1Ki 5 | NASB2020 | 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 days}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 secured me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor ^{▼▼Lit evil occurrence}misfortune. 5 So behold, ⁱI ^{▼▼Lit say}intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6 Now then, issue orders that they cut ^kcedars from Lebanon for me, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants in accordance with all that you say, for you yourself 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 greatly rejoiced; and he 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 sent me; I will do everything you wish concerning the cedar and juniper timber. 9 My servants will bring the timbers down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will have them made into rafts to go by sea ^lto the place where you ^{▼▼Lit send to me}direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you will carry them away. Then ⁿyou shall do what I wish, by giving food to my household.” 10 So ^{▼▼Heb Hirom}Hiram ^{▼▼Lit was giving}gave Solomon all that he wished of the cedar and juniper timber. 11 ^qSolomon then gave ^{▼▼In 2 Chr 2:3, Huram}Hiram ^{▼▼About 154,000 cubic feet or 4,360 cubic meters}twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and ^{▼▼About 154 cubic feet or 4.4 cubic meters}twenty kors of pure oil; this is what Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 And ^uthe 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 ^wKing Solomon ^{▼▼Lit raised up}conscripted forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered thirty thousand men. 14 Then he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts; they were in Lebanon for a month, and two months at home. And ^yAdoniram was in charge of the forced laborers. 15 Now ^zSolomon had seventy thousand porters, and eighty thousand stonemasons in the mountains, 16 ^aabesides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were in charge of the ^{▼▼Lit work}project and ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17 Then ^acthe king issued orders, and they quarried large stones, valuable stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18 So Solomon’s builders and ^{▼▼Heb Hirom’s}Hiram’s builders and ^aethe Gebalites ^{▼▼Or chiseled}cut the stones, and they prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.