3 Then Solomon sent word to Huram the king of Tyre , saying , " As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedars to build him a house to dwell in, so do for me. 4 "Behold , I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God , dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out the showbread continually , and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening , on sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the Lord our God , this being required forever in Israel . 5 "The house which I am about to build will be great , for greater is our God than all the gods . 6 "But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except e to burn incense before Him? 7 "Now send me a skilled man to work in gold , silver , brass and iron , and in purple , crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings , to work with the skilled men whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem , whom David my father provided . 8 " Send me also cedar , cypress and algum timber from Lebanon , for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon ; and indeed my servants will work with your servants , 9 to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful . 10 "Now behold , I will give to your servants , the woodsmen who cut the timber , 20,000 e kors of crushed wheat and 20,000 e kors of barley , and 20,000 e baths of wine and 20,000 e baths of oil ."
11 Then Huram , king of Tyre , answered in a letter sent to Solomon : " Because the Lord loves His people , He has made you king over them." 12 Then Huram continued , "Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel , who has made heaven and earth , who has given King David a wise son , endowed with discretion and understanding , who will build a house for the Lord and a royal palace for himself. 13 "Now I am sending Huram-abi e , a skilled man , endowed with understanding , 14 the son of a Danite e woman and a Tyrian father , who knows how to work in gold , silver , bronze , iron , stone and wood , and in purple , violet , linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to execute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with those of my lord David your father . 15 "Now then, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley , oil and wine , of which he has spoken . 16 " We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa , so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem ." 17 Solomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel , following the census which his father David had taken ; and 153,600 e e e e e were found . 18 He appointed 70,000 e of them to carry loads and 80,000 e to quarry stones in the mountains and 3,600 e e supervisors to make the people work .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 2:3-19
Chapter Contents
Solomon's message to Huram respecting the temple, His treaty with Huram.
Solomon informs Huram of the particular services to be performed in the temple. The mysteries of the true religion, unlike those of the Gentile superstitions, sought not concealment. Solomon endeavoured to possess Huram with great and high thoughts of the God of Israel. We should not be afraid or ashamed to embrace every opportunity to speak of God, and to impress others with a deep sense of the importance of his favour and service. Now that the people of Israel kept close to the law and worship of God, the neighbouring nations were willing to be taught by them in the true religion, as the Israelites had been willing in the days of their apostacy, to be infected with the idolatries and superstitions of their neighbours. A wise and pious king is an evidence of the Lord's special love for his people. How great then was God's love to his believing people, in giving his only-begotten Son to be their Prince and their Saviour.