Texts in Conversation
The Egyptian envoy Wenamun asks the prince of Byblos for cedar for Amun's sacred boat, reminding him that his father and grandfather supplied it. In 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon asks King Huram of Tyre for cedar the same way, recalling the logs he sent David.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Report of Wenamun 1:31
Papyrus Moscow 120
Ancient Near East
Then I was silent in this great hour. He answered and said to me: “On what business have you come here?” I said to him: “I have come after the timber for the great and august barge of Amon-Re, king of gods. Your father did it, your grandfather did it, and you will also do it.” So I spoke to him. He said to me: “They did it, truly. If you give me (something) for doing it, I will do it. Indeed, my agents transacted the business; the Pharaoh, L. P. H., sent six ships, laden with the products of Egypt, and they were unloaded into their storehouses. And you also shall bring something for me.”
2 Chronicles 2:3
Hebrew Bible
3 Solomon sent a message to King Huram of Tyre: “Help me as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs for the construction of his palace. 4 Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed, and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis. 5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him. 7 “Now send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple-, crimson-, and blue-colored fabrics, and who knows how to engrave. He will work with my skilled craftsmen here in Jerusalem and Judah, whom my father David provided. 8 Send me cedars, evergreens, and algum trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adept at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants
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Notes and References
“... After having investigated the man's identity, the governor goes on to inquire as to the purpose of the visit. To his inquiry 'Why have you come here?', Wenamun replies, 'I have come after the woodwork for the august barque of Amen-Re King of the Gods; that which your father and your father's father have done, you too shall do'. Zakar-Baal's response to these somewhat enigmatic words shows that Wenamun has in fact suggested that the Prince of Byblos give him wood as has been done in previous generations. (Wenamun's words remind us, interestingly, of Solomon's message to Hiram as recorded in 2 Chron. 2.2: 'Solomon sent this message to King Huram of Tyre, "In view of what you did for my father David in sending him cedars to build a palace for his residence. . . "'). ...”
Hurowitz, Victor Avigdor
I Have Built You an Exalted House: Temple Building in the Bible in the Light of Mesopotamian and North-West Semitic Writings
(pp. 200-201) Sheffield Academic Press, 1992
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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