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Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple

Now King Hiram was the king of Tyre. He had always been a friend of David. Hiram heard that Solomon had been made king in David’s place. So he sent his messengers to Solomon. Then Solomon sent this message back to King Hiram: “You remember that my father David had to fight many wars with the countries around him. So he was never able to build a temple for worship to the Lord his God. David was waiting until the Lord allowed him to defeat all his enemies. But now the Lord my God has given me peace. There is peace on all sides of my country. I have no enemies now. My people are in no danger.

“The Lord made a promise to my father David. The Lord said, ‘I will make your son king after you. And he will build a temple for worship to me.’ Now, I plan to build that temple for worship to the Lord my God. And so I ask for your help. Send your men to cut down cedar trees for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with yours. I will pay your servants whatever wages you decide. We don’t have anyone who can cut down trees as well as the people of Sidon can.”

When Hiram heard what Solomon asked, he was very happy. He said, “I thank the Lord today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation!” Then Hiram sent back this message to Solomon: “I received the message you sent. I will give you all the cedar and pine trees you want. My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. There I will tie them together. Then I will float them down the shore to the place you choose. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. In return you will give food to all those who live with me.” 10 So Hiram gave Solomon as much cedar and pine as he wanted. 11 And Solomon gave Hiram about 125,000 bushels of wheat each year. It was to feed all those who lived with Hiram. And Solomon gave him about 115,000 gallons of pure olive oil every year.

12 The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon as he had promised. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon. These two kings made a treaty between themselves.

13 King Solomon forced 30,000 men of Israel to help in this work. 14 He put a man named Adoniram over them. Solomon sent a group of 10,000 men each month to Lebanon. So each group worked in Lebanon one month. Then it went home for two months. 15 Solomon forced 80,000 men to work in the hill country, cutting stone. And he had 70,000 men to carry the stones. 16 There were also 3,300 men who directed the workers. 17 King Solomon commanded them to cut large blocks of fine stone. These were to be used for the foundation of the Temple. 18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders and the men from Byblos carved the stones. They prepared the stones and the logs for building the Temple.

(4:21) And Sh’lomo reigned as Melech over kol hamamlechot (all the kingdoms) from the Nahar [Euphrates] River) unto Eretz Pelishtim (Philistines), and unto the border of Mitzrayim: they brought minchah (tribute), and served Sh’lomo all the days of his life.

(4:22) And Lechem Sh’lomo for one day was thirty kor of solet (fine flour), and threescore kor of flour,

(4:23) Ten stall fed bakar, and twenty bakar out of the pastures, and a hundred tzon, beside deer, and gazelle, and roebuck, and choice fowl.

(4:24) For he had dominion over all the region beyond the Nahar, from Tiphsach even to Azzah (Gaza), over all the melachim beyond the Nahar [i.e., west of the Euphrates]; and he had shalom on all sides around him.

(4:25) And Yehudah and Yisroel dwelt securely, every ish under his gefen and under his te’enah (fig tree), from Dan even to Be’er Sheva, all the days of Sh’lomo.

(4:26) And Sh’lomo had forty thousand stalls of susim for his merkavot, and twelve thousand parashim.

(4:27) And these Nitzavim [al kol Yisroel, see 4:7-19] provided for HaMelech Sh’lomo, and for all that came near unto Shulchan HaMelech Sh’lomo, every ish in his chodesh; they lacked nothing.

(4:28) Se’orim (barley) also and straw for the susim and swift steeds brought they unto the makom (place) where it should be, each according to his mishpat (charge, quota, duty, responsibility).

(4:29) And Elohim gave Sh’lomo chochmah and tevunah (understanding, insight) exceeding much, and rochav lev (largeness of heart), even as the chol (sand) that is on the seashore.

10 (4:30) And the chochmah Sh’lomo excelled the chochmat kol Bnei Kedem and kol chochmat Mitzrayim.

11 (4:31) For he was wiser than kol Adam; than Eitan the Ezrachi, and Heman, and Calkol, and Darda, the Bnei Machol; and shmo was in kol HaGoyim all around.

12 (4:32) And he uttered three thousand mashal; and his shir (songs) were one thousand and five.

13 (4:33) And he spoke of etzim (trees), from the erez (cedar tree) that is in the Levanon even unto the ezov (hyssop) which grows out of the wall; he spoke also of behemah (animal), and of oph (fowl, bird), and of remes (crawling creature), and of dagim (fish).

14 (4:34) And there came of kol Amim to hear the chochmat Sh’lomo, from kol Malkhei Ha’Aretz, which had heard of his chochmah.

15 (5:1) And Chiram Melech Tzor sent his avadim unto Sh’lomo; for he had heard that they had anointed him Melech in the place of his av; for Chiram was ever an ohev (friend) of Dovid.

16 (5:2) And Sh’lomo sent to Chiram, saying,

17 (5:3) Thou knowest how that Dovid Avi could not build Bayit unto the Shem of Hashem Elohav due to the milchamah which was about him on every side, until Hashem put them under the kappot (soles) of his raglayim.

18 (5:4) But now Hashem Elohai hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither satan (adversary) nor pega rah (evil occurrence, misfortune).

19 (5:5) And, now behold, I purpose to build a Beis for the Shem of Hashem Elohai, just as Hashem spoke unto Dovid Avi, saying, Binecha [i.e., Ben Dovid] whom I will set upon thy Kisse in thy place, he shall build HaBayit for My Shem.

20 (5:6) Now therefore command thou that they cut for me arazim (cedar trees) out of the Levanon; and my avadim shall be with thy avadim; and unto thee will I give sachar (wage) for thy avadim according to all that thou shalt appoint; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are skilled to hew etzim (wood, timber) like unto the Tzidonim.

21 (5:7) And it came to pass, when Chiram heard the divrei Sh’lomo, that he rejoiced with simchah me’od, and said, Baruch Hashem this day, Who hath given unto Dovid a ben chacham over HaAm Harav hazeh (this great people).

22 (5:8) And Chiram sent to Sh’lomo, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for; and I will do all thy chefetz (desire) concerning atzei arazim (cedar timber), and concerning atzei b’roshim (cypress wood).

23 (5:9) My avadim shall bring them down from the Levanon unto the yam (sea, i.e., Mediterranean Sea); and I will convey them by yam on rafts unto the makom (place) that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my chefetz (desire), in giving lechem for my bais (household).

24 (5:10) So Chiram gave Sh’lomo atzei arazim (cedar logs) and atzei b’roshim (cypress wood) according to all his chefetz.

25 (5:11) And Sh’lomo gave Chiram twenty thousand kor of chittim (wheat) for provision for his bais, and twenty kor of shemen katit (pressed olive oil): thus gave Sh’lomo to Chiram shanah b’shanah.

26 (5:12) And Hashem gave Sh’lomo chochmah, just as He promised him; and there was shalom between Chiram and Sh’lomo; and they had a brit (treaty, a political alliance), the two of them.

27 (5:13) And HaMelech Sh’lomo conscripted mas (forced labor) out of kol Yisroel; and the mas was thirty thousand ish.

28 (5:14) And he sent them to the Levanon, ten thousand a month by chalifot (courses, shifts); a month they were in the Levanon, and two months they were b’bayit (at home); and Adoniram was in charge of the mas.

29 (5:15) And Sh’lomo had threescore and ten thousand that were burden bearers, and fourscore thousand who were stone cutters in the har (mountains);

30 (5:16) This was in addition to the chief of Sh’lomo’s Nitzavim, who were over the project, three thousand three hundred, who supervised the people that wrought in the work.

31 (5:17) And HaMelech commanded, and avanim gedolot (great stones) they quarried, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the Bayit with hewn stones.

32 (5:18) And the Bonei Sh’lomo and Bonei Chiram did chisel them, and the men from Geval; so they prepared etzim (timber) and avanim (stones) to build the Bayit [the Beis Hamikdash]. [See Ps 118:22 and Isa 53].

And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.

11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.

15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;

16 Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

Preparations for Building the Temple(A)

[a]When Hiram(B) king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

“You know that because of the wars(C) waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build(D) a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet.(E) But now the Lord my God has given me rest(F) on every side, and there is no adversary(G) or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple(H) for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’(I)

“So give orders that cedars(J) of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord(K) today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

So Hiram sent word to Solomon:

“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea(L), and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food(M) for my royal household.”

10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors[b] of wheat as food(N) for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths[c][d] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom,(O) just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.(P)

13 King Solomon conscripted laborers(Q) from all Israel—thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram(R) was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred[e] foremen(S) who supervised the project and directed the workers. 17 At the king’s command they removed from the quarry(T) large blocks of high-grade stone(U) to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. 18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram(V) and workers from Byblos(W) cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-18 is numbered 5:15-32.
  2. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,250 metric tons
  3. 1 Kings 5:11 Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 2:10); Hebrew twenty cors
  4. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters
  5. 1 Kings 5:16 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 2:2,18) thirty-six hundred