THE

Second Book of CHRONICLES:

TH

INTRODUCTION.

HIS Book chiefly relates what concerns the kingdom of Judah, with an intermixture of some few passages concerning the kingdom of Israel.

CHAP. I.

The solemn offering of Solomon at Gibeon; his choice of wisdom is blessed by God, who adds to it riches and honour; his forces and wealth.

1 ND Solomon the son of David was strengthed in his king

AND son is God (was) with him, and magni

2 fied him exceedingly. Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and 3. to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers. So Solomon and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that [was] at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had 4 made in the wilderness. But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to [the place which] David had prepared 5 for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solo6 mon and the congregation sought unto it. And Solomon went up thither to the brazen altar before the LORD, which [was] at the . tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.

7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto 8 him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast 9 made me to reign in his stead. Now, O Lord GOD, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multi10 tude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy peo11 ple, [that is so] great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or VOL. III.

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honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

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Then Solomon came [from his journey] to the high place that [was] at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the 14 congregation, and reigned over Israel. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed 15 in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem [as plenteous] as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees that [are] in the 16 vale for abundance. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen 17 yarn at a price. And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred [shekels] of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty and so brought they out [horses] for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their

means.

CHAP. II.

Solomon's labourers for the building of the temple; his message to Huram; and Huram's kind answer.

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3.

ND Solomon determined to build an house for the name

mon told out three score and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and four score thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars 4 to build him an house to dwell therein, [even so deal with me.] Behold, 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 shew bread, 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] 5 for ever to Israel. And the house which I build [is] great: for 6 great [is] our God above all gods. But who is able to build hina an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who [am] I then, that I should build him an house, 7 save only to burn sacrifice before him? Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and in crimson, and in blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that [are] with me in Judah

8 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; 9 and, behold, my servants [shall be] with thy servants, Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am 10 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.

11.

Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he 12 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 13 an house for his kingdom. And now I have sent a cunning 14 man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's, 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 my lord David thy fath 15 er. Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the

wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his ser16 vants: 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; 17 and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem. 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 18 three thousand and six hundred. And he set three score and ten thousand of them [to be] bearers of burdens, and four score thousand [to be] hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work."

CHAP. III.

The situation of the temple, and the time it was begun; the measure and ornaments of the house; and a description of the cherubims.

THEN Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at

unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in 2 the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And he began to build in the second [day] of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign,

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Now these [are the things wherein] Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure [was] three score cubits, and the breadth 4 twenty cubits. And the porch that [was] in the front [of the house,] the length [of it was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height [was] an hundred and 5 twenty and he overlaid it within with pure gold. And the greater house he ceiled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine 6 gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains. And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty and the gold [was] 7 gold of Parvaim. He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.

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And he made the most holy house, the length whereof [was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, 9 [amounting] to six hundred talents. And the wait of the nails [was] fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper cham10 bers with gold. And in the most holy house he made two che 11 rubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold. And the wings of the cherubims [were] twenty cubits long : one wing [of the one cherub was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house and the other wing [was likewise] five cubits, reaching t2 to the wing of the other cherub. And [one] wing of the other cherub [was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was] five cubits [also,] joining to the wing of 13 the other cherub. The wings of these cherubims spread them. selves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces [were] inward.

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And he made the veil [of] blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.

Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that [was] on the top of each of 16 them [was] five cubits. And he made chains, [as] in the oracle, and put [them] on the heads of the pillars; and made an hun17 dred pomegranates, and put [them] on the chains. And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

CHAP. IV.

A description of the brazen altar, and the molten sea; the ten levers, the candlesticks, the tables, and the instruments of gold.

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MOREOVER he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits

the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, 2 and ten cubits the height thereof. Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five

cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did com 3 pass it round about. And under it [was] the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen [were] cast, when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east and the sea [was set] above upon them, and all their hinder parts [were] in5 ward. And the thickness of it [was] an hand breadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; [and] it received and held three thousand baths. He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea [was] for the 7 priests to wash in. And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set [them] in the temple, five on the 8 right hand, and five on the left. He made also ten tables, and placed [them] in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold. Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. 10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

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And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king 12 Solomon for the house of God; [To wit,] the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters [which were] on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the 13 chapiters which [were] on the top of the pillars; And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two poinmels of the chap14 iters which [were] upon the pillars. He made also bases, and 15 lavers made he upon the bases; One sea, and twelve oxen 16 under it. The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks,

and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king 17 Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground be18 tween Succoth and Zeredathah. Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could 19 not be found out. And Solomon made all the vessels that [were

for] the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables 20 whereon the shew bread [was set ;] Moreover the candlesticks

with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before 21 the oracle, of pure gold; And the flowers, and the lamps, and 22 the tongs [made he of] gold, [and] that perfect gold And the

snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, [of] pure gold and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy [place,] and the doors of the house of the temple, [were of] gold.