Solomon's Wisdom, Strength, and the Temple's Foundation

1. King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2. These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 3. Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5. Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, the king’s friend; 6. Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor. 7. Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for a month in the year. 8. These are their names: Ben Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9. Ben Deker, in Makaz, in Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan; 10. Ben Hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh and all the land of Hepher belonged to him); 11. Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as wife); 12. Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; 13. Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, belonged to him; and the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars, belonged to him); 14. Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15. Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife); 16. Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17. Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18. Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 19. Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land. 20. Judah and Israel were numerous as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry. 21. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. 22. Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour, sixty measures of meal, 23. ten head of fat cattle, twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl. 24. For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides around him. 25. Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 26. Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27. Those officers provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon’s table, every man in his month. They let nothing be lacking. 28. They also brought Barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where the officers were, each man according to his duty. 29. God gave Solomon abundant wisdom and understanding, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the seashore. 30. Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations all around. 32. He spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs numbered one thousand five. 33. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; he also spoke of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. 34. People of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, sent by all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. 1. Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David. 2. Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3. “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet. 4. But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no evil occurrence. 5. Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place shall build the house for my name.’ 6. Now therefore command that cedar trees be cut for me out of Lebanon. My servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say. For you know that there is nobody among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.” 7. When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh today, who has given to David a wise son to rule over this great people.” 8. Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning cypress timber. 9. My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.” 10. So Hiram gave Solomon cedar timber and cypress timber according to all his desire. 11. Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat for food to his household, and twenty cors of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. 12. Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. 13. King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14. He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; for a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor. 15. Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains; 16. besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who ruled over the people who labored in the work. 17. The king commanded, and they cut out large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone. 18. Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house. 1. In the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build Yahweh’s house. 2. The house which king Solomon built for Yahweh had a length of sixty cubits, and its width twenty, and its height thirty cubits. 3. The porch in front of the temple of the house had a length of twenty cubits, which was along the width of the house. Ten cubits was its width in front of the house. 4. He made windows of fixed lattice work for the house. 5. Against the wall of the house, he built floors all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the inner sanctuary; and he made side rooms all around. 6. The lowest floor was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around, that the beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house. 7. The house, when it was under construction, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and no hammer or ax or any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was under construction. 8. The door for the middle side rooms was in the right side of the house. They went up by winding stairs into the middle floor, and out of the middle into the third. 9. So he built the house, and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar. 10. He built the floors all along the house, each five cubits high; and they rested on the house with timber of cedar. 11. Yahweh’s word came to Solomon, saying, 12. “Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13. I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.” 14. So Solomon built the house, and finished it. 15. He built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with cypress boards. 16. He built twenty cubits on the back part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling. He built them for it within, for an inner sanctuary, even for the most holy place. 17. In front of the temple sanctuary was forty cubits. 18. There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers. All was cedar. No stone was visible. 19. He prepared an inner sanctuary in the middle of the house within, to set the ark of Yahweh’s covenant there. 20. Within the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with pure gold; and he covered the altar with cedar. 21. So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold. He drew chains of gold across before the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold. 22. He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. He also overlaid the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary with gold. 23. In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24. Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub. From the tip of one wing to the tip of the other was ten cubits. 25. The other cherub was ten cubits. Both the cherubim were of one measure and one form. 26. One cherub was ten cubits high, and so was the other cherub. 27. He set the cherubim within the inner house. The wings of the cherubim were stretched out, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the middle of the house. 28. He overlaid the cherubim with gold. 29. He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inside and outside. 30. He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inside and outside. 31. For the entrance of the inner sanctuary, he made doors of olive wood. The lintel and door posts were a fifth part of the wall. 32. So he made two doors of olive wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold. He spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees. 33. He also did so for the entrance of the temple door posts of olive wood, out of a fourth part of the wall; 34. and two doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. 35. He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold fitted on the engraved work. 36. He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and a course of cedar beams. 37. The foundation of Yahweh’s house was laid in the fourth year, in the month Ziv. 38. In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts, and according to all its specifications. So he spent seven years building it.

1. Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God. 2. Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. 3. For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same, 4. for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil. 5. Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6. For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, attending continually on this very thing. 7. Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10. Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. 11. Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 12. The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light. 13. Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. 14. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts. 1. Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 2. One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3. Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4. Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand. 5. One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. 6. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. 7. For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. 8. For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9. For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11. For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’” 12. So then each one of us will give account of himself to God. 13. Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling. 14. I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15. Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16. Then don’t let your good be slandered, 17. for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19. So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. 20. Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating. 21. It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak. 22. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves. 23. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin. 24. Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, 25. but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; 26. to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen. 1. Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. 3. For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5. Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus, 6. that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7. Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8. Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9. and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10. Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” 11. Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.” 12. Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.” 13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 14. I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15. But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, 16. that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17. I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 18. For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19. in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; 20. yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation. 21. But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.” 22. Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, 23. but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, 24. whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 25. But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26. For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. 27. Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things. 28. When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29. I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ. 30. Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31. that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints; 32. that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest. 33. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. 1. I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae, 2. that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self. 3. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4. who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles. 5. Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. 6. Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me. 8. Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10. Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11. Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12. Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. 13. Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you. 17. Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. 18. For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent. 19. For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil. 20. And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 21. Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. 22. I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord. 23. Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother. 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen. 25.

1. I cry with my voice to Yahweh. With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy. 2. I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles. 3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me. 4. Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul. 5. I cried to you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 6. Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than me. 7. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.