(1:18) Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.

O Lord, I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.”

It was four fingers thick and its rim was like that of a cup shaped like a lily blossom. It could hold 18,000 gallons.

Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.

For a long time Israel had no true God, or priest to instruct them, or law.

Now I am sending you Huram Abi, a skilled and capable man,

The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.

There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.

King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush.

The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.

They settled down in it and built in it a temple to honor you, saying,

The king of Egypt prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem and imposed on the land a special tax of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him.

He made a bronze altar, 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.

And you will get a serious, chronic intestinal disease which will cause your intestines to come out.”

Huram also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself.

He hired 100,000 Israelite warriors for a hundred talents of silver.

From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields,

The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple.

A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.