1Ki 5 | NASB1995 | STEP | Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon , when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father , for Hiram had always been a friend of David .

1 Kings 5

Alliance with King Hiram

1 ^{▼▼ Ch 5:15 in Heb
,} ^bNow Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for ^cHiram had ^{▼▼ Lit all the day}always been a friend of David. 2 Then ^eSolomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that ^fDavid my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4 “But now ^gthe Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor ^{▼▼ Lit evil occurrence}misfortune. 5 “Behold, ⁱI ^{▼▼ Lit say}intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6 “Now therefore, command that they cut for me ^kcedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do ^{▼▼ Lit all your pleasure}what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber. 9 “My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea ^mto the place where you ^{▼▼ Lit send}direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then ^oyou shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.” 10 So ^{▼▼ Heb Hirom}Hiram ^{▼▼ Lit was giving}gave Solomon ^{▼▼ Lit all his desire}as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. 11 ^sSolomon then gave Hiram 20,000 ^{▼▼ I.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu}kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty ^{▼▼ I.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu}kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 ^vThe Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He ^{▼▼ Lit spoke to}promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

Conscription of Laborers

13 Now ^xKing Solomon ^{▼▼ Lit raised up}levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers ^{▼▼ Lit was}numbered 30,000 men. 14 He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And ^aaAdoniram was over the forced laborers. 15 Now ^abSolomon had 70,000 ^{▼▼ Or burden bearers}transporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains, 16 ^adbesides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the ^{▼▼ Lit work}project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17 Then ^afthe king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18 So Solomon’s builders and ^{▼▼ Heb Hirom’s}Hiram’s builders and ^ahthe Gebalites ^{▼▼ Or chiseled}cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.