Solomon Prepares to Build Temple I Kings 5

I Kings 5:5 "And Behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name."

It brings to mind Moses who led Israel from out of Egypt but did not get to enter the promised land. Joshua led the people across Jordan. David desired to build a house for the LORD but did not get to. He prepared but Solomon built the house.

II Chronicles 2 gives another narrative of Solomon's preparations. This verse is an example and illustrates that Solomon knew that he could not build a dwelling to contain God but could make a place to honor him:

II Chronicles 2:6 "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?"

So we now understand the purpose for the temple. Solomon called in the experts and labor and supervisors to get the timber out of Lebanon to build with. It was a massive undertaking.

King Hiram (spelled Huram in Chronicles) agreed to provide the timber in exchange for food for his people.

v8 "And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir."

There were great numbers of people employed for this task. In Chronicles, it explains that these were the strangers in Israel.

v11 "And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year."

v13 "And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel and the levy was thirty thousand men."

This could be the first draft, perhaps not, in other places warriors were encouraged to fight at the risk of being killed if they failed to show up (Saul).

Great stones were also brought for the foundation.

v17 "And the king commanded and they brought great stones, costly stones and hewed stones to lay the foundation of the house."

So now we are ready. Great numbers of men have cut timber and floated it to Joppa where Solomon retrieved it and brought it to the temple building site. It is all laid out and ready for the next chapter.

Psalm 53:16-17 "As for me, I will all upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice."

Keywords: Bible Study, Old Old Story, Old Testament, Kings, Solomon. Hiram, Milton J Southerland. Solomon prepares to build the temple.