Bible in 90 Days

Chapter 24

The Priestly Divisions. ¹ There were also divisions for the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.^{(A) 2} Nadab and Abihu died before their father, leaving no sons; therefore only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.^{(B) 3} David, with Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar, apportioned them their offices in the priestly service.^{(C) 4} But since the sons of Eleazar were found to be more numerous by male heads than those of Ithamar, the former were divided into sixteen groups, and the latter into eight groups, each under its family heads. ⁵ Their functions were assigned impartially by lot, for there were officers of the holy place, and officers of God, descended both from Eleazar and from Ithamar. ⁶ The scribe Shemaiah, son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king, and of the officials, of Zadok the priest, and of Ahimelech, son of Abiathar,^[a] and of the heads of the ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites, listing two successive family groups from Eleazar before each one from Ithamar.^(D)

^7 (E)The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, ⁸ the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, ⁹ the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, ¹⁰ the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,^{(F) 11} the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, ¹² the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, ¹³ the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Ishbaal, ¹⁴ the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, ¹⁵ the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, ¹⁶ the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, ¹⁷ the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, ¹⁸ the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. ¹⁹ This was the appointed order of their service when they functioned in the house of the Lord according to the precepts given them by Aaron, their father, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.^(G)

Other Levites. ^20 (H)Of the remaining Levites, there were Shubael, of the sons of Amram, and Jehdeiah, of the sons of Shubael; ²¹ Isshiah, the chief, of the sons of Rehabiah; ²² Shelomith of the Izharites, and Jahath of the sons of Shelomith. ²³ The sons of Hebron were Jeriah, the chief, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, Jekameam, the fourth. ²⁴ The sons of Uzziel were Micah; Shamir, of the sons of Micah; ²⁵ Isshiah, the brother of Micah; and Zechariah, a descendant of Isshiah. ²⁶ The sons of Merari were Mahli, Mushi, and the sons of his son Uzziah. ²⁷ The sons of Merari through his son Uzziah: Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. ²⁸ The sons of Mahli were Eleazar, who had no sons, ²⁹ and Jerahmeel, of the sons of Kish. ³⁰ The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

These were the sons of the Levites according to their ancestral houses. ³¹ They too, in the same manner as their kinsmen, the sons of Aaron, cast lots in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the priestly and levitical families; the more important family did so in the same way as the less important one.^(I)

Chapter 25

The Singers. ¹ David and the leaders of the liturgy set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who prophesied^[b] to the accompaniment of lyres and harps and cymbals.^(J)

This is the list of those who performed this service: ² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the guidance of the king. ³ Of Jeduthun, these sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah; six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied to the accompaniment of a lyre, to give thanks and praise to the Lord. ⁴ Of Heman, these sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer for divine matters; to exalt him God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.^{(K) 6} All these, whether of Asaph, Jeduthun, or Heman, were under their fathers’ direction in the singing in the house of the Lord to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres, serving in the house of God, under the guidance of the king.^{(L) 7} Their number, together with that of their kinsmen who were trained in singing to the Lord, all of them skilled men, was two hundred and eighty-eight. ⁸ They cast lots for their functions equally, young and old, master and pupil alike.^(M)

⁹ The first lot fell to Asaph, to the family of Joseph; he and his sons and his kinsmen were twelve. Gedaliah was the second; he and his kinsmen and his sons were twelve. ¹⁰ The third was Zaccur, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹¹ The fourth fell to Izri, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹² The fifth was Nethaniah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹³ The sixth was Bukkiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹⁴ The seventh was Jesarelah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹⁵ The eighth was Jeshaiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹⁶ The ninth was Mattaniah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹⁷ The tenth was Shimei, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹⁸ The eleventh was Uzziel, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ¹⁹ The twelfth fell to Hashabiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁰ The thirteenth was Shubael, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²¹ The fourteenth was Mattithiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²² The fifteenth fell to Jeremoth, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²³ The sixteenth fell to Hananiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁴ The seventeenth fell to Joshbekashah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁵ The eighteenth fell to Hanani, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁶ The nineteenth fell to Mallothi, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁷ The twentieth fell to Eliathah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁸ The twenty-first fell to Hothir, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ²⁹ The twenty-second fell to Giddalti, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ³⁰ The twenty-third fell to Mahazioth, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. ³¹ The twenty-fourth fell to Romamti-ezer, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve.

Chapter 26

Divisions of Gatekeepers. ^1 (N)As for the divisions of gatekeepers: Of the Korahites was Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, one of the sons of Abiasaph. ² Meshelemiah’s sons: Zechariah, the firstborn, Jediael, the second son, Zebadiah, the third, Jathniel, the fourth, ³ Elam, the fifth, Jehohanan, the sixth, Eliehoenai, the seventh. ⁴ Obed-edom’s sons: Shemaiah, the firstborn, Jehozabad, a second son, Joah, the third, Sachar, the fourth, Nethanel, the fifth, ⁵ Ammiel, the sixth, Issachar, the seventh, Peullethai, the eighth, for God blessed him. ⁶ To his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled over their family, for they were warriors. ⁷ The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; also his kinsmen who were men of substance, Elihu and Semachiah. ⁸ All these were the sons of Obed-edom, who, together with their sons and their kinsmen, were men of substance, fit for the service. Of Obed-edom, sixty-two. ⁹ Of Meshelemiah, eighteen sons and kinsmen, men of substance.

¹⁰ Hosah, a descendant of Merari, had these sons: Shimri, the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him chief),^{(O) 11} Hilkiah, the second son, Tebaliah, the third, Zechariah, the fourth. All the sons and kinsmen of Hosah were thirteen.

¹² To these divisions of the gatekeepers, by their chief men, were assigned watches for them to minister in the house of the Lord, for each group in the same way. ¹³ They cast lots for each gate, small and large families alike. ¹⁴ When the lot was cast for the east side, it fell to Meshelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a prudent counselor, and the north side fell to his lot.^{(P) 15} To Obed-edom fell the south side, and to his sons the storehouse. ¹⁶ To Hosah fell the west side with the Shallecheth gate at the ascending highway. For each family, watches were established. ¹⁷ On the east, six watched each day, on the north, four each day, on the south, four each day, and at the storehouse they were two and two; ¹⁸ as for the large building^[c] on the west, there were four at the highway and two at the large building. ¹⁹ These were the classes of the gatekeepers, sons of Korah and Merari.

Treasurers. ²⁰ Their brother Levites had oversight of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of votive offerings.^{(Q) 21} Among the sons of Ladan the Gershonite, the family heads were sons of Jehiel:^{(R) 22 (S)}the sons of Jehiel, Zetham and his brother Joel, who oversaw the treasures of the house of the Lord. ²³ Of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites, ²⁴ Shubael, son of Gershom, son of Moses, was principal overseer of the treasures. ^25 (T)His associate was of the line of Eliezer, whose son was Rehabiah, whose son was Jeshaiah, whose son was Joram, whose son was Zichri, whose son was Shelomith. ²⁶ This Shelomith and his kinsmen oversaw all the treasures of the votive offerings dedicated by King David, the heads of the families, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the commanders of the army;^{(U) 27} what came from wars and from spoils, they dedicated for the support of the house of the Lord. ²⁸ Also, whatever Samuel the seer, Saul, son of Kish, Abner, son of Ner, Joab, son of Zeruiah, and all others had consecrated, was under the charge of Shelomith and his kinsmen.

Magistrates. ²⁹ Among the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were in charge of Israel’s civil affairs^[d] as officials and judges.^{(V) 30} Among the Hebronites, Hashabiah^(W) and his kinsmen, one thousand seven hundred men of substance, had the administration of Israel on the western side of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and the service of the king. ³¹ Among the Hebronites, Jerijah was their chief according to their family records. In the fortieth year of David’s reign search was made, and there were found among them warriors at Jazer of Gilead.^{(X) 32} His kinsmen were also men of substance, two thousand seven hundred heads of families. King David appointed them to the administration of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for everything pertaining to God and to the king.

Chapter 27

Army Commanders.^{[e] 1} This is the list of the Israelite family heads, commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and other officers who served the king in all that pertained to the divisions, of twenty-four thousand men each, that came and went month by month throughout the year.

² Over the first division for the first month was Ishbaal, son of Zabdiel, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men; ³ a descendant of Perez, he was chief over all the commanders of the army for the first month. ⁴ Over the division of the second month was Eleazar, son of Dodo, from Ahoh, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men.^{(Y) 5 (Z)}The third army commander, for the third month, was Benaiah, son of Jehoiada the chief priest, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ⁶ This Benaiah was a warrior among the Thirty and over the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was over his division. ⁷ Fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel, brother of Joab, and after him his son Zebadiah, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men.^{(AA) 8} Fifth, for the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth, a descendant of Zerah, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ⁹ Sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ¹⁰ Seventh, for the seventh month, was Hellez, from Beth-pelet, of the Ephraimites, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ¹¹ Eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, a descendant of Zerah, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men.^{(AB) 12} Ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer from Anathoth, of Benjamin, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ¹³ Tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai from Netophah, a descendant of Zerah, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ¹⁴ Eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the Ephraimites, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men. ¹⁵ Twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, of the family of Othniel, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men.

Tribal Leaders. ¹⁶ Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites the leader was Eliezer, son of Zichri; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah, son of Maacah; ¹⁷ for Levi, Hashabiah, son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok; ¹⁸ for Judah, Eliab,^(AC) one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri, son of Michael; ¹⁹ for Zebulun, Ishmaiah, son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jeremoth, son of Azriel; ²⁰ for the Ephraimites, Hoshea, son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel, son of Pedaiah; ²¹ for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo, son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel, son of Abner; ²² for Dan, Azarel, son of Jeroham. These were the commanders of the tribes of Israel.

²³ David did not count those who were twenty years of age or younger, for the Lord had promised to multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens.^{(AD) 24} Joab, son of Zeruiah, began to take the census, but he did not complete it, for because of it wrath fell upon Israel. Therefore the number was not recorded in the book of chronicles of King David.^(AE)

Overseers. ²⁵ Over the treasuries of the king was Azmaveth,^(AF) the son of Adiel. Over the treasuries in the country, the cities, the villages, and the towers was Jonathan, son of Uzziah. ²⁶ Over the farm workers who tilled the soil was Ezri, son of Chelub. ²⁷ Over the vineyards was Shimei from Ramah, and over their produce for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. ²⁸ Over the olive trees and sycamores of the Shephelah was Baalhanan the Gederite, and over the stores of oil was Joash. ²⁹ Over the cattle that grazed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite, and over the cattle in the valleys was Shaphat, the son of Adlai; ³⁰ over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite; over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite; ³¹ and over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. All these were the overseers of King David’s possessions.

David’s Court. ³² Jonathan, David’s uncle and a man of intelligence, was counselor and scribe; he and Jehiel, the son of Hachmoni, attended the king’s sons. ³³ Ahithophel was also the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.^{(AG) 34} After Ahithophel^[f] came Jehoiada, the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar. The commander of the king’s army was Joab.

Chapter 28

The Assembly at Jerusalem. ¹ David assembled at Jerusalem all the commanders of Israel, the tribal commanders, the commanders of the divisions who were in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, those in command of all the king’s estates and possessions, and his sons, together with the courtiers, the warriors, and every person of substance.^{(AH) 2 (AI)}King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my kinsmen and my people. It was my purpose to build a house of repose myself for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the footstool for the feet of our God;^[g] and I was preparing to build it. ³ But God said to me, You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man who waged wars and shed blood. ⁴ However, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, then one family of Judah, that of my father; and finally, among all the sons of my father, it pleased him to make me king over all Israel.^{(AJ) 5} And of all my sons—for the Lord has given me many sons—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the Lord’s kingship over Israel.^{(AK) 6} For he said to me: It is your son Solomon who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him for my son, and I will be a father to him.^{(AL) 7} I will establish his kingdom forever, if he perseveres in carrying out my commandments and ordinances as he does now. ⁸ Therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: keep and carry out all the commandments of the Lord, your God, that you may continue to possess this good land and afterward leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.^(AM)

⁹ “As for you, Solomon, my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing soul, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the mind’s thoughts. If you search for him, he will be found; but if you abandon him, he will cast you off forever.^{(AN) 10} See, then! The Lord has chosen you to build a house as his sanctuary. Be strong and set to work.”

Temple Plans Given to Solomon. ¹¹ Then David gave to his son Solomon the design of the portico and of the house itself, with its storerooms, its upper rooms and inner chambers, and the shrine containing the cover of the ark.^{(AO) 12} He provided also the design for all else that he had in mind by way of courts for the house of the Lord, with the surrounding compartments for the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the votive offerings, ¹³ as well as for the divisions of the priests and Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the liturgical vessels of the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ He specified the weight of gold to be used in the golden vessels for the various services and the weight of silver to be used in the silver vessels for the various services; ¹⁵ likewise for the golden menorahs and their lamps he specified the weight of gold for each menorah and its lamps, and for the silver menorahs he specified the weight of silver for each menorah and its lamps, depending on the use to which each menorah was to be put.^{(AP) 16} He specified the weight of gold for each table that was to hold the showbread, and the silver for the silver tables; ¹⁷ the pure gold for the forks, basins, and pitchers; the weight of gold for each golden bowl and the weight of silver for each silver bowl; ¹⁸ the refined gold, and its weight, to be used for the altar of incense; and, finally, gold to fashion the chariot:^[h] the cherubim spreading their wings and covering the ark of the covenant of the Lord.^{(AQ) 19} All this he wrote down, by the hand of the Lord, to make him understand it—the working out of the whole design.

²⁰ Then David said to his son Solomon: “Be strong and steadfast, and go to work; do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or abandon you before you have completed all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.^{(AR) 21} The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the service of the house of God; they will be with you in all the work with all those who are eager to show their skill in every kind of craftsmanship. Also the commanders and all the people will do everything that you command.”^(AS)

Chapter 29

Offerings for the Temple. ¹ King David then said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced; the work, however, is great, for this palace is not meant for human beings, but for the Lord God.^{(AT) 2} For this reason I have stored up for the house of my God, as far as I was able, gold for what will be made of gold, silver for what will be made of silver, bronze for what will be made of bronze, iron for what will be made of iron, wood for what will be made of wood, onyx stones and settings for them, carnelian and mosaic stones, every other kind of precious stone, and great quantities of marble.^{(AU) 3} But now, because of the delight I take in the house of my God, in addition to all that I stored up for the holy house, I give to the house of my God my personal fortune in gold and silver: ⁴ three thousand talents of Ophir gold, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the rooms,^{(AV) 5} for the various utensils to be made of gold and silver, and for every work that is to be done by artisans. Now, who else will contribute generously and consecrate themselves this day to the Lord?”^(AW)

⁶ Then the heads of the families, the tribal commanders of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and those who had command of the king’s affairs came forward willingly^{(AX) 7} and contributed for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.^{(AY) 8} Those who had precious stones gave them into the keeping of Jehiel the Gershonite for the treasury of the house of the Lord.^{(AZ) 9} The people rejoiced over these free-will offerings, for they had been contributed to the Lord wholeheartedly. King David also rejoiced greatly.^(BA)

David’s Prayer. ¹⁰ Then David blessed the Lord in the sight of the whole assembly. David said:

¹⁴ “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should have the means to contribute so freely? For everything is from you, and what we give is what we have from you. ¹⁵ For before you we are strangers and travelers, like all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without a future.^{(BC) 16} Lord our God, all this wealth that we have brought together to build you a house for your holy name comes from you and is entirely yours. ¹⁷ I know, my God, that you put hearts to the test and that you take pleasure in integrity. With a whole heart I have willingly given all these things, and now with joy I have seen your people here present also giving to you generously. ¹⁸ Lord, God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,^(BD) keep such thoughts in the hearts and minds of your people forever, and direct their hearts toward you. ¹⁹ Give to my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to keep your commandments, precepts, and statutes, that he may carry out all these plans and build the palace for which I have made preparation.”

²⁰ Then David told the whole assembly, “Now bless the Lord your God!” And the whole assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their ancestors, bowing down in homage before the Lord and before the king. ²¹ On the following day they brought sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord, a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, together with their libations and many other sacrifices for all Israel; ²² and on that day they ate and drank in the Lord’s presence with great rejoicing.

Solomon Anointed. Then for a second time^[i] they proclaimed David’s son Solomon king, and they anointed him for the Lord as ruler, and Zadok as priest. ²³ Thereafter Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king succeeding his father David; he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.^{(BE) 24} All the commanders and warriors, and also all the other sons of King David, swore allegiance to King Solomon. ²⁵ And the Lord exalted Solomon greatly in the eyes of all Israel, giving him a glorious reign such as had not been enjoyed by any king over Israel before him.^(BF)

David’s Death. ²⁶ Thus David, the son of Jesse, had reigned over all Israel. ²⁷ He was king over Israel for forty years: he was king seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.^{(BG) 28} He died at a ripe old age, rich in years and wealth and glory, and his son Solomon succeeded him as king.^(BH)

²⁹ Now the deeds of King David, first and last, are recorded in the history of Samuel the seer, the history of Nathan the prophet, and the history of Gad the seer,^{(BI) 30} together with the particulars of his reign and valor, and of the events that affected him and all Israel and all the kingdoms of the earth.

I. The Reign of Solomon

Chapter 1

Solomon at Gibeon. ¹ Solomon, son of David, strengthened his hold on the kingdom, for the Lord, his God, was with him, making him ever greater. ² Solomon summoned all Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, the judges, the princes of all Israel, and the family heads; ^3 (BJ)and, accompanied by the whole assembly, Solomon went to the high place at Gibeon, because the tent of meeting of God, made in the wilderness by Moses, the Lord’s servant, was there. ⁴ David had, however, brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem, where he had provided a place and pitched a tent for it; ⁵ the bronze altar made by Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, he put in front of the tabernacle of the Lord.^[j] There Solomon and the assembly sought out the Lord,^{(BK) 6} and Solomon offered sacrifice in the Lord’s presence on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting; he sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings upon it.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him: Whatever you ask, I will give you. ⁸ Solomon answered God: “You have shown great favor to David my father, and you have made me king to succeed him. ⁹ Now, Lord God, may your word to David my father be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.^{(BL) 10} Give me, therefore, wisdom and knowledge to govern this people, for otherwise who could rule this vast people of yours?” ¹¹ God then replied to Solomon: Because this has been your wish—you did not ask for riches, treasures, and glory, or the life of those who hate you, or even for a long life for yourself, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge in order to rule my people over whom I have made you king— ¹² wisdom and knowledge are given you. I will also give you riches, treasures, and glory, such as kings before you never had, nor will those who come after you.

Solomon’s Wealth. ¹³ Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, and became king over Israel. ¹⁴ Solomon amassed chariots and horses: he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses; these he allocated among the chariot cities and to the king’s service in Jerusalem.^{(BM) 15} The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as numerous as the sycamores of the Shephelah.^{(BN) 16} Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Cilicia,^[k] where the king’s agents purchased them at the prevailing price.^{(BO) 17} A chariot imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, a horse one hundred and fifty shekels; so they were exported to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.^(BP)

Preparations for the Temple. ¹⁸ Solomon gave orders for the building of a house for the name of the Lord and also a king’s house for himself.

Chapter 2

¹ Solomon conscripted seventy thousand men to carry stones and eighty thousand to cut the stones in the mountains, and over these he placed three thousand six hundred overseers.^{(BQ) 2 (BR)}Moreover, Solomon sent this message to Huram, king of Tyre: “As you dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build a house for his dwelling— ³ now I am going to build a house for the name of the Lord, my God, and to consecrate it to him, for the burning of fragrant incense in his presence, for the perpetual display of the showbread, for burnt offerings morning and evening, and for the sabbaths, new moons, and festivals of the Lord, our God: such is Israel’s perpetual obligation.^{(BS) 4} And the house I am going to build must be great, for our God is greater than all other gods. ⁵ Yet who is really able to build him a house, since the heavens and even the highest heavens cannot contain him? And who am I that I should build him a house,^(BT) unless it be to offer incense in his presence? ⁶ Now, send me men skilled at work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, in purple, crimson, and violet fabrics, and who know how to do engraved work, to join the skilled craftsmen who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father appointed. ⁷ Also send me boards of cedar, cypress and cabinet wood from Lebanon, for I realize that your servants know how to cut the wood of Lebanon. My servants will work with yours ⁸ in order to prepare for me a great quantity of wood, since the house I intend to build must be great and wonderful. ⁹ I will furnish as food for your servants, the woodcutters, twenty thousand kors of wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.”^[l](BU)

¹⁰ Huram, king of Tyre, wrote an answer which he sent to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has placed you over them as king.” ¹¹ He added: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, for having given King David a wise son of intelligence and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and also his own royal house.^{(BV) 12 (BW)}I am now sending you a craftsman of great skill, Huram-abi, ¹³ son of a Danite woman^[m] and of a father from Tyre; he knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, with stone and wood, with purple, violet, fine linen, and crimson, and also how to do all kinds of engraved work and to devise every type of design that may be given him and your craftsmen and the craftsmen of my lord David your father. ^14 (BX)And now, let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, oil, and wine which he has promised. ¹⁵ For our part, we will cut trees on Lebanon, as many as you need, and send them down to you in rafts to the port of Joppa, whence you may take them up to Jerusalem.”^(BY)

^16 (BZ)Thereupon Solomon took a census of all the alien men resident in the land of Israel (following the census David his father had taken of them); they were found to number one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred. ¹⁷ Of these he made seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand cutters in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to keep the people working.^(CA)

Chapter 3

Building of the Temple. ^1 (CB)Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah,^[n] which had been shown to David his father, in the place David had prepared, the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ² He began to build in the second month of the fourth year of his reign. ³ These were the specifications laid down by Solomon for building the house of God: the length was sixty cubits according to the old measure, and the width was twenty cubits;^{(CC) 4} the front porch along the width of the house was also twenty cubits, and it was twenty cubits high.^[o] He covered its interior with pure gold.^{(CD) 5} The nave he overlaid with cypress wood and overlaid that with fine gold, embossing on it palms and chains.^{(CE) 6} He also covered the house with precious stones for splendor; the gold was from Parvaim. ⁷ The house, its beams and thresholds, as well as its walls and its doors, he overlaid with gold, and he engraved cherubim upon the walls. ⁸ He also made the room of the holy of holies. Its length corresponded to the width of the house, twenty cubits, and its width was also twenty cubits. He overlaid it with fine gold to the amount of six hundred talents.^{(CF) 9} The weight of the nails was fifty gold shekels. The upper chambers he likewise overlaid with gold.

^10 (CG)For the room of the holy of holies he made two cherubim of carved workmanship, which were then covered with gold. ¹¹ The wings of the cherubim spanned twenty cubits: one wing of each cherub, five cubits in length, extended to a wall of the house, while the other wing, also five cubits in length, touched the corresponding wing of the other cherub. ¹² The wing of the cherub, five cubits, touched the wall of the house, and the other wing, five cubits, was joined to the wing of the other cherub. ¹³ The combined wingspread of the two cherubim was thus twenty cubits. They stood upon their own feet, facing toward the nave. ¹⁴ He made the veil^[p] of violet, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and had cherubim embroidered upon it.^(CH)

^15 (CI)In front of the house he set two columns thirty-five cubits high; the capital of each was five cubits. ¹⁶ He devised chains in the form of a collar with which he encircled the capitals of the columns, and he made a hundred pomegranates which he set on the chains. ¹⁷ He set up the columns to correspond with the nave, one for the right side and the other for the left, and he called the one to the right Jachin and the one to the left Boaz.

Chapter 4

¹ Then he made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high.^{(CJ) 2 (CK)}He also made the molten sea. It was made with a circular rim, and measured ten cubits across, five in height, and thirty in circumference. ³ Under the brim a ring of figures of oxen^[q] encircled it for ten cubits, all the way around the compass of the sea; there were two rows of oxen cast in one mold with the sea. ⁴ This rested on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with their haunches all toward the center; upon them was set the sea. ⁵ It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim resembled that of a cup, being lily-shaped. It had a capacity of three thousand baths.^[r]

⁶ Then he made ten basins for washing, placing five of them to the right and five to the left. In these the victims for the burnt offerings were washed; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.^(CL)

⁷ He made the menorahs of gold, ten of them as was prescribed, and placed them in the nave, five to the right and five to the left.^{(CM) 8} He made ten tables and had them set in the nave, five to the right and five to the left; and he made a hundred golden bowls.^{(CN) 9} He made the court of the priests and the great courtyard^(CO) and the gates of the courtyard; the gates he covered with bronze. ¹⁰ The sea he placed off to the southeast from the south side of the house.^(CP)

^11 (CQ)When Huram had made the pots, shovels, and bowls, he finished all his work for King Solomon in the house of God: ¹² two columns; two nodes for the capitals on top of the columns; and two pieces of netting covering the two nodes for the capitals on top of the columns; ¹³ four hundred pomegranates in double rows on both pieces of netting that covered the two nodes of the capitals on top of the columns. ¹⁴ He made the stands, and the basins on the stands; ¹⁵ one sea, and the twelve oxen under it; ¹⁶ pots, shovels, forks, and all the articles Huram-abi made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord; they were of burnished bronze. ¹⁷ The king had them cast in the neighborhood of the Jordan, between Succoth and Zeredah, in thick clay molds. ¹⁸ Solomon made all these vessels, so many in number that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

¹⁹ Solomon made all the articles that were for the house of God: the golden altar, the tables on which the showbread lay, ²⁰ the menorahs and their lamps of pure gold which were to burn as prescribed before the inner sanctuary, ²¹ flowers, lamps, and gold tongs (this was of purest gold), ²² snuffers, bowls, cups, and firepans of pure gold. As for the entrance to the house, its inner doors to the holy of holies, as well as the doors to the nave of the temple, were of gold.

Chapter 5

Dedication of the Temple. ^1 (CR)When all the work undertaken by Solomon for the house of the Lord was completed, he brought in the votive offerings of David his father, putting the silver, the gold, and other articles in the treasuries of the house of God. ² Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the princes in the ancestral houses of the Israelites, to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the City of David, which is Zion. ³ All the people of Israel assembled before the king during the festival of the seventh month.^{[s] 4 (CS)}When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites^[t] took up the ark; ⁵ and they brought up the ark and the tent of meeting with all the sacred vessels that were in the tent. The levitical priests brought them up.

⁶ King Solomon and the entire community of Israel, gathered for the occasion before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen too many to number or count. ⁷ The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place: the inner sanctuary of the house, the holy of holies, beneath the wings of the cherubim. ⁸ The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark, covering the ark and its poles from above. ⁹ The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary. (They cannot be seen from outside, but they remain there to this day.)^{[u] 10} There was nothing in the ark but the two tablets which Moses had put there at Horeb when the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they went forth from Egypt.

¹¹ When the priests left the holy place (all the priests who were present had purified themselves regardless of the rotation of their various divisions), ¹² the Levites who were singers, all who belonged to Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and brothers, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets.

¹³ When the trumpeters and singers were heard as a single voice praising and giving thanks to the Lord, and when they raised the sound of the trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments to “Praise the Lord, who is so good, whose love endures forever,” the cloud filled the house of the Lord.^{(CT) 14} The priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.^(CU)

Chapter 6

^1 (CV)Then Solomon said:

^3 (CW)The king turned and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly of Israel stood. ⁴ He said: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his own mouth spoke a promise to David my father and by his hand fulfilled it, saying: ⁵ Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city out of any tribe of Israel for the building of a house, that my name might be there; nor have I chosen any man to be ruler of my people Israel; ⁶ but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name may be there, and I have chosen David^[v] to rule my people Israel. ⁷ When David my father wished to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, ⁸ the Lord said to him: In wishing to build a house for my name, you did well. ⁹ But it is not you who will build the house, but your son, who comes from your loins: he shall build the house for my name.

¹⁰ “Now the Lord has fulfilled the word he spoke. I have succeeded David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord has said, and I have built this house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹¹ I have placed there the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with the Israelites.”

Solomon’s Prayer. ^12 (CX)Then he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel and stretched forth his hands. ^13 [w]Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, which he had placed in the middle of the courtyard. Having ascended it, Solomon knelt in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel and stretched forth his hands toward heaven. ¹⁴ He said: “Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth; you keep the covenant and love toward your servants who walk before you with their whole heart, ¹⁵ the covenant that you kept toward your servant, David my father. That which you promised him, your mouth has spoken and your hand has fulfilled this very day. ¹⁶ And now, Lord, God of Israel, keep toward your servant, David my father, what you promised: There shall never be wanting someone from your line to sit before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants keep to their way, walking by my law, as you have. ¹⁷ Now, Lord, God of Israel, may the words which you spoke to David your servant be confirmed.

¹⁸ “Is God indeed to dwell with human beings on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this house which I have built! ¹⁹ Regard kindly the prayer and petition of your servant, Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you. ²⁰ May your eyes be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have decreed your name shall be; listen to the prayer your servant makes toward this place. ²¹ Listen to the petition of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer toward this place. Listen, from the place of your enthronement, heaven, and listen and forgive.

²² “If someone sins against a neighbor and is required to take an oath sanctioned by a curse, and comes and takes the oath before your altar in this house, ²³ listen in heaven: act and judge your servants. Condemn the wicked, requiting their ways; acquit the just, rewarding their justice. ²⁴ When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and then they turn, praise your name, pray to you, and entreat you in this house, ²⁵ listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave them and their ancestors. ²⁶ When the heavens are closed so that there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, but they pray toward this place and praise your name, and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, ²⁷ listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. (For you teach them the good way in which they should walk.) Give rain upon this land of yours which you have given to your people as their heritage.

²⁸ “If there is famine in the land or pestilence; or if blight comes, or mildew, or locusts swarm, or caterpillars; when their enemies besiege them at any of their gates; whatever plague or sickness there may be; ²⁹ whatever prayer of petition any may make, any of your people Israel, who know affliction and pain and stretch out their hands toward this house, ³⁰ listen from heaven, the place of your enthronement, and forgive. Render to each and all according to their ways, you who know every heart; for it is you alone who know the heart of every human being. ³¹ So may they revere you and walk in your ways as long as they live on the land you gave our ancestors.

³² “To the foreigners, likewise, who are not of your people Israel, but who come from a distant land for the sake of your great name, your mighty hand and outstretched arm, and come in prayer to this house, ³³ listen from heaven, the place of your enthronement. Do all that the foreigner asks of you, that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, may revere you as do your people Israel, and may know that your name has been invoked upon this house that I have built.

³⁴ “When your people go out to war against their enemies, by whatever way you send them, and they pray to you toward the city you have chosen and the house I have built for your name, ³⁵ listen from heaven to their prayer and petition, and uphold their cause. ³⁶ When they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin), and in your anger against them you deliver them to an enemy, so that their captors carry them off to another land, far or near, ³⁷ and they have a change of heart in the land of their captivity and they turn and entreat you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,’ ³⁸ if with all their heart and soul they turn back to you in the land of those who took them captive, and pray toward their land which you gave their ancestors, the city you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name, ³⁹ listen from heaven, the place of your enthronement, to their prayer and petitions, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you. ⁴⁰ Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to the prayer of this place. ⁴¹ And now:

Chapter 7

^1 (CZ)When Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. ² But the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.^{(DA) 3} All the Israelites looked on while the fire came down and the glory of the Lord was upon the house, and they fell down upon the pavement with their faces to the earth and worshiped, praising the Lord, “who is so good, whose love endures forever.” ⁴ The king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord.^{(DB) 5} King Solomon offered as sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen, and one hundred twenty thousand sheep.^(DC)

End of the Dedication. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. ⁶ The priests were standing at their stations, as were the Levites, with the musical instruments of the Lord which King David had made to give thanks to the Lord, “whose love endures forever,” when David offered praise through them. The priests opposite them blew the trumpets and all Israel stood.^(DD)

⁷ Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court facing the house of the Lord; he offered there the burnt offerings and the fat of the communion offerings, since the bronze altar which Solomon had made could not hold the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat.^(DE)

⁸ On this occasion Solomon and with him all Israel, a great assembly from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt, celebrated the festival for seven days.^{(DF) 9 (DG)}On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the feast^[x] for seven days. ¹⁰ On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people to their tents, rejoicing and glad of heart because of all the blessings the Lord had given to David, to Solomon, and to his people Israel.