1 Kings 5
1 And Hiram king of Tyre sends his servants to Solomon, for he heard that they had anointed him for king instead of his father, for Hiram was loving toward David all the days;
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 sends to Hiram, saying,
And Solomon sent back word to Hiram, saying,
3 “You have known my father David, that he has not been able to build a house for the Name of his God YHWH, because of the wars that have been all around him, until YHWH’s putting 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 And now, my God YHWH has given rest to me all around, there is no 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 am saying to build a house for the Name of my God YHWH, as YHWH spoke to my father David, saying, Your son whom I appoint in your stead on your throne, he builds 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 And now, command, and they cut down cedars for me out of Lebanon, and my servants are with your servants, and I give the hire of your servants to you according to all that you say, for you have known that there is not a man among us acquainted with cutting wood, 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 comes to pass at Hiram’s hearing the words of Solomon, that he rejoices exceedingly and says, “Blessed [is] YHWH today, who has given to David a wise son over this numerous 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 sends to Solomon, saying, “I have heard that which you have sent to me, I do all your desire concerning cedar-wood and fir-wood;
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 bring [them] down from Lebanon to the sea, and I make them floats in the sea to the place that you send to me, and I have spread them out there; and you take [them] up, and you execute my desire, to give the food [for] my house.”
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 And Hiram is giving cedar-trees and fir-trees to Solomon—all his desire,
So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar-wood and cypress-wood he had need of;
11 and Solomon has given twenty thousand cors of wheat to Hiram, [the] food for his house, and twenty cors of beaten oil; thus Solomon gives 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 YHWH has given wisdom to Solomon as He spoke to him, and there is peace between Hiram and Solomon, and both of them make a covenant.
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 lifts up a tribute out of all Israel, and the tribute is thirty thousand men,
Then King Solomon got together men for the forced work through all Israel, thirty thousand men in number;
14 and he sends them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month, by changes; they are in Lebanon [for] a month [and] two months in their own house; and Adoniram [is] over the tribute.
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 King Solomon has seventy thousand bearing burdens, and eighty thousand hewing in the mountain,
Then he had seventy thousand for the work of transport, and eighty thousand stone-cutters in the mountains;
16 apart from the three thousand and three hundred heads of the officers of Solomon who [are] over the work—those ruling over the people who are working in the business.
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 commands, and they bring great stones, precious stones, [and] hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house;
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 the builders of Solomon, and the builders of Hiram, and the Giblites hew [them], and prepare the wood 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.
