He designated 70,000 as common laborers, 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills, and 3,600 as supervisors to make sure the people completed the work.

In front of the temple he made two pillars which had a combined length of 52½ feet, with each having a plated capital seven and one-half feet high.

and the pots, shovels, and meat forks. All the items King Solomon assigned Huram Abi to make for the Lord’s temple were made from polished bronze.

Solomon also made these items for God’s temple: the gold altar, the tables on which the Bread of the Presence was kept,

listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.

then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help, vindicate them, and forgive your sinful people.

You must serve me as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations.

As for this temple, which was once majestic, everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of hammered gold were used for each shield.

There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.

King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace.

Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!’”

He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’

He told the judges, “Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions.

Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.”

He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord and led Judah away from the Lord.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they gave him advice that led to his destruction.

(Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.)

King Joash disregarded the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”

Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.”