Commentaria in II Paralipomenon
Chapter 2
Solomon appoints ten thousand bearers and eighty thousand stone-cutters for the building of the temple: he makes an agreement with Hiram concerning a skilful architect and the sending of timber.
1. And Solomon determined to build a house to the name of the Lord, and a palace for himself. 2. And he numbered seventy thousand men to carry burdens on their shoulders, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred to be overseers of them. 3. He sent also to Hiram the king of Tyre, saying: As thou didst with David my father, and sentest him cedar trees to build him a house to dwell in, 4. so do with me, that I may build a house to the name of the Lord my God, to consecrate it to burn incense before him, and to burn sweet spices, and for the continual offering of the loaves of proposition, and for the holocausts morning and evening, on the sabbaths also, and on the new moons, and on the solemnities of the Lord our God for ever, which are commanded to Israel; 5. for the house which I desire to build is great: for our God is great above all gods. 6. Who then can be able to build him a worthy house? if heaven and the heavens of heavens cannot contain him, how great am I, that I should be able to build him a house? but only that incense may be burned before him. 7. Send me therefore a skilful man, who knows how to work in gold, and silver, brass, and iron, purple, scarlet, and blue, and who knows how to engrave, with those artificers whom I have with me in Judea and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. 8. Send me also cedar trees, and pine trees, and algum trees, from Libanus: for I know that thy servants are skilful in cutting timber, and my servants shall be with thy servants, 9. that much timber may be prepared for me. For the house which I desire to build is exceeding great and glorious. 10. Moreover to the workmen that shall cut the trees, thy servants, I will give for food twenty thousand measures of wheat, and as many measures of barley, and twenty thousand measures of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil. 11. And Hiram the king of Tyre said in writing, which he sent to Solomon: Because the Lord hath loved his people, therefore he hath made thee king over them. 12. And he added, saying: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who hath given to king David a wise and learned son, endued with understanding and prudence, to build a house for the Lord, and a palace for himself. 13. I have sent thee a prudent and most skilful man, Hiram, my father, 14. the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, whose father was a Tyrian, who knows how to work in gold and silver, brass, and iron, and marble, and wood, in purple also, and violet, and fine linen, and scarlet: and who knows how to engrave all manner of graving, and to devise prudently whatsoever is needful in the work, with thy artificers, and with the artificers of my lord David thy father. 15. The wheat therefore, and the barley, and the oil, and the wine, which thou hast promised, my lord, send to thy servants. 16. And we will cut down as much timber from Libanus as thou shalt need, and will bring it to thee in rafts by sea to Joppe: and it shall be thy part to carry it to Jerusalem. 17. And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering that David his father had numbered, and there were found a hundred and fifty-three thousand six hundred. 18. And he made seventy thousand of them to carry burdens on their shoulders, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers of the works of the people.
I have expounded this chapter in 3 Kings, chapter V. Verse 13. Hiram my father—whom, namely, I venerate as a father on account of his virtue, wisdom, and industry. See what I said in 3 Kings, chapter II, verse 43. The Hebrew, the Septuagint, and the Chaldee have, of Hiram my father, understanding architect and servant. Verse 2. He numbered seventy thousand men.—These were not Israelites, but proselytes, as is clear from verse 17. Overseers—who might direct, and at the same time urge on, the workmen to hasten the building of the temple and bring it to completion: for this is what Menatseach signifies.
Solomon builds a magnificent temple and sets before it two columns, Jachin and Booz.