1 KingsChapter 5

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¹Hiram was the king of Tyre. He heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father's place. So he sent messengers to Solomon, because Hiram had always been a friend of David. ²Solomon sent this message back to Hiram: ³"You know that my father David had to fight wars on every side. So he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God. He had to wait until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. ⁴But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. I have no enemies, and there is no trouble. ⁵So I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. This is just what the LORD told my father David. He said, 'I will put your son on your throne in your place. He will build the house for my Name.' ⁶So please give orders to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. My servants will work with your servants. I will pay your servants whatever you say. You know we don't have anyone who can cut timber as well as the people of Sidon." ⁷Hiram got Solomon's message and was very happy. He said, "Praise the LORD today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great people!" ⁸Then Hiram sent an answer to Solomon. He said, "I got your message. I will do everything you want. I'll send the cedar and cypress logs. ⁹My servants will carry the logs down from Lebanon to the sea. I will tie them together into rafts. Then I will float them by sea to any place you choose. There I will take the rafts apart, and you can take the logs. In return, please give food for my household. That will meet my needs." ¹⁰So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and cypress logs he wanted. ¹¹Each year Solomon gave Hiram about 125,000 bushels of wheat to feed his household. He also gave him about 115,000 gallons of pure olive oil.a ¹²The LORD gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon. The two of them made a treaty. ¹³King Solomon forced 30,000 men from all over Israel to work for him. ¹⁴He sent them to Lebanon in groups of 10,000 men each month. They spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. ¹⁵Solomon also had 70,000 men to carry loads. He had 80,000 men to cut stone in the hills. ¹⁶He also had 3,300 foremen who were in charge of the workers. ¹⁷The king gave orders to dig out large, costly stones. They used these cut and shaped stones to lay the foundation of the temple. ¹⁸Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders worked together with men from Gebal. They cut the stone. They got the logs and the stone ready to build the temple.