Preparing to Build the Temple

 

2 Chronicles 2:1-10

 

May 5, 2023

 

 

Preparing to Build the Temple

 

Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal palace for himself.  And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them.  And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: “As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me.  Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.  The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.  But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?  So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.  Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful.  I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil.”

 

Often, we have little or no understanding of the cors or baths, so I looked it up and this is the answer: A cor is a Hebrew unit of dry volume. It is equivalent to 10 baths or 6 bushels or about 220 L.  Or 58.12 gallons.

 

When you first read this, it sounds as if Solomon is asking the King of Tyre to do this without payment, but yet as you do the math, He is paying a lot for the use of these skills and in all these areas, to work along his skilled workers.

 

What was Solomon willing to pay the king of Tyre for these people, 13,200 bushels of crushed wheat, and the same about of barley?  When it came to wine and oil if my math is correct, it was about 116, 240 gallons.

 

Not only did David have a great relationship with Hiram the king of Tyre, but Solomon also kept that friendship.  It is a wise person that honors the relationship of their parents.

 

From The Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice