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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 a house for the name of Jehovah his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet. But now Jehovah my God hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence. And, behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the house for my name. Now therefore command thou that they cut me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that knoweth how to cut 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 Jehovah this day, who hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the message which thou hast sent unto me: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of [a]fir. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt [b]receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 10 So [c]Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire. 11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand [d]measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of [e]pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 12 And Jehovah 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 [f]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 men subject to taskwork. 15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains; 16 besides Solomon’s chief officers that were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bare rule over the people that wrought in the work. 17 And the king commanded, and they [g]hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with wrought stone. 18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 5:8 Or, cypress
  2. 1 Kings 5:9 Or, carry them away
  3. 1 Kings 5:10 Hebrew Hirom (and in verse 18).
  4. 1 Kings 5:11 Hebrew cor.
  5. 1 Kings 5:11 Or, beaten
  6. 1 Kings 5:13 Hebrew men subject to taskwork.
  7. 1 Kings 5:17 Hebrew brought away.

Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple(A)

Now (B)Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, because he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, (C)for Hiram had always loved David. Then (D)Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:

(E)You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God (F)because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the Lord put [a]his foes under the soles of his feet.

But now the Lord my God has given me (G)rest[b] on every side; there is neither adversary nor [c]evil occurrence.

(H)And behold, [d]I propose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, (I)as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name.”

Now therefore, command that they cut down (J)cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians.

So it was, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said,

Blessed be the Lord this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people!

Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying:

I have considered the message which you sent me, and I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs.

My servants shall bring them down (K)from Lebanon to the sea; I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you indicate to me, and will have them broken apart there; then you can take them away. And you shall fulfill my desire (L)by giving food for my household.

10 Then Hiram gave Solomon cedar and cypress logs according to all his desire. 11 (M)And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand [e]kors of wheat as food for his household, and [f]twenty kors of pressed oil. Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.

12 So the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, (N)as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together.

13 Then King Solomon raised up a labor force out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home; (O)Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. 15 (P)Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried stone in the mountains, 16 besides three thousand [g]three hundred from the (Q)chiefs of Solomon’s deputies, who supervised the people who labored in the work. 17 And the king commanded them to quarry large stones, costly stones, and (R)hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the [h]temple. 18 So Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders, and the Gebalites quarried them; and they prepared timber and stones to build the [i]temple.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 5:3 Lit. them
  2. 1 Kings 5:4 peace
  3. 1 Kings 5:4 misfortune
  4. 1 Kings 5:5 Lit. I am saying
  5. 1 Kings 5:11 Each about 5 bushels
  6. 1 Kings 5:11 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Syr. twenty thousand kors
  7. 1 Kings 5:16 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX six hundred
  8. 1 Kings 5:17 Lit. house
  9. 1 Kings 5:18 Lit. house

Und Hiram, der König zu Tyrus, sandte seine Knechte zu Salomo; denn er hatte gehört, daß sie ihn zum König gesalbt hatten an seines Vaters Statt. Denn Hiram liebte David sein Leben lang.

Und Salomo sandte zu Hiram und ließ ihm sagen:

Du weißt, daß mein Vater David nicht konnte bauen ein Haus dem Namen des HERRN, seines Gottes, um des Krieges willen, der um ihn her war, bis sie der HERR unter seiner Füße Sohlen gab.

Nun aber hat mir der HERR, mein Gott, Ruhe gegeben umher, daß kein Widersacher noch böses Hindernis mehr ist.

Siehe, so habe ich gedacht, ein Haus zu bauen dem Namen des HERRN, meines Gottes, wie der HERR geredet hat zu meinem Vater David und gesagt: Dein Sohn, den ich an deine Statt setzen werde auf deinen Stuhl, der soll meinem Namen das Haus bauen.

So befiehl nun, daß man mir Zedern aus dem Libanon haue, und daß deine Knechte mit meinen Knechten seien. Und den Lohn deiner Knechte will ich dir geben, alles, wie du sagst. Denn du weißt, daß bei uns niemand ist, der Holz zu hauen wisse wie die Sidonier.

Da Hiram aber hörte die Worte Salomos, freute er sich hoch und sprach: Gelobt sei der HERR heute, der David einen weisen Sohn gegeben hat über dies große Volk.

Und Hiram sandte zu Salomo und ließ ihm sagen: Ich habe gehört, was du zu mir gesandt hast. Ich will tun nach allem deinem Begehr mit Zedern-und Tannenholz

Meine Knechte sollen die Stämme vom Libanon hinabbringen ans Meer, und will sie in Flöße legen lassen auf dem Meer bis an den Ort, den du mir wirst ansagen lassen, und will sie daselbst abbinden, und du sollst's holen lassen. Aber du sollst auch mein Begehr tun und Speise geben meinem Gesinde.

10 Also gab Hiram Salomo Zedern-und Tannenholz nach allem seinem Begehr.

11 Salomo aber gab Hiram zwanzigtausend Kor Weizen, zu essen für sein Gesinde, und zwanzig Kor gestoßenen Öls. Solches gab Salomo jährlich dem Hiram.

12 Und der HERR gab Salomo Weisheit, wie er ihm geredet hatte. Und es war Friede zwischen Hiram und Salomo, und sie machten beide einen Bund miteinander.

13 Und Salomo hob Fronarbeiter aus von ganz Israel, und ihre Zahl war dreißigtausend Mann,

14 und sandte sie auf den Libanon, je einen Monat zehntausend, daß sie einen Monat auf dem Libanon waren und zwei Monate daheim. Und Adoniram war über solche Anzahl.

15 Und Salomo hatte siebzigtausend, die Last trugen, und achtzigtausend, die da Steine hieben auf dem Berge,

16 ohne die obersten Amtleute Salomos, die über das Werk gesetzt waren: dreitausenddreihundert, welche über das Volk herrschten, das da am Werk arbeitete.

17 und der König gebot, daß sie große und köstliche Steine ausbrächen, gehauene Steine zum Grund des Hauses.

18 Und die Bauleute Salomos und die Bauleute Hirams und die Gebaliter hieben aus und bereiteten zu Holz und Steine, zu bauen das Haus.

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

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.