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2 Chronicles 2

2 Chronicles 2

The big picture

2 Chronicles 2 opens in verse 1 with “And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD , and an house for his…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 9 with “Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be…”, and closes in verse 18 with “And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore…” Repeated or prominent terms include house, build, LORD, cunning, David. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

2 Chronicles · King James Version · 18

2 Chronicles 2:1-6

1–6: Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD , and an…

2 Chronicles 2:1–6 opens with “And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD , and an house for his…” and reaches “But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David, with particular weight carried by house, build, LORD.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD , and an house for his…” By verse 3, the text has turned to “And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father…” It lands on “But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 question, 1 stated contrast, 3 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The narrator makes meaning through who acts first, who responds, what changes, and which consequences remain. A reported action is not automatically an approved action. Words such as house, build, LORD, Solomon, burn, deal tie the complete block together. The central idea, “2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include God, Solomon, David, Huram, Israel, Tyre. Its number language includes ten, thousand, three, six, hundred. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 6: “But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: house, build, LORD, Solomon, burn, deal

Verse-by-verse path

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:1

    “And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD , and an house for his kingdom.” Naming Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  2. 2 Chronicles 2:2

    “And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain…” The number ten makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  3. 2 Chronicles 2:3

    “And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars…” Naming David and Huram keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  4. 2 Chronicles 2:4

    “Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  5. 2 Chronicles 2:5

    “And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

  6. 2 Chronicles 2:6

    “But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

2 Chronicles 2:1-6

King James Version

1And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD , and an house for his kingdom.

2And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

3And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.

4Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

5And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.

6But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

2 Chronicles 2:7-12

7–12: Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and…

2 Chronicles 2:7–12 opens with “Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron…” and reaches “Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David, with particular weight carried by servants, twenty, house.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in…” By verse 9, the text has turned to “Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be…” It lands on “Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 2 verses with a speech marker, 2 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The narrator makes meaning through who acts first, who responds, what changes, and which consequences remain. A reported action is not automatically an approved action. Words such as servants, twenty, house, king, LORD, timber tie the complete block together. The central idea, “2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include David, Huram, Lebanon, Send, Because, Blessed. Its number language includes twenty, thousand. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 11: “Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: servants, twenty, house, king, LORD, timber

Verse-by-verse path

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:7

    “Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and…” Naming David and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  2. 2 Chronicles 2:8

    “Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. 2 Chronicles 2:9

    “Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. 2 Chronicles 2:10

    “And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  5. 2 Chronicles 2:11

    “Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he…” Naming Because and Huram keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  6. 2 Chronicles 2:12

    “Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a…” Naming Blessed and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

2 Chronicles 2:7-12

King James Version

7Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.

8Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

9Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.

10And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

11Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.

12Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD , and an house for his kingdom.

2 Chronicles 2:13-18

13–18: Now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my…

2 Chronicles 2:13–18 opens with “And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,” and reaches “And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David, with particular weight carried by cunning, father, David.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,” By verse 15, the text has turned to “Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken…” It lands on “And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. Its subjects, actions, connecting terms, and consequences reveal how the thought develops before any interpretation is added.

The narrator makes meaning through who acts first, who responds, what changes, and which consequences remain. A reported action is not automatically an approved action. Words such as cunning, father, David, lord, numbered, work tie the complete block together. The central idea, “2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include David, Dan, Huram, Israel, Jerusalem, Joppa. Its number language includes hundred, fifty, thousand, three, six. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 15: “Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: cunning, father, David, lord, numbered, work

Verse-by-verse path

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:13

    “And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,” Naming Huram keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  2. 2 Chronicles 2:14

    “The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. 2 Chronicles 2:15

    “Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his…” The line’s distinctive content terms include barley, lord, send. Its relationship to verses 14 and 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

  4. 2 Chronicles 2:16

    “And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to…” Naming Jerusalem and Joppa keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  5. 2 Chronicles 2:17

    “And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father…” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  6. 2 Chronicles 2:18

    “And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the…” The number ten makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

2 Chronicles 2:13-18

King James Version

13And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,

14The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

15Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:

16And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

17And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.

18And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Track who acts, who speaks, who is affected, and what changes.
  2. Notice repeated promises, failures, rescues, and consequences.
  3. Do not assume the narrator approves every action that is reported.

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from 2 Chronicles 2?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of 2 Chronicles 2 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: 2 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around house, build, LORD, cunning, David?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?