1 Kings 5
1 And 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 was ever a devotee of David.
Now Hiram, king of Tyre, hearing that Solomon had been made king in place of his father, sent his servants to him; for Hiram had ever been a friend to David.
2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
And Solomon sent back word to Hiram, saying,
3 Thou know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Jehovah his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.
You have knowledge that David my father was not able to make a house for the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars which were round him on every side, till the Lord put all those who were against him under his feet.
4 But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.
But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; no one is making trouble, and no evil is taking place.
5 And, behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy place, he shall build the house for my name.
And so it is my purpose to make a house for the name of the Lord my God, as he said to David my father, Your son, whom I will make king in your place, will be the builder of a house for my name.
6 Now therefore command thou that they cut for me cedar trees out of Lebanon. And my servants shall be with thy servants. And I will give thee wages for thy servants according to all that thou shall say, for thou know that there is not among us any that knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.
So now, will you have cedar-trees from Lebanon cut down for me, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you payment for your servants at whatever rate you say; for it is common knowledge that we have no such wood-cutters among us as the men of Zidon.
7 And 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.
And these words of Solomon made Hiram glad, and he said, Now may the Lord be praised who has given to David a wise son to be king over this great people.
8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou have sent to me. I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying; The words you sent have been given to me: I will do all your desire in the question of cedar-wood and cypress-wood.
9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. And I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that thou shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shall receive them. And thou shall accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.
My men will take them down from Lebanon to the sea, where I will have them corded together to go by sea to whatever place you say, and I will have them cut up there so that you may take them away; as for payment, it will be enough if you give me food for my people.
10 So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire.
So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar-wood and cypress-wood he had need of;
11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil; thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.
And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of grain, as food for his people, and twenty measures of clear oil; this he did every year.
12 And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two made a league together.
Now the Lord had given Solomon wisdom, as he had said to him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made an agreement together.
13 And king Solomon raised a conscription out of all Israel, and the conscription was thirty thousand men.
Then King Solomon got together men for the forced work through all Israel, thirty thousand men in number;
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses. They were in Lebanon a month, and at home two months. And Adoniram was over the men subject to task work.
And sent them to Lebanon in bands of ten thousand every month: for a month they were working in Lebanon and for two months in their country, and Adoniram was in control of them.
15 And Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were hewers in the mountains,
Then he had seventy thousand for the work of transport, and eighty thousand stone-cutters in the mountains;
16 besides Solomon's chief officers who were over the work: three thousand and three hundred who bore rule over the people that labored in the work.
In addition to the chiefs of the responsible men put by Solomon to oversee the work, three thousand and three hundred in authority over the workmen.
17 And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with shaped stone.
By the king's orders great stones, stones of high price, were cut out, so that the base of the house might be made of squared stone.
18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites fashioned them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.
Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did the work of cutting them, and put edges on them, and got the wood and the stone ready for the building of the house.
