2:1 (1:18) 1 Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. 2 2:2 (2:1) Solomon had 3 70,000 common laborers 4 and 80,000 stonecutters 5 in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors. 6
2:3 Solomon sent a message to King Huram 7 of Tyre: 8 “Help me 9 as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs 10 for the construction of his palace. 11 2:4 Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor 12 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, 13 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. 14 2:5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods. 2:6 Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky 15 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. 16
1 sn Beginning with 2:1, the verse numbers through 2:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 2:1 ET = 1:18 HT, 2:2 ET = 2:1 HT, 2:3 ET = 2:2 HT, etc., through 2:18 ET = 2:17 HT. Beginning with 3:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
2 tn Heb “and Solomon said to build a house for the name of the
3 tn Heb “counted,” perhaps “conscripted” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
4 tn Heb “carriers of loads.”
5 tn Or “quarry workers”; Heb “cutters” (probably referring to stonecutters).
6 tc The parallel text of MT in 1 Kgs 5:16 has “thirty-six hundred,” but some Greek
tn Heb “and 3,600 supervisors over them.”
7 tn Heb “Huram.” Some medieval Hebrew
8 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
9 tn The words “help me” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
10 tn Heb “cedars.” The word “logs” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Heb “to build for him a house to live in it.”
12 tn Heb “for the name of.”
13 tn Heb “and the regular display.”
14 tn Heb “permanently [is] this upon Israel.”
15 tn Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
16 tn Heb “Who retains strength to build for him a house, for the heavens and the heavens of heavens do not contain him? And who am I that I should build for him a house, except to sacrifice before him?”