Solomon began to build the Temple four hundred eighty years after the people of Israel had left Egypt. This was during the fourth year of King Solomon’s rule over Israel. It was the second month, the month of Ziv.
The Lord said to him: “I have heard your prayer and what you have asked me to do. You built this Temple, and I have made it a holy place. I will be worshiped there forever and will watch over it and protect it always.
Now give yourselves completely to obeying the Lord your God. Build the holy place of the Lord God; build the Temple for worship to the Lord. Then bring the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord and the holy items that belong to God into the Temple.”
Then they gave money to the bricklayers and carpenters. They also gave food, wine, and oil to the cities of Sidon and Tyre so they would float cedar logs from Lebanon to the seacoast town of Joppa. Cyrus king of Persia had given permission for this.
“The great trees of Lebanon will be given to you: its pine, fir, and cypress trees together. You will use them to make my Temple beautiful, and I will give much honor to this place where I rest my feet.
All the sheep from Kedar will be given to you; the sheep from Nebaioth will be brought to you. They will be pleasing sacrifices on my altar, and I will make my beautiful Temple more beautiful.