1 Kings 5
5
Solomon’s Wisdom: Architecture
1Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him as king in place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend for David. 2Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3“You knew David my father, that he was not able to build a house for the name of Yahweh his God, in view of the warfare#Literally “because of the face of the warfare” which surrounded him, until Yahweh placed them#That is, David’s enemies under the soles of his feet. 4But now Yahweh my God has given me rest all around me. There is no adversary, and there is no bad occurrence. 5Here I am, intending to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh promised to my father David, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set in your place on your throne, shall build the house for my name.’ 6So then, command that they may cut cedars for me from Lebanon, and let my servants be with your servants. The wage of your servants I will give to you according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.” 7When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and he said, “Blessed be Yahweh this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard what you have sent to me; I will do all of your desire concerning the timber of cedars and concerning the timber of cypresses. 9My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts in the sea to float to the place which you indicated to me. Then I shall break them up there, and you may carry them further, and you shall meet my needs#Literally “you shall do my desire” by giving food for my house.” 10So Hiram was giving to Solomon the cedar timbers and the cypress timbers, everything he needed.#Literally “all of his desire” 11Then Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand dry measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty dry measures of specially prepared olive oil;#Literally “beaten olive oil” thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year. 12Yahweh gave wisdom to Solomon as he promised to him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made#Literally “cut” a covenant.
13Then King Solomon conscripted a forced labor from all Israel, and the forced labor numbered thirty thousand men. 14He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand every month;#Literally “in the month” the work groups were a month in Lebanon and two months at home; now Adoniram was over the forced labor. 15Solomon had seventy thousand common laborers#Literally “carrying burden” and eighty thousand stone craftsmen in the hill country. 16Besides the chiefs of the officers Solomon had, there were three thousand three hundred having charge over the people who were doing the work. 17When the king commanded, they quarried great stones and precious stones to lay the foundation of the house with hewn stones. 18So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites hewed stones, and they prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.
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1 Kings 5: LEB
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1 Kings 5
5
Preparations for Building the Temple
1 # 5:1 Verses 5:1-18 are numbered 5:15-32 in Hebrew text. King Hiram of Tyre had always been a loyal friend of David. When Hiram learned that David’s son Solomon was the new king of Israel, he sent ambassadors to congratulate him.
2Then Solomon sent this message back to Hiram:
3“You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. 4But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. 5So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, ‘Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.’
6“Therefore, please command that cedars from Lebanon be cut for me. Let my men work alongside yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you ask. As you know, there is no one among us who can cut timber like you Sidonians!”
7When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he was very pleased and said, “Praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.” 8Then he sent this reply to Solomon:
“I have received your message, and I will supply all the cedar and cypress timber you need. 9My servants will bring the logs from the Lebanon mountains to the Mediterranean Sea#5:9 Hebrew the sea. and make them into rafts and float them along the coast to whatever place you choose. Then we will break the rafts apart so you can carry the logs away. You can pay me by supplying me with food for my household.”
10So Hiram supplied as much cedar and cypress timber as Solomon desired. 11In return, Solomon sent him an annual payment of 100,000 bushels#5:11a Hebrew 20,000 cors [4,400 kiloliters]. of wheat for his household and 110,000 gallons#5:11b As in Greek version, which reads 20,000 baths [420 kiloliters] (see also 2 Chr 2:10); Hebrew reads 20 cors, about 1,000 gallons or 4.4 kiloliters in volume. of pure olive oil. 12So the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace.
13Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. 14He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force. 15Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers in the hill country, 16and 3,600#5:16 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 2 Chr 2:2, 18); Hebrew reads 3,300. foremen to supervise the work. 17At the king’s command, they quarried large blocks of high-quality stone and shaped them to make the foundation of the Temple. 18Men from the city of Gebal helped Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders prepare the timber and stone for the Temple.
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