Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/238

174 name of the my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of the our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. And the house which I build is great; for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn incense before him? Now therefore send me 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 all manner of gravings, to be with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide. Send 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, even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great. And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers

4. the continual shewbread] See 1 Chr. ix. 32, notes; Lev. xxiv. 5—9.

on the set feasts] Cp. 1 Chr. xxiii. 31, note.

6. is able] Lit. retaineth strength] 1 Chr. xxix. 14.

cannot contain him] Vv. 4—6 are carefully framed to guard against the careless imagination that the Temple is God's dwelling: to the Chronicler it is only the spot where worship is offered. Cp. vi. 2, 18.

7. can skill to grave] Lit. knoweth how to grave. To "grave" is to "carve"; cp. 1 Kin. vi. 29.

my father did provide] See 1 Chr. xxii. 15.

8. cedar trees] See 1 Chr. xxii. 4.

fir trees] mg., cypress trees (which however are not now indigenous on Lebanon).

algum trees] called almug trees in 1 Kin. x. 11, 12 and there described as coming from Ophir. According to 1 Kin. v. 8 Solomon asked for cedar and "fir" only; so that the mention of algum trees here is probably incorrect. Algum is perhaps sandal-wood.