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 3,000 tonnes of wheat as food for the people in his palace. He also gave him 480,000 litres 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 instructed 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.
1 Kings 5
English Standard Version
Preparations for Building the Temple
1[1] 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 Hiram always loved David. (2Sa 5:11; 1Ch 14:1; 2Ch 2:3)2And Solomon sent word to Hiram,3“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. (1Ch 22:8; 1Ch 28:3; 2Ch 2:3)4But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. (1Ki 4:24; 1Ch 22:9)5And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ (2Sa 7:13; 1Ch 17:12; 1Ch 22:10; 1Ch 28:6)6Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”7As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.”8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber.9My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.” (Ezr 3:7; Eze 27:17; Ac 12:20)10So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired,11while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors[2] of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000[3] cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.12And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. (1Ki 3:12)13King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. (1Ki 4:6; 1Ki 9:15)14And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft. (1Ki 4:6)15Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, (1Ki 9:20; 2Ch 2:18)16besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. (1Ki 4:5; 1Ki 9:23)17At the king’s command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. (1Ki 6:7; 1Ch 22:2)18So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house. (Jos 13:5; Eze 27:9)