5 Hiram was the king of Tyre. [ a ] He heard that Solomon had become king of Israel after his father David. Hiram had always been a friend of King David, so he sent his men to say ‘hello’ to Solomon. 2 Solomon then sent this message to Hiram:
3 ‘You know that my father David could not build a temple for the Lord his God. This was because he had to fight battles against enemies that were all around Israel. He did that until the Lord helped him to win against all of them. 4 But now the Lord my God has made us safe from danger. No enemy tries to attack us on any of our borders. 5 So I have decided to build a temple to give honour to the Lord my God. [ b ] The Lord said to my father David, “I will put your son on your throne to rule as king after you. He will build a temple for people to give honour to my name.” 6 So please tell your men to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. We ourselves do not have people who know how to cut wood from trees as well as your men from Sidon. So our men will help your men with the work. And I will pay your workers whatever you decide is right.’ [ c ]
7 Hiram was very happy when he received Solomon's message. He said, ‘Praise the Lord today, because he gave David a wise son to rule over the great nation, Israel.’ 8 Then Hiram sent this message to Solomon:
‘I have received the message that you sent to me. I will give you the wood that you have asked for. I will send you cedar wood and pine wood, as much as you need. 9 My men will take the trees from the hills of Lebanon down to the sea. Then we will tie several trees together like a boat. We will take them on the sea to the place where you want them. There we will undo the ropes so that your men can carry the trees away. You will pay me with enough food to feed the people of my palace.’
10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar trees and pine trees that Solomon asked for. 11 Then Solomon supplied Hiram with 2,000 tons of wheat as food for the people in his palace. He also supplied 450,000 litres of olive oil. Solomon sent this every year to Hiram.
12 The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he had promised to do. King Hiram and King Solomon made an agreement that their nations would not fight against each other. So there was peace between them.
13 King Solomon commanded 30,000 men from everywhere in Israel to do the work. 14 He sent them to Lebanon in groups of 10,000 men each month. They worked in Lebanon for one month, then they lived at home for two months. Adoniram was the officer who had authority over them. 15 Solomon also had 80,000 men to cut stones in the hills. He had 70,000 men to carry the stones to Jerusalem. 16 He also had 3,300 officers who told the workers what they should do. 17 The king commanded the workers to cut large pieces of stone from the rocks. They cut the best stones into the right shape to build the foundation of the temple. 18 Solomon's men and Hiram's men worked together with men from Gebal. [ d ] They cut the stones and the wood and they prepared them to build the temple.
5 Hiram was the king of Tyre. He had always been David’s friend. So when Hiram heard that Solomon had become the new king after David, he sent his servants to Solomon. 2 This is what Solomon said to King Hiram:
3 “You remember that my father, King David, had to fight many wars all around him. So he was never able to build a temple to honor the Lord his God. King David was waiting until the Lord allowed him to defeat all his enemies. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me peace along all the borders of my country. I have no enemies, and my people are in no danger.
5 “The Lord made a promise to my father David. He said, ‘I will make your son king after you, and he will build a temple to honor me.’ Now, I plan to build that temple to honor the Lord my God. 6 And so I ask you to help me. Send your men to Lebanon to cut down cedar trees for me. My servants will work with yours. I will pay you any price that you decide as your servants’ wages, but I need your help. Our carpenters [ a ] are not as good as the carpenters of Sidon.”
7 Hiram was very happy when he heard what Solomon asked. He said, “I praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to rule this great nation!” 8 Then Hiram sent this message to Solomon:
“I heard what you asked for. I will give you all the cedar trees and the fir trees you want. 9 My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. Then I will tie them together and float them down the shore to the place you choose. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them from there. As payment for this, you will give food to all those who live in my palace.”
10 So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and fir logs that he wanted.
11 Solomon gave Hiram about 120,000 bushels [ b ] of wheat and about 120,000 gallons [ c ] of pure olive oil every year for his family.
12 The Lord made Solomon wise as he had promised. Hiram and Solomon made a treaty between themselves and were at peace with one another.
13 King Solomon forced 30,000 men of Israel to help in this work. 14 He chose a man named Adoniram to be in charge of them. Solomon divided the men into three groups with 10,000 men in each group. Each group worked one month in Lebanon and then went home for two months. 15 Solomon also forced 80,000 men to work in the hill country cutting stone. There were also 70,000 men to carry the stones. 16 There were 3300 men to supervise the workers. 17 King Solomon commanded them to cut large, expensive stones for the foundation of the Temple. 18 Then Solomon and Hiram’s builders and the men from Byblos [ d ] carved the stones and prepared them and the logs for use in building the Temple.
5 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
6 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
7 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16 Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
5 [ a ] ( A ) Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for ( B ) Hiram had [ b ] always been a friend of David. 2 Then ( C ) Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that ( D ) David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now ( E ) the Lord my God has secured me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor [ c ] misfortune. 5 So behold, ( F ) I [ d ] intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6 Now then, issue orders that they cut ( G ) cedars from Lebanon for me, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants in accordance with all that you say, for you yourself know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he greatly rejoiced; and he said, “Blessed be the Lord today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you sent me; I will do everything you wish concerning the cedar and juniper timber. 9 My servants will bring the timbers down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will have them made into rafts to go by sea ( H ) to the place where you [ e ] direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you will carry them away. Then ( I ) you shall do what I wish, by giving food to my household.” 10 So [ f ] Hiram [ g ] gave Solomon all that he wished of the cedar and juniper timber. 11 ( J ) Solomon then gave [ h ] Hiram [ i ] twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and [ j ] twenty kors of pure oil; this is what Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 And ( K ) the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He [ k ] promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.
13 Now ( L ) King Solomon [ l ] conscripted forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered thirty thousand men. 14 Then he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts; they were in Lebanon for a month, and two months at home. And ( M ) Adoniram was in charge of the forced laborers. 15 Now ( N ) Solomon had seventy thousand porters, and eighty thousand stonemasons in the mountains, 16 ( O ) besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were in charge of the [ m ] project and ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17 Then ( P ) the king issued orders, and they quarried large stones, valuable stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18 So Solomon’s builders and [ n ] Hiram’s builders and ( Q ) the Gebalites [ o ] cut the stones , and they prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.
5 [ a ] When Hiram ( B ) king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. 2 Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:
3 “You know that because of the wars ( C ) waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build ( D ) a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. ( E ) 4 But now the Lord my God has given me rest ( F ) on every side, and there is no adversary ( G ) or disaster. 5 I intend, therefore, to build a temple ( H ) for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’ ( I )
6 “So give orders that cedars ( J ) of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”
7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord ( K ) today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”
8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon:
“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. 9 My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea ( L ) , and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food ( M ) for my royal household.”
10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors [ b ] of wheat as food ( N ) for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths [ c ] [ d ] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, ( O ) just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. ( P )
13 King Solomon conscripted laborers ( Q ) from all Israel—thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram ( R ) was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred [ e ] foremen ( S ) who supervised the project and directed the workers. 17 At the king’s command they removed from the quarry ( T ) large blocks of high-grade stone ( U ) to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. 18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram ( V ) and workers from Byblos ( W ) cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.
