Chapter 5

Alliance with King Hiram

1 1aNow Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for bHiram had 2always been a friend of David.

2 Then aSolomon sent word to Hiram, saying,

3 “You know that aDavid my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

4 “But now athe Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor 1misfortune.

5 “Behold, aI 1intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’

6 “Now therefore, command that they cut for me acedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants 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.”

7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.”

8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do 1what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber.

9 “My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea ato the place where you 1direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then byou shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.”

10 So 1Hiram 2gave Solomon 3as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber.

11 aSolomon then gave Hiram 20,000 1kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty 1kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year.

12 aThe Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He 1promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

Conscription of Laborers

13 Now aKing Solomon 1levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers 2numbered 30,000 men.

14 He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And aAdoniram was over the forced laborers.

15 Now aSolomon had 70,000 1transporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains,

16 abesides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the 1project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work.

17 Then athe king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones.

18 So Solomon’s builders and 1Hiram’s builders and athe Gebalites 2cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.