1 Kings 5
5
Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple
1Hiram was the king of Tyre. He heard that Solomon had been anointed as king. He heard that Solomon had become the next king after his father David. Hiram had always been David’s friend. So Hiram sent his messengers to Solomon. 2Then Solomon sent a message back to Hiram. Solomon said,
3“As you know, my father David had to fight many battles. His enemies attacked him from every side. So he couldn’t build a temple where the Lord his God would put his Name. That wouldn’t be possible until the Lord had put his enemies under his control. 4But now the Lord my God has given me peace and rest on every side. We don’t have any enemies. And we don’t have any other major problems either. 5So I’m planning to build a temple. I want to build it for the Name of the Lord my God. That’s what he told my father David he wanted me to do. He said, ‘I will put your son on the throne in your place. He will build a temple. I will put my Name there.’
6“So give your men orders to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. My men will work with yours. I’ll pay you for your men’s work. I’ll pay any amount you decide on. As you know, we don’t have anyone as skilled in cutting down trees as the men of Sidon are.”
7When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very pleased. He said, “May the Lord be praised today. He has given David a wise son to rule over that great nation.”
8So Hiram sent a message to Solomon. Hiram said,
“I have received the message you sent me. I’ll do everything you want me to. I’ll provide the cedar and juniper logs. 9My men will bring them from Lebanon down to the Mediterranean Sea. I’ll make them into rafts. I’ll float them to the place you want me to. When the rafts arrive, I’ll separate the logs from each other. Then you can take them away. And here’s what I want in return. Provide food for all the people in my palace.”
10So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted. 11Solomon gave Hiram 3,600 tons of wheat as food for the people in his palace. He also gave him 120,000 gallons of oil made from pressed olives. He did that for Hiram year after year. 12The Lord made Solomon wise, just as he had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon. The two of them made a peace treaty.
13King Solomon forced men from all over Israel to work hard for him. There were 30,000 of them. 14He sent them off to Lebanon in groups of 10,000 each month. They spent one month in Lebanon. Then they spent two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the people who were forced to work. 15Solomon had 70,000 people who carried things. He had 80,000 who cut stones in the hills. 16He had 3,300 men in charge of the project. They also directed the workers. 17The people did what the king commanded. They removed large blocks of the best quality stone from a rock pit. They used them to provide a foundation for the temple. 18The skilled workers of Solomon and Hiram cut and prepared the logs and stones. They would later be used in building the temple. Workers from Byblos also helped.
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1 Kings 5: NIrV
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3 Kings 5
5
1And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon: for he heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father. For Hiram had always been David's friend.
2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:
3Thou knowest the will of David my father, and that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars that were round about him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
4But now the Lord my God hath given me rest round about: and there is no adversary nor evil occurrence.
5Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will set upon the throne in thy place, he shall build a house to my name.
6Give orders therefore that thy servants cut me down cedar-trees out of Libanus: and let my servants be with thy servants. And I will give thee the hire of thy servants whatsoever thou wilt ask: for thou knowest how there is not among my people a man that has skill to hew wood like to the Sidonians.
7Now when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who hath given to David a very wise son over this numerous people.
8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have heard all thou hast desired of me; and I will do all thy desire concerning cedar-trees, and fir-trees.
9My servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea. And I will put them together in floats in the sea, and convey them to the place, which thou shalt signify to me; and will land them there. And thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt allow me necessaries, to furnish food for my household.
10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees, and fir-trees, according to all his desire.
11And Solomon allowed Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat, for provision for his house, and twenty measures of the purest oil. Thus gave Solomon to Hiram every year.
12And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league together.
13And king Solomon chose workmen out of all Israel: and the levy was of thirty thousand men.
14And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month by turns, so that two months they were at home. And Adoniram was over this levy.
15And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountain:
16Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three thousand: and three hundred that ruled over the people, and them that did the work.
17And the king commanded, that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them.
18And the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram hewed them: and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.