of the temple. And the
from Lebanon to the sea; I will float temple, when it was being built, was built with
stone finished at the quarry, so that no ham-
them in rafts by sea to the place you mer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the
indicate to me, and will have them temple while it was being built. The doorway
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broken apart there; then you can take for the middle story was on the right side of
them away. And you shall fulfill my the temple. They went up by stairs to the mid-
desire by giving food for my household.
dle story, and from the middle to the third.
10 Then Hiram gave Solomon cedar and 9 So he built the temple and finished it, and
cypress logs according to all his desire. And he paneled the temple with beams and boards
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Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand kors of of cedar. And he built side chambers against
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wheat as food for his household, and twenty the entire temple, each five cubits high; they
kors of pressed oil. Thus Solomon gave to were attached to the temple with cedar beams.
Hiram year by year. 11 Then the word of the LORD came to Sol-
12 So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He omon, saying: “Concerning this temple which
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had promised him; and there was peace you are building, if you walk in My statutes,
between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of execute My judgments, keep all My com-
them made a treaty together. mandments, and walk in them, then I will per-
13 Then King Solomon raised up a labor force form My word with you, which I spoke to your
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out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty father David. And I will dwell among the chil-
thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, dren of Israel, and will not forsake My people
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ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one Israel.”
month in Lebanon and two months at home; 14 So Solomon built the temple and finished it.
Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. 15 And he built the inside walls of the temple with
15 Solomon had seventy thousand who carried cedar boards; from the floor of the temple to the
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