1 Kings 5
5
Solomon Asks Hiram To Help Build the Temple
(2 Chronicles 2.1-16)
1King Hiram of Tyre#5.1 Tyre: The most important city in Phoenicia. It was located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea north of Israel, in what is today southern Lebanon. had always been friends with Solomon's father David. When Hiram learned that Solomon was king, he sent some of his officials to meet with Solomon.
2Solomon sent a message back to Hiram:
3Remember how my father David wanted to build a temple where the Lord his God could be worshiped? But enemies kept attacking my father's kingdom, and he never had the chance. 4Now, thanks to the Lord God, there is peace in my kingdom and no trouble or threat of war anywhere.
5 #
2 S 7.12,13; 1 Ch 17.11,12. The Lord God promised my father that when his son became king, he would build a temple for worshiping the Lord. So I've decided to do that.
6I'd like you to send your workers to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. I will pay them whatever you say and will even have my workers help them. We both know that your workers are more experienced than anyone else at cutting lumber.
7Hiram was so happy when he heard Solomon's request that he said, “I am grateful that the Lord gave David such a wise son to be king of that great nation!” 8Then he sent back his answer:
I received your message and will give you all the cedar and pine logs you need. 9My workers will carry them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea. They will tie the logs together and float them along the coast to wherever you want them. Then they will untie the logs, and your workers can take them from there.
To pay for the logs, you can provide the grain I need for my household.
10Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and pine logs he needed. 11In return, Solomon gave Hiram over 2,000 tons of wheat and almost 4,000 liters of pure olive oil each year.
12The Lord kept his promise and made Solomon wise. Hiram and Solomon signed a treaty and never went to war against each other.
Solomon's Workers
13Solomon ordered 30,000 people from all over Israel to cut logs for the temple, 14#1 K 12.15-19. and he put Adoniram in charge of these workers. Solomon divided them into three groups of 10,000. Each group worked one month in Lebanon and had two months off at home.
15He also had 80,000 workers to cut stone in the hill country of Israel, 70,000 workers to carry the stones, 16and over 3,000 assistants to keep track of the work and to supervise the workers. 17He ordered the workers to cut and shape large blocks of good stone for the foundation of the temple.
18Solomon's and Hiram's men worked with men from the city of Gebal,#5.18 Gebal: Later known as Byblos. and together they got the stones and logs ready for the temple.
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1 Kings 5: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 5
5
1And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram always loved David. 2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3Thou knowest that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Jehovah his God#GodHebrew: Elohim because of the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet. 4But now Jehovah my God#GodHebrew: Elohim has given me rest on every side: there is neither adversary nor evil event. 5And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God#GodHebrew: Elohim as Jehovah spoke to David my father saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto my name. 6And now command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are experienced in cutting timber like to the Zidonians. 7And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people. 8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the things which thou sentest to me for: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress. 9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will convey them by sea in rafts to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.
10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees according to all his desire. 11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 12And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league. 13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy. 15And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountains; 16besides the overseers whom Solomon had set over the work, three thousand three hundred, who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house. 18And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Giblites hewed them, and prepared timber and stones to build the house.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.