Kings III 5
1 And Chiram king of Tyre sent his servants to anoint Solomon in the room of David his father, because Chiram always loved David.
Now Hiram, king of Tyre, hearing that Solomon had been made king in place of his father, sent his servants to him; for Hiram had ever been a friend to David.
2 And Solomon sent to Chiram, saying,
And Solomon sent back word to Hiram, saying,
3 You knew my father David, that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord my God because of the wars that compassed him about, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
You have knowledge that David my father was not able to make a house for the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars which were round him on every side, till the Lord put all those who were against him under his feet.
4 And now the Lord my God has given me rest round about; there is no one plotting against [me], and there is no evil trespass [against me].
But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; no one is making trouble, and no evil is taking place.
5 And, behold, I intend to build a house to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord God spoke to my father David, saying, Your son whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build a house to my name.
And so it is my purpose to make a house for the name of the Lord my God, as he said to David my father, Your son, whom I will make king in your place, will be the builder of a house for my name.
6 And now command, and let [men] cut wood for me out of Libanus: and, behold, my servants [shall be] with your servants, and I will give you the wages of your service, according to all that you shall say, because you know that we have no one skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians.
So now, will you have cedar-trees from Lebanon cut down for me, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you payment for your servants at whatever rate you say; for it is common knowledge that we have no such wood-cutters among us as the men of Zidon.
7 And it came to pass, as soon as Chiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed [be] God today, who has given to David a wise son over this numerous people.
And these words of Solomon made Hiram glad, and he said, Now may the Lord be praised who has given to David a wise son to be king over this great people.
8 And he sent to Solomon, saying, I have listened concerning all that you have sent to me for: I will do all your will: [as for] timber of cedar and fir,
Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying; The words you sent have been given to me: I will do all your desire in the question of cedar-wood and cypress-wood.
9 my servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: I will form them [into] rafts, [and bring them] to the place which you shall send to me [about]; and I will land them there, and you shall take [them] up: and you shall do my will, in giving bread to my household.
My men will take them down from Lebanon to the sea, where I will have them corded together to go by sea to whatever place you say, and I will have them cut up there so that you may take them away; as for payment, it will be enough if you give me food for my people.
10 So Chiram gave to Solomon cedars, and fir trees, and all his desire.
So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar-wood and cypress-wood he had need of;
11 And Solomon gave to Chiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of beaten oil thus Solomon gave to Chiram yearly.
And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of grain, as food for his people, and twenty measures of clear oil; this he did every year.
12 And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon as he promised him; and there was peace between Chiram and Solomon, and they made a covenant between them.
Now the Lord had given Solomon wisdom, as he had said to him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made an agreement together.
13 And the king raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men.
Then King Solomon got together men for the forced work through all Israel, thirty thousand men in number;
14 And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand taking turn every month: they were a month in Libanus and two months at home: and Adoniram [was] over the levy.
And sent them to Lebanon in bands of ten thousand every month: for a month they were working in Lebanon and for two months in their country, and Adoniram was in control of them.
15 And Solomon had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the mountain;
Then he had seventy thousand for the work of transport, and eighty thousand stone-cutters in the mountains;
16 besides the rulers that were appointed over the works of Solomon, [there were] three thousand six hundred masters who wrought in the works.
In addition to the chiefs of the responsible men put by Solomon to oversee the work, three thousand and three hundred in authority over the workmen.
17 [And the king commanded and they ] [brought great stones, precious stones for the foundation of the house, and unhewn stones. ]
By the king's orders great stones, stones of high price, were cut out, so that the base of the house might be made of squared stone.
18 And they prepared the stones and the timber [during] three years.
Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did the work of cutting them, and put edges on them, and got the wood and the stone ready for the building of the house.
