After Solomon died, the country called Israel became two countries. The south was called Judah. Rehoboam was the first king of Judah. The north was still called Israel. Here Jeroboam became king (chapter 12). There were many other kings after these two kings.
When the kings obeyed God, the people had peace. Sometimes the kings did not obey God and they worshipped other gods instead. Then bad things happened. When the people in Israel stopped obeying God, he sent a prophet. His name was Elijah. He did things that someone could only do with the help of God. He told the people that they should worship God again.
1 King David was old. He was very old. He could not get warm, even when people put blankets over him.
2 So his servants said to him, ‘We will look for a young woman who has never had sex for our master the king. She can be with the king and she can be his nurse. And she can lie at your side so that our master the king will be warm.’
3 So they looked through all the country called Israel for a beautiful girl. And they found Abishag. She was from Shunem. And they brought her to the king.
4 The girl was very beautiful. And she was very kind to the king. She did what the king needed. But the king did not have sex with her.
5 Then Adonijah (David’s son) demanded this. ‘I want to be the king.’ His mother’s name was Haggith. He got men that were ready to ride on horses. And he had 50 men to run in front of him.
6 His father had always let him do whatever he wanted to do. (So) his father never asked him, ‘Why are you doing that?’ Also, Adonijah was very handsome. He was (the son of David that was) born next after Absalom.
7 And Adonijah talked (about this) with Joab and Abiathar. Joab was the son of (David’s sister) Zeruiah and Abiathar was the priest. They said that they would help Adonijah.
8 But these people did not join Adonijah’s group: 9 Then Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cows and young fat cows. He did it at the Stone (called) Zoheleth. It was near to the well at Rogel. He asked all these people to come to the meeting: 10 But he did not ask these people to come to the meeting: 11 Bathsheba was the mother of Solomon. Nathan asked her, ‘Have you heard this? Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king. Our master, David, does not know about it.
12 Now I will tell you how you can save your life and the life of Solomon your son.
13 Go to King David and say to him, “My master the king, did you not promise this to me, your servant? ‘Your son Solomon will become king after me. He will sit on my throne.’ So why has Adonijah become king?”
14 While you are still talking to the king, I will come in after you. I will say that your words are true.’
15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. The king was very old. And Abishag, the girl from Shunem, was with him.
16 And Bathsheba bent down on her knees in front of the king. ‘What do you want?’ the king asked her.
17 And she said to him, ‘My master, you promised this to me, your servant, and to the LORD your God. “Solomon, your son, will be king after me and he will sit on my throne”, you said.
18 But now, Adonijah has become king. And you, my master the king, you do not know about it.
19 He has sacrificed many cows, fat young cows and sheep. He has asked these people to come to the meeting: 20 My master the king, everyone in Israel is waiting for you to say something. They want to know from you who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.
21 If you do not tell them, this will happen. Soon after they bury you with your ancestors, they will put me and my son Solomon into a prison.’
22 While Bathsheba spoke to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
23 And (his servants) told the king, ‘Nathan the prophet is here.’ So Nathan the prophet went in to the king’s (bedroom). And he bent low, with his face to the ground.
24 Nathan said, ‘My master the king, have you said that Adonijah will become king after you? Will he sit on your throne?
25 This is what he has done today. He has sacrificed large numbers of cows, fat young cows and sheep. He has asked these people to be with him: 26 But he did not ask these people to be with him: 27 Has my master the king done this? Has he not told his servants who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him?’
28 Then King David answered him. He said, ‘Send Bathsheba to me!’ So Bathsheba came to the king and she stood in front of him.
29 Then the king spoke a very serious promise. He said, ‘I am sure that the LORD is alive! He has saved me from every kind of trouble.
30 As surely as that is true, today I will keep my promise to you. I said it to you and to the LORD, the God of Israel. Your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne instead of me.’
31 Then Bathsheba bent down low with her face to the ground. She said this, with her knees on the ground in front of the king. ‘I pray that my master King David will live always!’
32 And King David said, ‘Send to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.’ And they came to the king.
33 And the king said to them, ‘Put my son Solomon on my own donkey. Then take him down to Gihon with all your master’s servants.
34 There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet can anoint him king over Israel. Make a noise with a trumpet and shout, “We pray that King Solomon will live for a long time!”
35 Then you must come up with him (to Jerusalem). He must come and he must sit on my throne. He must rule instead of me. I have made him ruler over Israel and Judah.’
36 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answered the king, ‘I agree! And I pray that the LORD will say that too. He is the God of my master the king.
37 The LORD was with my master the king. We pray that he will be with Solomon also. We pray that he will make the throne of Solomon even greater than the throne of my master King David!’
38 So these people put Solomon on King David’s donkey: 39 Zadok the priest anointed Solomon. He used oil from a special bottle that was in the holy place. Then they made a loud noise with a trumpet. And all the people shouted, ‘We pray that King Solomon will live for a long time!’
40 And all the people went up after him. They used their mouths to make music with things called flutes. And they were very happy. The noise caused the ground to move under them!
41 Adonijah and all the people that were with him heard the noise. They were finishing their special meal. When he heard the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, ‘What does all the noise in the city mean?’
42 Even while Joab was speaking, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, arrived. Adonijah said to him, ‘Come in! You are a good man. I think that you are bringing good news.’
43 Jonathan answered him and said, ‘No! Our master King David has made Solomon king.
44 These people put Solomon on to the king’s donkey: 45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king at Gihon. From there they have gone (to Jerusalem). While they went, they made loud, happy noises. The sound of them is in all the city called Gihon. That is the noise that you can hear.
46 Also, Solomon has sat down on the king’s throne.
47 And the king’s officers have told our master King David that they are very happy about it. They said, “We pray that your God will make Solomon’s name more famous than your name. And we pray that his throne will be greater than your throne.” Then the king bent his head down on his bed. He said that God was great,
48 with these words. “The LORD is the great God of Israel. He has let my eyes see who will be king after me. He is on my throne today.” ’
49 When they heard this, all the people with Adonijah were afraid. They all went away.
50 But Adonijah, because he was afraid of Solomon, went to the holy place. He held the points on the corners of the altar there.
51 Then a servant told Solomon, ‘Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. He is holding the points on the corners of the altar. He is saying, “I pray that Solomon will promise this to me today. (I pray that) he will not kill his servant with the sword.” ’
52 Solomon answered, ‘If he is a good man, not one hair from his head will fall to the ground. But if he is a bad man, he will die.’
53 Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought Adonijah down from the altar in the holy place. And Adonijah came and he bent down in front of King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, ‘Go to your home.’ Notes about chapter 1 1 The day when David should die was near. Then this is what he told his son Solomon.
2 (David) said, ‘Soon I will die like everyone else on the earth. So, be strong. And show people that you have grown into a man.
3 Do what the LORD your God asks you to do. Live in his ways. Continue to obey his rules and his laws. Do what he has decided. (Do this because) it is right. Do everything that he wants you to do. Moses wrote it all in his law books. If you do that, you will do well everywhere and in everything.
4 And the LORD will keep his promise to me. This is what he promised to me. 5 Also, you know what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me. He killed the two leaders of Israel’s armies. He killed Abner, the son of Ner and Amasa, the son of Jether. He did it like there was a war. But there was no war! Their blood is on the belt round his body and on the shoes on his feet.
6 So do the right thing as you thought. Do not let him die in peace as an old man.
7 But be kind to the sons of Barzillai, who lived in Gilead. Let them eat at your table. (Do this) because they were kind to me. (They were kind) when I was running away from your brother Absalom.
8 And remember, Shimei, the son of Gera, is with you. He came from Bahurim, in Benjamin. He prayed that really bad things would happen to me. He did that when I went to Mahanaim. But he did come down to meet me at the (River) Jordan. So I promised him, with the LORD’s name, that I would not kill him with the sword.
9 But do not think that he has done nothing wrong. You are a wise man. And so you will do what is right. You know what you must do to him. He is an old man. But you must (cause your servants to) kill him!’
10 Then David (died and he) rested with his ancestors. And they buried him in the City of David, (Jerusalem).
11 David had ruled Israel for 40 years. He was (king) 7 years in Hebron, then 33 years in Jerusalem. Solomon makes himself safe
12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David. He became a strong king.
13 Adonijah was the son of Haggith. He went to Bathsheba, who was the mother of Solomon. And she said, ‘Do you come in peace?’ He answered, ‘(I do come) in peace.’
14 Then he said, ‘I want to say something to you.’ ‘Say it’, she replied.
15 And he said, ‘You know that I should be king. All Israel thought that I should be their king. But things changed, and now my brother is the king. The LORD has made him king.
16 Now I have one thing to ask you. Do not refuse me.’ ‘Tell me’, she replied.
17 So he said, ‘Ask King Solomon to give me Abishag, the girl from Shunem, as my wife. He will not refuse you.’
18 And Bathsheba said, ‘I will speak to the king on your behalf.’
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak on behalf of Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her. He was polite to her. Then he sat down on his throne. And he ordered (his servants to bring) another throne for his mother. So she sat down at his right side.
20 ‘I have one small thing to ask you’, she said. ‘Do not refuse me.’ And the king answered her, ‘Ask me, mother! I will not refuse you!’
21 So she said, ‘Let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem.’
22 And King Solomon said to his mother, ‘You are asking that Adonijah can marry Abishag. You are almost asking me that my older brother should become king! (That is what) Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah (want)!’
23 Then King Solomon promised this to the LORD. ‘I want God to hurt me very much if Adonijah does not die because of this. And that is what I pray!
24 Now, as surely as God is alive, Adonijah will die today. God has done all these things, which he promised to me: 25 So King Solomon ordered Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, to kill Adonijah. And so he attacked him and he died.
26 The king said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Really, you should die. But I will not kill you now. (That is) because you carried the ark of the LORD God in front of my father David. Also, the trouble that happened to my father happened to you.’
27 So Solomon stopped Abiathar from being a priest of the LORD. The things that the LORD said at Shiloh about Eli’s family had now happened.
28 Then the news about this came to Joab. Now Joab had talked with Adonijah, but not with Absalom (about how they could make Adonijah king.) So Joab hurried to the holy place of the LORD. He held the points on the corners of the altar there.
29 And they told Solomon that Joab had hurried to the holy place of the LORD. (They said that) he was next to the altar there. Then Solomon said to Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, ‘Go there! Knock him down!’
30 So Benaiah went into the holy place of the LORD. He said to Joab, ‘The king says, “Come out!” ’ But (Joab) answered, ‘No! I will die here!’ So Benaiah sent a report to the king. He said, ‘This is what Joab said to me.’
31 Then the king said to Benaiah, ‘Do as he says. Knock him down and bury him. So you will remove from me and from my father’s family the blood that Joab poured out. It was the blood of people that he should not have killed.
32 The LORD will punish him because of the blood that he poured out. He attacked two men and he killed them with his sword. My father David did not know about this. Both men were better and more honest than Joab was. (These were the two men:) 33 So Joab and his children and their children will always have troubles because they killed those men. But David’s children, their children and his throne will always be in peace with (help from) the LORD.’
34 So Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went and he knocked down Joab. He killed him and (Joab’s family) buried him in his own land in the country.
35 And the king chose Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, to be the leader of the army instead of (Joab). Also, the king chose Zadok the priest to (be the leader of the priests) instead of Abiathar.
36 Then the king asked for Shimei to come to him. (The king) said (to Shimei), ‘Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live in it. Do not go out from it to anywhere else.
37 On the day that you leave it to cross the Kidron Valley, you will die. You will die because of what you yourself have done.’
38 And Shimei said to the king, ‘Your words are good. Your servant (Shimei) will do as my master the king has said.’ So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
39 But after three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away. They went to Achish, who was the son of Maacah, the king of Gath. Someone told Shimei, ‘Your slaves are in Gath.’
40 So Shimei went out and he prepared his donkey (for a journey). He went to Achish in Gath to look for his slaves. He went out (from Jerusalem) and he brought back his slaves from Gath.
41 Someone reported to Solomon that Shimei had travelled from Jerusalem to Gath. Then he had returned (with his slaves).
42 So the king asked for Shimei to come to him. (The king) said (to Shimei), ‘You spoke a very serious promise to the LORD (to obey me). I ordered you not to leave (Jerusalem). If you did, you would die. And you said to me at that time, “Your words are good. I will obey you.”
43 But you have not kept your promise to the LORD. You did not do what I ordered you to do.’
44 The king also said to Shimei, ‘You know in your mind all the bad things that you did to my father David. Now the LORD will punish you because of the wrong things that you did.
45 But good things will happen to King Solomon. The LORD will make David’s throne to be safe for always.’
46 Then the king told Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the thing to do. So he went out and he knocked Shimei down. And he killed him. So Solomon now ruled the country. Nobody could say that he was not the proper king. Notes about chapter 2 1 Solomon made a covenant with Pharaoh, who was the king of Egypt. Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter. He brought her to the city of David. Then Solomon finished the things that he was building. (They were these buildings:) 2 But the people still sacrificed in high places, because they had not yet built a temple for the LORD’s Name.
3 (This is how) Solomon showed that he loved the LORD. He obeyed all the rules of his father David except (one). He burned sacrifices and he burned incense in country places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice (to the LORD). That was the most important country place. Solomon sacrificed there a thousand times on the altar.
5 At Gibeon, Solomon saw the LORD during the night, in a dream. And God said, ‘Ask me for whatever thing that you want me to give to you.’
6 Solomon’s answered, ‘You were very kind to your servant, my father David. (This was) because he always believed in you. He was a good man and he was honest. You have continued to be very kind to him. You have given to him a son to sit on his throne to this day.
7 Now, my LORD and God, you have made (me,) your servant king, instead of my father. But I am only a little child. I do not know how to do my duties.
8 Your servant is here, among the people (in the country) that you have chosen. It is a great country. There are too many people to count, or to find out how many that there are.
9 So give to your servant a mind that understands things. So I will be able to rule your people. I will be able to see who is right. And I will be able to see who is wrong. That is how I will be able to rule your great country.’
10 It made the LORD happy that Solomon had asked for this. 13 I will give you more than this. I will give to you the things that you did not ask for. (I will make you) rich. (People will know that you are) great. While you are alive, there will be no better king than you.
14 Also, I will give to you a long life, if you (do this). Live as I want you to live. Obey my rules and my laws. That is what David your father did.’
15 Then Solomon awoke. (And he knew) that it was a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and he stood in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. He sacrificed (animals) and he burned them. He gave a peace gift (to God). Then he gave a very good meal to all his servants. Solomon uses his wisdom
16 Then two women came and they stood in front of the king. (The women) were prostitutes.
17 And one woman said (to the king), ‘Oh! My lord (and king)! I and this woman live in the same house. And I had a baby while she lived in the house (with me).
18 And three days after (my child) was born, she also had a baby. We were alone in the house. Only the two of us were there. There was no stranger there.
19 But this woman lay on her son in the night and he died.
20 So she got up at midnight and she took my son from my side. I, your servant, was asleep (when she did this). She put him by her breast and she put her dead son by my breast.
21 When I got up in the morning to feed my son, he was dead! So I looked carefully at him in the morning (light). Then I saw that he was not my son. He was not the son that was born to me!’
22 Then the other woman said, ‘No! It is my son that is alive. Your son is dead!’ But the first woman answered, ‘No! The dead boy is yours. My son is alive!’ And so they argued in front of the king.
23 Then the king said, ‘This (woman) says, “My son is alive and your son is dead.” But the other (woman) says, “No! Your son is dead and my son is alive.” ’
24 So the king said, ‘Bring me a sword.’ So they brought a sword to the king.
25 And the king said, ‘Cut the child that is alive into two pieces. Give half to one (woman) and half to the other (woman).’
26 Then the woman whose son was alive spoke. She really loved her son. So she said to the king, ‘My lord, please give the baby that is alive to her. Do not kill him.’ But the other (woman) said, ‘Neither you nor I will have him. Cut him in half!’
27 Then this was what the king decided. ‘Give the baby that is alive to the first woman. She is its mother. Do not kill it.’
28 Everybody in Israel heard what the king had decided. And they were really afraid of the king. They knew that he used the wisdom from God to decide fairly. Notes about chapter 3 1 So King Solomon was the king of all Israel.
2 And these were his important officers: 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah. They were the sons of Shisha. They wrote down (what happened). 4 Benaiah, (who was) the son of Jehoiada. (Benaiah was) the leader of the army. 5 Azariah, (who was) the son of Nathan. He told the 12 officers (in verse 7) what to do. 6 Ahishar, (who) kept (the king’s) houses and fields well. 7 Solomon also had 12 (other) officers. They were in (different) places in all Israel. They supplied food for the king and for the people that lived in his houses. Each (officer) had to supply food for one month in (each) year.
8 These are their names. 9 Ben-deker. (He supplied food from) Makaz and Shaalbim and Beth Shemesh and Elon Beth Hanan.
10 Ben-hesed. (He supplied food from) Arubboth. Socoh and all the fields round Hepher were his (also).
11 Ben-abinadab. (He supplied food from) the hills near Dor. (Abinadab) had married Solomon’s daughter called Taphath.
12 Baana, (who was) the son of Ahilud. (He supplied food from) Taanach and Megiddo and (from) all of Beth-shean. (Beth-shean) is near Zarethan, (which is) below Jezreel. (He also supplied food) from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and across to Jokmeam.
13 Ben-geber. (He supplied food from) Ramoth Gilead. The villages of Manasseh’s son Jair in Gilead were his. Also, the country round Argob in Bashan (was his). It included 60 large cities. The cities had walls and long pieces of metal (to lock) the gates.
14 Ahinadab, (who was) the son of Iddo. (He supplied food from) Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz. (He supplied food from) Naphtali. (Ahimaaz) had married Basemath, (who was) Solomon’s daughter.
16 Baana, (who was) the son of Hushai. (He supplied food from) Asher and (from) Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat, (who was) the son of Paruah. (He supplied food from) Issachar.
18 Shimei, (who was) the son of Ela. (He supplied food from) Benjamin.
19 Geber, (who was) the son of Uri. (He supplied food from) Gilead. (Gilead was) the country where Sihon was king. He was king of the people called Amorites. Also, (Gilead was) the country where Og was the King of Bashan. (Geber) was the only officer in (all) this country. Solomon’s kingdom
20 There were very many people in Judah and Israel. There were as many of them as (there are bits of) sand by the sea (shore). They ate (their food) and they drank (their drink). So they were very happy.
21 And Solomon ruled over all the kingdom. (The kingdom) was from the River (Euphrates in Babylon) to the country where the Philistines live. (They live) near the border of Egypt. The people (from these places) brought gifts (to Solomon) and they were his servants all the days of his life.
22 And this is what (his officers) supplied Solomon each day. 23 10 cows that ate in the farm buildings 24 (This is) because (Solomon) ruled all (the land) west of the River (Euphrates in Babylon). (He ruled) from Tiphsah to Gaza. (He ruled) all the kingdoms west of the River (Euphrates). There was no war in any of these places.
25 While Solomon ruled, Judah and Israel were safe. Each (person) lived under their vine or fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba.
26 Solomon had 4000 buildings for horses that pulled chariots. And he had 12 000 horses.
27 The 12 officers supplied food for King Solomon and for everybody that ate with him. (The king) got everything that he needed.
28 (Each officer) brought his part (each month). They brought food and dry grass for the horses that pulled chariots and for the other horses. 29 God gave Solomon wisdom. He could see what things mean. So he understood them well. (He had more wisdom) than there are bits of sand on the sea shore!
30 Solomon had more wisdom than all the men (that lived) in the East. (His wisdom) was greater than all the wisdom in Egypt.
31 He had more wisdom than any other man. This includes the man called Ethan the Ezrahite. And (it includes) Heman, Calcol and Darda. (Calcol and Darda were) the sons of Mahol. (Solomon) was famous in all the countries round (Israel).
32 (Solomon) spoke 3000 proverbs and (he wrote) 5000 songs.
33 And he described (many) plants: (He described large ones) like the cedar trees that grow in Lebanon. And (he described small ones) like the small plant called hyssop. Hyssop grows on walls. And he taught (people) about all kinds of animals, birds, fishes and things that move on their stomachs.
34 (People) came from all countries to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. Every king on earth who had heard about his wisdom (sent) someone. Notes about chapter 4 1 Hiram (was the) king of Tyre. He heard that Solomon had become king after his father (David). So (Hiram) sent his servants to Solomon, because Hiram had always been a friend of David.
2 And Solomon sent (this message) to Hiram. It said,
3 ‘You know about my father David. He was unable to build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God. This was because people on all sides fought wars against my father David. (They did this) until God caused him to beat his enemies.
4 But now the LORD my God has made it quiet all round (me). There are no enemies and nothing to destroy anything.
5 So, I have decided to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God. This is what the LORD said to my father David. (The LORD) said, “I will put your son on your throne after you. He will build the temple for my Name.”
6 And you know that none of us can make wood from trees like the men from Sidon. So now, tell (your men) that they should cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. And my men will (work) with your men. And I will pay you whatever you ask for your men.’
7 Hiram was very happy when he heard Solomon’s message. And he said, ‘Praise the LORD today, because he gave David a wise son to rule over this great country.’
8 So Hiram sent this message to Solomon. ‘I have received (the message) that you sent to me. I will do all that you ask. (I will send you) cedar wood and pine wood.
9 My men will pull them from Lebanon to the sea. And I will tie several trees together. And then I will pull them along the top of the sea to where you want them. There I will make them into separate trees again, and you will take them away. And you will supply food for my palace, as I want.’
10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar wood and pine wood that (Solomon) wanted.
11 Then Solomon supplied Hiram with 20 000 cors (4.4 million litres or 1.1 million gallons) of wheat as food for his palace. He also (supplied) 20 cors (4400 litres or 1100 gallons) of olive oil. Solomon sent this every year to Hiram.
12 And the LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, as (the LORD) had promised to him. Also, there was no war between Hiram and Solomon. They agreed that they would not fight.
13 Then King Solomon caused 30 000 men from all Israel to work for him.
14 He sent them to Lebanon in groups of 10 000 men each month. So, they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was the master of these men.
15 Solomon had 70 000 men that carried things. And he had 80 000 men that cut stones in the hills.
16 He also had 3300 leaders. They told the workers what they should do.
17 The king ordered them to take large pieces of the best stone that they had cut. They had to take these from the hills where they had cut them. These were the stones that they would build the foundation of the temple with.
18 So the men that worked for Solomon and for Hiram prepared the stone and the wood to build the temple. Notes about chapter 5 1 So, Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD. It was 480 years after the Jews had come out from Egypt. Solomon had been king for 4 years. It was in the month called Ziv, the second month (of the year).
2 The temple that Solomon the king built for the LORD was 60 cubits long. It was 20 cubits wide and 30 cubits high.
3 The temple had a group of columns. It was at the front of the larger room (in the temple). (This group) was as wide as the temple. That is, it was 20 cubits wide. It was 10 cubits from the front (of the columns) to the temple itself.
4 And (Solomon) made narrow windows near the tops of the temple (walls).
5 Outside the walls of the temple (Solomon) built rooms at the side. These were outside the larger room of the temple and the holy of holies. (The side rooms) had (three) storeys.
6 The lowest storey was 5 cubits wide. The middle storey was 6 cubits wide and the third one was 7 cubits wide. Beams (of wood) kept the (storeys) up. (The beams) rested on stone pillars so they did not go into the temple walls.
7 When they made the temple, there was no sound of hammers, axes or any iron tools. They used only big stones that they had cut already. They cut them into the right shape at the place where they found them.
8 The door to the lowest storey was on the south side of the temple. And stairs went up to the middle storey and to the top storey.
9 So (Solomon) built the temple and he finished it. He made the roof out of beams (of wood) and cedar boards.
10 And he built the rooms all along the sides of the temple. Each room was 5 cubits high. Cedar beams fastened (the rooms) to the temple.
11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon. (The LORD) said,
12 ‘You are building this temple (for me). I will do everything for you that I promised to your father David. But you must (do these things): 13 If you do those things, I will live among the Israelites. And I will not leave my people Israel.’
14 So Solomon built the temple and he finished it.
15 He put boards (that his men made from) cedar wood on the inside walls. The boards went from the floor of the temple to its ceiling. (The men) covered the floor of the temple with pine wood.
16 (Solomon) made a Most Holy Place at the back of the temple. It was inside the temple and it was 20 cubits long. It had cedar boards from floor to ceiling. It made a very special place (inside the temple).
17 The room in front of this (Most Holy) Place was 40 cubits long.
18 (They made) the inside of the temple with cedar (wood). (They made) pictures (in the wood) of plants like flowers. (They made) everything out of cedar (wood). You could not see any stone.
19 (Solomon) made the (Most Holy) place inside the temple for the ark of the LORD’s covenant.
20 This (Most Holy Place was called) the inside sanctuary. It was 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and 20 cubits high. (Solomon) put pure gold on everything (in the sanctuary). He also did this with the cedar altar.
21 Solomon covered everything inside the temple with pure gold. Also, he put a curtain that they made out of gold in front of the sanctuary. (Everything in the sanctuary) he covered with gold.
22 So he covered everything inside (the temple) with gold. He also covered with gold the altar by the inside sanctuary.
23 In the inside sanctuary, (Solomon) made two cherubs from olive wood. Each one was 10 cubits high.
24 One wing of the first cherub was 5 cubits long. Its other wing was also 5 cubits long. So it was 10 cubits from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing.
25 The second cherub was also 10 cubits long. (This was because) the two cherubs were the same in size and shape.
26 Each cherub was 10 cubits high.
27 (Solomon) put the cherubs in the inside room of the temple. Their wings were very wide. The wing of one cherub touched one wall (of the temple). The wing of the other (cherub) touched the other wall. And their wings touched each other in the middle of the room.
28 (Solomon) covered the cherubs with gold.
29 (Solomon) made pictures in the wood of cherubs, palm trees and open flowers. He put them on the walls, all round both the rooms in the temple.
30 He also covered the floors of both the rooms in the temple with gold.
31 He made the doors to the sanctuary out of olive wood. The wood that held the doors had 5 sides.
32 And on the doors he put pictures in the wood of cherubs, palm trees and open flowers. Then he covered the cherubs and the palm trees with very thin gold.
33 The olive wood that held the doors to the (temple) itself had 4 sides.
34 (Solomon) also made two doors out of pine wood (for the temple). Each door had two parts that turned separately.
35 He put pictures of cherubs, palm trees and open flowers on (the doors). He covered them with gold.
36 (Solomon) also built a yard, (called a courtyard, round the temple). (The wall round the courtyard) was three stones high. There were cedar wood boards on top of it.
37 They put down the first stones of the temple of the LORD in the 4th year (that Solomon was king). It was in the month called Ziv.
38 They finished building the temple in the 11th year (that Solomon was king). It was the 8th month, the month called Bul. Everything was as it was in (Solomon’s) plans. It had taken him 7 years to build it. Notes about chapter 6 1 Solomon was building his palace for 13 years. Then he finished it.
2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. It was 100 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. It had 3 lines of cedar pillars. On top of them were (more) cedar beams, which (his men had) cut.
3 They made the roof (also) from cedar wood. (The roof was over the pillars of) cedar wood. Also, it was over the cedar beams that were on top of (the pillars). There were 45 cedar pillars, in 3 lines of 15.
4 Its windows were very high. There were three groups of them. They were on the other side from other (groups of windows).
5 All the doors were a rectangular shape. The wood that held the doors and the windows was rectangular too. There were three (groups) of windows in the front (of the building).
6 He also made a hall of pillars. It was 50 cubits long and 30 cubits wide. The pillars were at the front of the hall, and there was a low wall in front of them.
7 And he built a room to put his throne (special seat for a king) in. He sat on it to decide who was right. And he decided who was wrong. He covered it with cedar wood from floor to ceiling.
8 And he built his house behind (the room for the king’s special seat). This was where he lived. (His house) was like (the room for the king’s special seat). He also made a house like it for Pharaoh’s daughter. She was (Solomon’s) wife.
9 His workers made these buildings from very good, large stones. They cut (the stones) to the right size with a special tool. (They cut) the sides that were towards the inside and towards the outside (of the buildings). (They did this) from the front to the important courtyard behind it. Also, (they did it) from the floor to the roof.
10 (Solomon) had put very good, large stones in the ground. They were 8 or 10 cubits long. He built everything on these.
11 Above (the ground) he used very good stones. (His men) cut them to (the right) size. He also used cedar wood beams.
12 There was a wall all round the important courtyard. It was 3 stones high, with cedar beams on top. (Solomon’s men) cut the stones (to the right size). (This wall) was like the (wall in the) courtyard of the temple of the LORD. There were pillars at the front of it. More news about the temple
13 King Solomon sent (a message) to Tyre. (The message) brought Hiram (from Tyre).
14 (Hiram) was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father had come from the city called Tyre. His father was a very good worker with metals. (His son, Hiram,) was also a very good worker with metals. He knew how to make very many metal things. So he came to King Solomon. He did everything that (Solomon) asked him to do.
15 He made two metal pillars. Each pillar was 18 cubits high. A line 12 cubits long would make a circle round each of them. The metal itself was about 7 centimetres thick. The two pillars were the same.
16 He also made two metal pieces, which were the shape of big cups. And he put one on the top of each pillar. Each piece was 5 cubits high.
17 (Each piece) had a group of metal chains. He put 7 of them on the top of each pillar.
18 And he made two chains of pomegranates. They went round each of the metal chains. They made the tops of the pillars very beautiful. He did the same for each pillar.
19 The shapes on the tops of the pillars were like (flowers called) lilies. Each one was 4 cubits high.
20 There were 200 pomegranates all round the tops of both pillars. They were above the shapes (of flowers) next to the metal chains.
21 He put these pillars in the hall of pillars in the temple. The pillar at the south he called Jakin and the pillar at the north he called Boaz.
22 The tops of the pillars were in the shape of (flowers called) lilies. And so (Solomon) finished the work on the pillars.
23 And (Hiram) made with metal (what they called) a Sea. It was 10 cubits from one side to the other side. It was 5 cubits deep. (Its shape) was a circle 30 cubits round.
24 All round it, below the top, were (shapes like) the fruit of wild plants called gourds. There were 10 for every cubit. (Hiram) made them in one piece with the Sea.
25 He built the Sea on 12 metal male cows. Three pointed north and three pointed west. Three pointed south and three pointed east. Their backs were towards the middle (of the Sea).
26 The sides of the Sea were 3 inches thick. Its top was like the top of a cup. It was like a (flower called the) lily. (The Sea) contained 44 000 litres (12 000 gallons) (of water).
27 (Hiram) also made 10 metal carts (to carry water). Each one was 4 cubits long, 4 cubits wide and 3 cubits deep.
28 This is how he made the water carts. (He made them) with square pieces (of metal, that he) fastened at the corners.
29 There were (pictures of animals called) lions and oxen on the sides and on the corners. (There were) also (pictures of) cherubs. There were shapes like leaves above and below the lions and the oxen. (The shapes were made) with hammers.
30 Each cart had 4 metal wheels with metal axles. Each (cart) also had 4 corners and a bucket that was on 4 pieces of metal. There were metal shapes like leaves, which he made with hammers (next to the buckets).
31 On the top of the cart there was a round hole. It was one cubit deep and a cubit and a half across. Round the hole there were pictures (that Hiram) made with metal. The pieces of metal on the sides (of the carts) were square. They were not round.
32 There were 4 wheels under each cart. (Hiram) fastened the axles of the wheels to the under sides of the carts. Each wheel was a cubit and a half across.
33 The wheels (of the cart) were like the wheels of a chariot. He cast the metal (to make) the axles and all the parts of the wheels.
34 Each cart had 4 handles. There was one on each corner. (Hiram) made them as one piece with each cart.
35 There was a piece of metal round the top of each cart. It was half a cubit deep. (Hiram) fastened the handles and (square) pieces (of metal) to the tops of the carts.
36 And he cut pictures of cherubs, lions and palm trees. He cut them on the handles and the (square) pieces (of metal on the carts). He put them everywhere! There were also (metal pictures of) leaves everywhere!
37 This was how (Hiram) made the 10 carts. They all had the same size and shape. (That is because) they were all cast in the same mould.
38 And (Hiram) also made 10 metal buckets. Each one contained about 230 gallons. Each bucket was 4 cubits across. There was one bucket for each of the 10 carts.
39 (Hiram) put 5 of the carts on the south side of the temple. He put the other 5 on the north side (of the temple). He put the Sea on the south side of the temple. It was at the south east corner.
40 He also made pots, small shovels and small cups. 46 The king made them in sand moulds. He did it near the (River) Jordan, between Succoth and Zarethan.
47 Solomon did not weigh any of these things, because there were so many (of them). They did not discover the weight of the bronze. 51 Solomon brought (into the temple) all the things that David his father had put to one side for the temple. (Solomon) did this after he had finished all the things that he had made for the temple of the LORD. They were the things that they made out of wood, silver and gold. He put these things in safe places in the LORD’s temple. Notes about chapter 7 1 Then Solomon said that all the leaders of Israel must come to him in Jerusalem. The king wanted all the leaders of the tribes and families of Israel to (do this. He wanted them to) bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD (to the temple). (The ark) was in David’s part of the city, called Zion.
2 So all the men from Israel came together, to King Solomon. It was the 7th month, called Ethanim. There was a festival (at this time).
3 When all the leaders of Israel had arrived, the priests lifted up the ark.
4 Together with the ark of the LORD, they brought (these other things): 5 While they did this, all Israel’s people were with King Solomon. They sacrificed sheep and oxen in front of the ark. (There were) more than they could count.
6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place. That place was the inside sanctuary of the temple, called the Most Holy Place. They put it under the wings of the cherubs.
7 The wings of the cherubs were over the place where the ark was. The ark and the handles to carry it were in the shadow (of the cherubs).
8 The handles were very long. (The priests) could see their ends from the Holy Place outside the Most Holy Place. They could not see them from outside the Holy Place. And they are still there today.
9 There was nothing in the ark, except two flat stones. Moses had put them there at Horeb. That was where the LORD made a covenant with the Jews. He did that after they came out from Egypt.
10 And when the priests came out from the Holy Place (in the temple), the cloud filled the LORD’s temple.
11 And the priests could not do their work, because of the cloud. Then something like a very bright light filled the LORD’s temple to show that the LORD was there.
12 Then Solomon said, ‘The LORD said that he would live in a dark cloud.
13 I have built a beautiful temple for you. It is a place where you can always live.’ Solomon speaks to his people
14 While everybody in Israel stood there, the king turned round. He prayed that God would be good to them.
15 And he said, ‘Praise the LORD, (who is) the God of Israel. With his own hand he has done what he promised with his own mouth to do for my father David. This is what (God) said:
16 “I brought my people Israel out from Egypt. Since then, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel, to build a temple for my Name. But I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”
17 My father really wanted to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, (who is) the God of Israel.
18 But the LORD said to my father, David, “It was good that you really wanted to build a temple for my Name.
19 You will not build the temple. But, instead, your son will build it. He is (from) your own body and blood. He is the person who will build the temple for my Name.”
20 The LORD has done what he promised to do. I am (king) after David (who was) my father. Now I sit on the throne of Israel. This is what the LORD promised. Also, I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, (who is) the God of Israel.
21 I have made a place there for the ark. In it, is the covenant of the LORD. He made it with our ancestors, when he brought them out of Egypt.’ Solomon prays in the temple
22 Then Solomon stood in front of the altar of the LORD. He was in front of all Israel’s people. 23 And (Solomon) said, 24 You have done what you promised to do for your servant, my father David. Your mouth spoke the promise. Then your hands did (the work, as we see) today.
25 Now, LORD God of Israel, there is (another) promise that you spoke to your servant, my father David. (I pray) that you will do that also. You said to (David), “There will always be a man to sit on my behalf on the throne of Israel. But for this to happen, your sons must always obey me like you did.”
26 So now I pray (to you), God of Israel, “Cause what you promised to your servant, my father David, to happen.”
27 But surely God will not really live on the earth! Even heaven, the highest heaven of all the heavens, cannot contain you! How much less will this temple that I have built (contain you)!
28 But listen (to me) while I, your servant, pray (to you), my LORD and my God. I am asking you for mercy. Hear me, while I, your servant, am praying to you today.
29 Watch over this temple day and night. This is the place about which you said, “My Name will be there.” (So,) you will hear your servant (the king) when he prays towards this place.
30 Hear the words of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray towards this place. Hear (us) from the place called heaven, where you live. And when you hear us, then forgive us.
31 Sometimes, a man does something that is wrong to somebody else. The man must come to this temple. He must promise in front of the altar that his words are true.
32 Then, listen from heaven. And say who is right. If the man really has done something wrong, punish him. But if he has not done anything wrong, be good to him.
33 Perhaps an enemy will win a war against your people, Israel, because (Israel) has not obeyed you. (Your people) may then turn back to you. (They may do these things:) 34 If they do that, hear them from heaven! Forgive the sin of your people, Israel. And bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors.
35 Sometimes, the skies will become dry and there will be no rain. This will be when your people have not obeyed you. (Then, they may do these things:) 36 If they do that, hear (them) from heaven. Forgive your servants, your people Israel, for what they have done wrong. Teach them the right things to do. Send rain on to the land, which you gave as a gift to your people.
37 Sometimes, (these things will happen) in the country: 38 Then, perhaps, only one person from among all of your people Israel will pray to you. He may feel that his heart hurts inside him. So, he will lift up his hands towards this temple.
39 (If he does that,) hear (him). Hear him from heaven where you live. Forgive (the people) and do something. Do to each person what should happen to them. Only you can know what everyone is thinking.
40 So, everybody will be afraid of you, (LORD), while they live in the country. (This is the country) that you gave to our ancestors.
41 Strangers, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come far from other countries. (They will do this) because (they will hear about) your name.
42 People will hear about your great name and about your strong hand and about the arm that you lift up. The stranger will come and he will pray towards this temple.
43 (When this happens, God,) hear him from your home in heaven. Do what he asks you to do. So, all the people in the world will know your name. They will be afraid of you, as your own people Israel are. And they will know this. The temple that I have built is for you.
44 Sometimes, your people will go to fight against their enemies. (They will go) to where you send them. And when they pray to the LORD, they will look towards the city (Jerusalem). You chose (this city). And I built the temple in it for you.
45 When they pray (to you), listen to them (from your home) in heaven. Do what they ask. And give them help.
46 There is nobody that does not sin (against God). When (your people) sin against you, you will become angry with them. You will give them to their enemies. (The enemies) will take them to their own country. Perhaps it will be far; perhaps it will be near. (Your people will be) in the enemy’s prisons.
47 Then, they may become sorry that they have sinned. They may change their minds and they may pray to you. They will be in the country of the people who put them into prisons. In that country, they may pray (these words): “We have sinned. We have done what is wrong. We have been very bad.”
48 They may turn back to you in the country of their enemies, who put them into prisons. (They may want to obey you) with all their minds and bodies. They may pray to you. And they will look towards the country that you gave to their ancestors. (They will look) towards the city that you have chosen. (And they will look) towards the temple that I have built for your Name.
49 Then hear them from your home in heaven, when they pray to you. Do what they ask you to do. And give help to them.
50 And forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all the wrong things that they have done against you. And cause their enemies to have mercy on them.
51 (Do this) because they are your people. They belong to you. You brought them out of Egypt. And Egypt was like a very hot fire that could make iron like water.
52 I pray that your eyes will always be open (to two things): 53 (Do this) because you chose them from all the countries in the world, to be your own people. This is what you promised to your servant Moses. You did it when you, Lord, our LORD, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.’
54 So Solomon finished praying about everything that he wanted to ask the LORD for. He stood up in front of the altar of the LORD. He had been on his knees with his hands lifted up to the skies.
55 But now he stood up (and he asked God) to do good things to all the people in Israel. He said with a loud voice,
56 ‘Praise the LORD! He has given rest to his people Israel. This is what he promised (to Moses). Every good promise that (the LORD) gave to his servant Moses has really happened.
57 The LORD our God was with our ancestors. I pray that he will be with us like that. I pray that he will never leave us by ourselves.
58 I pray that (the LORD) will cause us to love him again. So we will do what he wants us to do. And we will obey everything that he asked our ancestors to do.
59 All these words of mine I have prayed to the LORD. I pray that these words of mine will be near to the LORD our God day and night. I want him to help me in what I do. And I pray that he will help (me), his servant. Also, his people, Israel, need his help every day. I pray that he will help them.
60 So, all the people on the earth will know that the LORD is God. And they will know that there is no other (God).
61 But you (people) really must want to be servants of the LORD our God. You must do what he orders you to do. And you must obey his words, as you do now.’ Solomon offers the temple to God
62 Then the king, and all Israel’s people with him, offered sacrifices to the LORD.
63 These are the sacrifices that Solomon offered to the LORD: 64 On that same day, the king gave the courtyard in front of the temple to the LORD. There, (Solomon) offered sacrifices (to the LORD). He burned animals and he offered wheat and fat (material from inside animals). The fat was the fellowship sacrifice. The bronze altar was too small to contain all the animals, the wheat and the fat of the friendly sacrifice. So Solomon burned all these things in the courtyard and not on the bronze altar.
65 So Solomon had a festival at that time. Everybody in Israel was there. So, there was a very big crowd. There were people from everywhere from Hamath to the Valley of Egypt. Hamath was in the north and the Valley of Egypt was in the south (of Israel). The festival continued in front of the LORD our God for 7 days. Then it continued for another 7 days. So it was 14 days long.
66 The day after (the party, Solomon) sent the people away. They all said good things about the king and then they went home. They were very happy and they felt good inside themselves. This was because the LORD had done so many good things for his servant David and for his people Israel. Notes about chapter 8
Some Bible students think that Shimei was David’s brother.
Rei may mean ‘and friends’.
They came from countries like Philistia and Crete.2
David dies
3
Solomon prays for wisdom
4
Solomon’s government
5
Solomon prepares to build the temple
6
Solomon builds the temple
7
Solomon builds his palace
8
Solomon brings the ark into the temple