The Biggest Construction Project in History.

וַיִּסְפֹּ֨ר שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֙לֶף֙ אִ֣ישׁ סַבָּ֔ל וּשְׁמוֹנִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ חֹצֵ֣ב בָּהָ֑ר וּמְנַצְּחִ֣ים עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ פ

Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord , and a royal palace for himself.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶל־חוּרָ֥ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ עִם־דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֔י וַתִּֽשְׁלַֽח־ל֣וֹ אֲרָזִ֔ים לִבְנֽוֹת־ל֥וֹ בַ֖יִת לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בּֽוֹ׃

[2] And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them.

הִנֵּה֩ אֲנִ֨י בֽוֹנֶה־בַּ֜יִת לְשֵׁ֣ם׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֗י לְהַקְדִּ֣ישׁ ל֡וֹ לְהַקְטִ֣יר לְפָנָ֣יו קְטֹֽרֶת־סַמִּים֩ וּמַעֲרֶ֨כֶת תָּמִ֤יד וְעֹלוֹת֙ לַבֹּ֣קֶר וְלָעֶ֔רֶב לַשַּׁבָּתוֹת֙ וְלֶ֣חֳדָשִׁ֔ים וּֽלְמוֹעֲדֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְעוֹלָ֖ם זֹ֥את עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[3] 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.

וְהַבַּ֛יִת אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י בוֹנֶ֖ה גָּד֑וֹל כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ מִכָּל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

[4] 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.

וּמִ֤י יַעֲצָר־כֹּ֙חַ֙ לִבְנֽוֹת־ל֣וֹ בַ֔יִת כִּ֧י הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וּשְׁמֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּ וּמִ֤י אֲנִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶבְנֶה־לּ֣וֹ בַ֔יִת כִּ֖י אִם־לְהַקְטִ֥יר לְפָנָֽיו׃

[5] The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.

וְעַתָּ֡ה שְֽׁלַֽח־לִ֣י אִישׁ־חָכָ֡ם לַעֲשׂוֹת֩ בַּזָּהָ֨ב וּבַכֶּ֜סֶף וּבַנְּחֹ֣שֶׁת וּבַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וּבָֽאַרְגְּוָן֙ וְכַרְמִ֣יל וּתְכֵ֔לֶת וְיֹדֵ֖עַ לְפַתֵּ֣חַ פִּתּוּחִ֑ים עִם־הַֽחֲכָמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר עִמִּי֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֣ה וּבִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵכִ֖ין דָּוִ֥יד אָבִֽי׃

[6] 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?

וּֽשְׁלַֽח־לִי֩ עֲצֵ֨י אֲרָזִ֜ים בְּרוֹשִׁ֣ים וְאַלְגּוּמִּים֮ מֵֽהַלְּבָנוֹן֒ כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ יֽוֹדְעִ֔ים לִכְר֖וֹת עֲצֵ֣י לְבָנ֑וֹן וְהִנֵּ֥ה עֲבָדַ֖י עִם־עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃

[7] 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.

וּלְהָכִ֥ין לִ֛י עֵצִ֖ים לָרֹ֑ב כִּ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י בוֹנֶ֖ה גָּד֥וֹל וְהַפְלֵֽא׃

[8] 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,

וְהִנֵּ֣ה לַֽחֹטְבִ֣ים׀ לְֽכֹרְתֵ֣י׀ הָעֵצִ֡ים נָתַתִּי֩ חִטִּ֨ים׀ מַכּ֜וֹת לַעֲבָדֶ֗יךָ כֹּרִים֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׂעֹרִ֕ים כֹּרִ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֣ים אָ֑לֶף וְיַ֗יִן בַּתִּים֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים אֶ֔לֶף וְשֶׁ֕מֶן בַּתִּ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃ פ

[9] to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר חוּרָ֤ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹר֙ בִּכְתָ֔ב וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה בְּאַהֲבַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ נְתָנְךָ֥ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃

[10] 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.”

וַיֹּאמֶר֮ חוּרָם֒ בָּר֤וּךְ יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַן֩ לְדָוִ֨יד הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בֵּ֣ן חָכָ֗ם יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ שֵׂ֣כֶל וּבִינָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְנֶה־בַּ֙יִת֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וּבַ֖יִת לְמַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃

[11] Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you king over them.”

וְעַתָּ֗ה שָׁלַ֧חְתִּי אִישׁ־חָכָ֛ם יוֹדֵ֥עַ בִּינָ֖ה לְחוּרָ֥מ אָבִֽי׃

[12] Hiram also said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.

בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֞ה מִן־בְּנ֣וֹת דָּ֗ן וְאָבִ֣יו אִישׁ־צֹרִ֡י יוֹדֵ֡עַ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת בַּזָּֽהָב־וּ֠בַכֶּסֶף בַּנְּחֹ֨שֶׁת בַּבַּרְזֶ֜ל בָּאֲבָנִ֣ים וּבָעֵצִ֗ים בָּאַרְגָּמָ֤ן בַּתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וּבַבּ֣וּץ וּבַכַּרְמִ֔יל וּלְפַתֵּ֙חַ֙ כָּל־פִּתּ֔וּחַ וְלַחְשֹׁ֖ב כָּל־מַחֲשָׁ֑בֶת אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנָּֽתֶן־לוֹ֙ עִם־חֲכָמֶ֔יךָ וְֽחַכְמֵ֔י אֲדֹנִ֖י דָּוִ֥יד אָבִֽיךָ׃

[13] “Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi,

וְ֠עַתָּה הַחִטִּ֨ים וְהַשְּׂעֹרִ֜ים הַשֶּׁ֤מֶן וְהַיַּ֙יִן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנִ֔י יִשְׁלַ֖ח לַעֲבָדָֽיו׃

[14] the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father.

וַ֠אֲנַחְנוּ נִכְרֹ֨ת עֵצִ֤ים מִן־הַלְּבָנוֹן֙ כְּכָל־צָרְכֶּ֔ךָ וּנְבִיאֵ֥ם לְךָ֛ רַפְסֹד֖וֹת עַל־יָ֣ם יָפ֑וֹ וְאַתָּ֛ה תַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖ם יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ

[15] Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants.

וַיִּסְפֹּ֣ר שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הַגֵּירִים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַחֲרֵ֣י הַסְּפָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְפָרָ֖ם דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יו וַיִּמָּצְא֗וּ מֵאָ֤ה וַחֲמִשִּׁים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃

[16] And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem.”

וַיַּ֨עַשׂ מֵהֶ֜ם שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֙לֶף֙ סַבָּ֔ל וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֹצֵ֣ב בָּהָ֑ר וּשְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת מְנַצְּחִ֖ים לְהַעֲבִ֥יד אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

[17] Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600.