1 Kings 5
1 Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon for he had heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father; for Hiram had 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 Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying,
And Solomon sent back word to Hiram, saying,
3 “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars that surrounded him, for during his lifetime Yahweh was putting his enemies 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 But now, Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor disaster.
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 So I intend to build a temple for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, will build the temple for 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 Now therefore command that they cut cedars from Lebanon for me. My servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants so that you are paid fairly for everything you agreed to do. For you know there is no one among us who knows how to cut 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 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “May Yahweh be blessed today, who has given to David a wise son over this great 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 Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I will provide all the wood of cedar and cypress that you desire.
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 will bring the trees down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you direct me. I will have them broken up there, and you will take them away. You will do what I desire by giving food for 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 Hiram gave Solomon all the timber of cedar and fir that he desired.
So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar-wood and cypress-wood he had need of;
11 Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household and twenty measures of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.
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 Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.
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 King Solomon conscripted labor out of all Israel. The forced laborers numbered thirty thousand men.
Then King Solomon got together men for the forced work through all Israel, thirty thousand men in number;
14 He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts. One month they were in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was over the men who were subjected to forced labor.
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 Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens and eighty thousand who were stonecutters in the mountains,
Then he had seventy thousand for the work of transport, and eighty thousand stone-cutters in the mountains;
16 besides Solomon's 3,300 chief officers who were over the work and who supervised the workers.
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 At the king's command they quarried large stones of high quality with which to lay the foundation of the temple.
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 So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stones to build the temple.
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.
