Kings III 5
1 And Chiram king of Tyre sent his servants to anoint Solomon in the room of David his father, because Chiram always loved David.
Hiram, the king of Tyre, also sent his servants to Solomon. For he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father. Now Hiram had been a friend to David the entire time.
2 And Solomon sent to Chiram, saying,
Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:
3 You knew my father David, that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord my God because of the wars that compassed him about, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
“You know the will of my father David, and that he was not able to build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars that were imminent all around him, until the Lord set them under the steps of his feet.
4 And now the Lord my God has given me rest round about; there is no one plotting against [me], and there is no evil trespass [against me].
But now the Lord my God has given rest to me on all sides. And there is no adversary, nor occurrence of evil.
5 And, behold, I intend to build a house to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord God spoke to my father David, saying, Your son whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build a house to my name.
For this reason, I intend to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying: ‘Your son, whom I will set in your place, upon your throne, he himself shall build a house to my name.’
6 And now command, and let [men] cut wood for me out of Libanus: and, behold, my servants [shall be] with your servants, and I will give you the wages of your service, according to all that you shall say, because you know that we have no one skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians.
Therefore, order that your servants may cut down for me cedars from Lebanon. And let my servants be with your servants. Then I will give to you, for the wages of your servants, whatever you will ask. For you know that there is not a man among my people who knows how to cut wood as well as the Sidonians.”
7 And it came to pass, as soon as Chiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed [be] God today, who has given to David a wise son over this numerous people.
Therefore, when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and he said, “Blessed be the Lord God this day, who gave to David a very wise son over this numerous people!”
8 And he sent to Solomon, saying, I have listened concerning all that you have sent to me for: I will do all your will: [as for] timber of cedar and fir,
And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: “I have heard the things that you would entrust to me. And I will do your whole will concerning the cedar trees and spruce trees.
9 my servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: I will form them [into] rafts, [and bring them] to the place which you shall send to me [about]; and I will land them there, and you shall take [them] up: and you shall do my will, in giving bread to my household.
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. And I will arrange them together as rafts on the sea, as far as the place that you will indicate to me. And I will land them there, and you will take them. And you shall offer to me what is necessary to give food to my house.”
10 So Chiram gave to Solomon cedars, and fir trees, and all his desire.
And so, Hiram gave to Solomon cedar trees and spruce trees, in accord with his whole will.
11 And Solomon gave to Chiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of beaten oil thus Solomon gave to Chiram yearly.
Then Solomon offered to Hiram twenty thousand cor of wheat, as food for his house, and twenty cor of the purest oil. These things Solomon gave as a tribute to Hiram every year.
12 And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon as he promised him; and there was peace between Chiram and Solomon, and they made a covenant between them.
And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he said to him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two struck a pact.
13 And the king raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men.
And king Solomon chose workers from all of Israel, and the conscription was of thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand taking turn every month: they were a month in Libanus and two months at home: and Adoniram [was] over the levy.
And he sent them into Lebanon, ten thousand each month, in turns, so that for two months they were in their own houses. And Adoniram was over this type of conscription.
15 And Solomon had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the mountain;
And Solomon had seventy thousand of those who were carrying burdens, and eighty thousand of those who cut stones from the mountain,
16 besides the rulers that were appointed over the works of Solomon, [there were] three thousand six hundred masters who wrought in the works.
aside from the commanders who were over each work, in number three thousand and three hundred, who gave orders to the people and to those who were doing the work.
17 [And the king commanded and they ] [brought great stones, precious stones for the foundation of the house, and unhewn stones. ]
And the king ordered them to bring great stones, precious stones, for the foundation of the temple, and to square them.
18 And they prepared the stones and the timber [during] three years.
And these were shaped by the stoneworkers of Solomon and the stoneworkers of Hiram. And the men of Gebal also prepared the wood and the stones in order to build the house.
