1 Kings 5:2–11

²Solomon sent back this message to Hiram: ³“You know that because of the constant wars my father David had to fight against the enemy countries all round him, he could not build a temple for the worship of the Lord his God until the Lord had given him victory over all his enemies. ⁴But now the Lord my God has given me peace on all my borders. I have no enemies, and there is no danger of attack. ^5*The Lord promised my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will make king after you, will build a temple for me.’ And I have now decided to build that temple for the worship of the Lord my God. ⁶So send your men to Lebanon to cut down cedars for me. My men will work with them, and I will pay your men whatever you decide. As you well know, my men don’t know how to cut down trees as well as yours do.”

⁷Hiram was extremely pleased when he received Solomon’s message, and he said, “Praise the Lord today for giving David such a wise son to succeed him as king of that great nation!” ⁸Then Hiram sent Solomon the following message: “I have received your message and I am ready to do what you ask. I will provide the cedars and the pine trees. ⁹My men will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and will tie them together in rafts to float them down the coast to the place you choose. There my men will untie them, and your men will take charge of them. On your part, I would like you to supply the food for my men.”

¹⁰So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and pine logs that he wanted, ¹¹and Solomon provided Hiram with 2,000 tonnes of wheat and 400,000 litres^j of pure olive oil every year to feed his men.