2 Chronicles Chapter 2
Supplies and Workers for the Temple
A. An Overview of the Work of Building the Temple
1. Second Chronicles 2:1, Solomon’s Determination to Build the Temple
Second Chronicles 2:1, KJV
“And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdom.”
Solomon’s resolve to build the temple reflects the fulfillment of the charge given by David, who had prepared abundant materials and given the command that his son must rise to the task. The work was not optional, it was a divine assignment handed down through covenant promise. David could not build the temple because his hands had shed blood, therefore Solomon was raised up for this peaceful task. Solomon’s determination shows obedience and continuity with the purposes of God for Israel. The building of the temple would become the centerpiece of his reign and the defining achievement of his kingship.
Although Solomon was renowned for his wisdom, wealth, writings, and administrative brilliance, the Chronicler presents the temple as the chief work of his life. He wrote to post exilic Israel, a people who were again struggling to build a temple and reestablish themselves among the nations. For them, Solomon’s temple building was not merely historical detail, it was theological instruction. The priority of the temple in Chronicles reveals the priority of worship and the centrality of God’s presence for the identity of God’s people.
The Chronicler intentionally omits many details included in Kings, such as the famous display of Solomon’s judicial wisdom, his broad administrative reforms, and descriptions of his palace construction. These matters were true yet secondary. To the Chronicler, everything in Solomon’s reign was subordinate to the purpose of building the house of God because the temple represented the glory of the Lord dwelling among His people.
Solomon also purposed to build a royal house for himself as recorded in First Kings 7:1 12. His palace was large and impressive, yet the inspired record makes clear that it was only a secondary concern. The chief honor of Solomon’s reign was not his royal house, it was the house of the Lord.
2. Second Chronicles 2:2, The Magnitude of the Work
Second Chronicles 2:2, KJV
“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.”
The scale of the labor force shows the enormous magnitude of the construction. Solomon employed seventy thousand burden bearers and eighty thousand who quarried stone in the mountains. These workers were primarily from the remaining Canaanite peoples. The Israelites themselves were not enslaved for this work as shown in First Kings 9:20 22, which states, “But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen.” The heavy labor fell to the non Israelite population, fulfilling God’s earlier warnings that the nations which Israel left in the land would become servants.
Jewish tradition reflects the awe that surrounded the building of the temple. Some writings state that during the seven years of construction no worker died or was injured and even the tools did not dull. While these traditions are not Scripture, they show the reverence with which Israel remembered this monumental undertaking.
Solomon appointed three thousand six hundred overseers to manage and direct the workforce. This was a robust administrative structure suited for a project of unprecedented size and complexity. The variation between the number recorded here and the number in First Kings 5:16 likely reflects textual transmission differences, and many scholars hold that Chronicles preserves the more accurate figure.
The passage demonstrates that the house of the Lord demanded ordered labor, skilled oversight, physical strength, and national unity. The construction of the temple was not an afterthought or a side project. It was the primary work of Solomon’s reign and required a national mobilization to accomplish the purpose of God.
B. Solomon’s Correspondence with Hiram King of Tyre
1. Second Chronicles 2:3 6, Solomon Describes the Work to Hiram
Second Chronicles 2:3 6, KJV
“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. 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. And the house which I build is great, for great is our God above all gods. 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.”
Solomon appealed to Hiram based on his faithful dealings with David. David was a warrior king, yet he understood the value of alliances and maintained peaceful friendships with select neighboring nations. Israel did not live in perpetual hostility with every people around them, and this correspondence demonstrates that the wisdom of David in foreign relationships now benefited Solomon. The historical bond between Tyre and Israel provided the necessary foundation for this monumental project.
Archaeological references to the name “Ahiram” found on a royal sarcophagus from Byblos correspond to the same linguistic root as Hiram, reinforcing the historical credibility of this narrative. Ancient historians such as Josephus record that copies of Solomon’s letters to Hiram were preserved in both Hebrew and Phoenician archives, confirming that this diplomatic exchange was well known in antiquity.
Solomon stated that he was building a house for the name of the Lord his God. This phrasing reflects Israel’s reverence for the divine name and avoids any suggestion that God could be contained within a physical structure. Solomon’s theology was sound and elevated. He acknowledged that “the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him” which aligns with later Scripture such as First Kings 8:27, KJV, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth. Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.” Solomon did not imagine that the temple replaced God’s transcendent nature. Instead, he understood that the temple was a designated place for worship, sacrifice, and covenant fellowship.
The worship Solomon described corresponds to the sacrificial system instituted in the Law. The sweet incense reflects the symbolism of prayer as shown in Psalm 141:2, KJV, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense.” The continual showbread reflected God’s perpetual covenant presence with Israel. The sacrifices morning and evening point back to Exodus 29:38 39, KJV, “Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar. Two lambs of the first year day by day continually.” The Sabbaths, new moons, and feasts reflect the national calendar God established to shape Israel’s spiritual rhythm. Solomon was not inventing new worship. He was providing a permanent and glorious location for the worship God had already commanded.
The statement “for great is our God above all gods” is not a concession to polytheism. It is an affirmation of the exclusivity and supremacy of Yahweh in a pagan world. Solomon emphasized that the greatness of God demanded a temple of unmatched beauty. Yet he humbly confessed his unworthiness, saying “Who am I then.” This reflects a proper posture of reverence before the Lord who chose Israel and graciously allowed them to construct a place for His worship.
2. Second Chronicles 2:7 10, Solomon’s Request to Hiram
Second Chronicles 2:7 10, KJV
“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. 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, even to prepare me timber in abundance, for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great. 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.”
Solomon requested a master craftsman who possessed expertise in precious metals, textiles, engraving, and ornamental work. Solomon was not content with mediocrity. The house of God must reflect the glory of God, therefore he sought the finest talent available, even if that talent came from Gentile lands. This does not undermine the covenant identity of Israel. Rather, it magnifies the truth that all creation belongs to God and that the nations would one day bring their glory into His presence, foreshadowing the promise of Isaiah 60:5, KJV, “the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.”
The precedent for skilled craftsmen was established in the construction of the tabernacle. Exodus 31:1 6, KJV describes Bezalel and Aholiab as men “filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” Solomon followed this same pattern for the temple, seeking a man gifted and experienced in a wide range of artistic disciplines.
Solomon also requested cedar, cypress, and algum wood from Lebanon. The forests of Lebanon were famous throughout the ancient world for their strength and durability. The Sidonians were renowned timber workers who understood how to select, cut, season, and transport logs with precision. Their reputation goes back centuries, as ancient inscriptions describe Phoenician timber expertise used even by Egyptian builders. Solomon therefore sought the best materials and the best workers because he intended to build a temple that was “wonderful great,” a structure worthy of the God who is above all gods.
Finally, Solomon offered generous compensation in the form of wheat, barley, wine, and oil. This was not an act of tribute or extraction. It was a commercial arrangement befitting two monarchs in alliance. The magnitude of the payment reflects the scale of the project and Israel’s prosperity under Solomon’s reign. God had blessed Israel abundantly, and Solomon used that abundance to build a house for His name.
3. Second Chronicles 2:11 16, Hiram’s Response to Solomon
Second Chronicles 2:11 16, KJV
“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. 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. And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my fathers, 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 David thy father. Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants. 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.”
Hiram responded to Solomon in writing, an indication of the level of literacy and administrative sophistication within the Phoenician kingdom. Contrary to the later caricatures from Greek and Roman writers who labeled non classical cultures as barbarous, ancient monarchs such as Hiram were educated and capable rulers. This contrast is striking when considering that even centuries later some European kings could not write their own names. Hiram’s letter demonstrates that the Levantine kingdoms were advanced and respected partners in diplomacy and construction.
Hiram began his response by acknowledging the hand of the Lord in Solomon’s reign. Whether Hiram possessed saving faith cannot be determined, but his language clearly reflects respect for Israel’s God and an acknowledgment of His supremacy. He blessed “the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth,” a statement that stands in contrast to the localized deities of Phoenician religion. Such high language likely reflects the influence of David, who maintained a long standing and godly relationship with Hiram. This testimony shows how a righteous king can influence even pagan rulers toward reverence for the true God.
Hiram then confirmed that he was sending Huram, the master craftsman. Huram’s mixed heritage, with a Jewish mother from Dan and a Gentile father from Tyre, uniquely positioned him for this work. His skills in metal, wood, stone, textiles, and artistic engraving matched the standard of Bezalel and Aholiab in the days of the tabernacle. God in His providence raised up an artisan who bridged two cultures, providing talents that Israel lacked. This is an early glimpse of the future promise that the nations would bring their gifts into the service of the Lord.
Hiram also affirmed the compensation arrangement proposed by Solomon. He requested the wheat, barley, wine, and oil that Solomon had promised, demonstrating that his cooperation was a commercial agreement, not a charitable gift. This reminds us that not all who participate in religious work do so from devotion. Some, as Maclaren observed, have a keen eye for personal advantage. True service to God must be rendered from a heart of worship rather than for material gain.
Hiram concluded by agreeing to supply as much timber as needed, transporting it by sea in floating rafts to Joppa, from where Solomon’s laborers would carry it inland to Jerusalem. The Phoenicians were master seafarers, and this arrangement demonstrates both their skill and the logistical magnitude of the temple project.
4. Second Chronicles 2:17 18, The Laborers Who Built the Temple
Second Chronicles 2:17 18, KJV
“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. 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.”
Solomon conducted a census of the non Israelite population living within the land, continuing the numbering previously conducted by David. This census identified one hundred fifty three thousand six hundred resident foreigners who became the primary labor force for the temple. These were the same populations described in First Kings 9:20 22, KJV, which states, “But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen,” confirming that Israelite citizens were not pressed into forced labor for the temple construction. The demanding and physically exhausting tasks were carried out by those who remained from the Canaanite peoples and other resident aliens.
Solomon appointed seventy thousand of them to carry burdens and eighty thousand to cut stone in the mountains. These workers supplied the raw materials that formed the physical structure of the temple. Overseers were appointed to coordinate the massive operation, ensuring order, efficiency, and discipline within the workforce. The numbers match the earlier statement in Second Chronicles 2:2, revealing the intentional and organized approach to this national project.
The fact that Gentiles labored in the construction of the temple demonstrates that God’s plan for the nations was present from the beginning. As Selman notes, the temple did not accidentally become a house of prayer for all nations. Even at its construction, men from outside Israel played a crucial role. The inclusion of Gentile labor foreshadows the greater fulfillment in the millennial kingdom when all nations will come to Jerusalem and worship the King as prophesied in Zechariah 14:16, KJV, “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King.”
