Preparing to Build the Temple^(A)

5 Hiram, the king of Tyre, had always been David’s friend. When Hiram heard that Solomon had been ·made [^Lanointed] king in ·David’s [^Lhis father’s] place, he sent his ·messengers [ambassadors; servants] to Solomon. ² Solomon sent this message back to King Hiram: ³ “You ·remember [^Lknow] my father David had to fight many wars with ·the countries around [enemies surrounding] him, so he was never able to build a ·temple for worshiping [^Lhouse for the name of] the Lord his God. David was waiting until the Lord ·allowed him to defeat all his enemies [^Lput them under the soles of his feet]. ⁴ But now the Lord my God has given me ·peace [rest] on all sides of my country. I have no enemies now, and no ·danger threatens my people [adversity; calamity; misfortune].

⁵ “The Lord ·promised [^Ltold] my father David, ‘I will ·make your son king after you [^Lput your son on the throne in your place], and he will build ·a temple for worshiping me [^Lthe house/temple for my name].’ Now, I plan to build ·that temple for worshiping [^La house for the name of] the Lord my God. ⁶ So ·send your men [command them] to cut down cedar trees for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay them whatever wages you decide. We don’t have anyone who can cut down ·trees [timber] as well as the people of Sidon.”

⁷ When Hiram heard what Solomon asked, he ·was very happy [rejoiced greatly]. He said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great ·nation [people]!” ⁸ Then Hiram sent back this message to Solomon: “I ·received [heard] the message you sent, and I will ·give you [supply] all the cedar and ·pine trees [cypress; juniper] you ·want [need]. ⁹ My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. There I will ·tie them together [^Lmake them into rafts] and ·float them along the shore [go by sea] to the place you choose. Then I will separate the logs there, and you can take them away. ·In return it is my wish that you give [And you shall meet my needs/desire by providing] food to ·all those who live with me [^Lmy household].” ¹⁰ So Hiram gave Solomon as much cedar and ·pine [cypress; juniper] as he wanted. ¹¹ And Solomon gave Hiram about ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [^Ltwenty thousand cors] of wheat each year ·to feed the people who lived with him [^Lfor his household]. Solomon also gave him ·about one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [^Ltwenty cors] of pure olive oil every year.

¹² The Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; these two kings made a ·treaty between themselves [covenant; alliance].

¹³ King Solomon ·forced [conscripted] thirty thousand men of Israel to help in this work. ¹⁴ He sent ·a group [shifts; relays] of ten thousand men each month to Lebanon. Each group worked in Lebanon one month, then went home for two months. A man named Adoniram was in ·charge [charge of the forced labor/or this labor force]. ¹⁵ Solomon ·forced [had] eighty thousand men to work in the hill country, cutting stone, and he had seventy thousand ·men to carry the stones [common laborers]. ¹⁶ There were also thirty-three hundred ·men who directed the workers [foremen; overseers]. ¹⁷ King Solomon commanded them to cut large blocks of ·fine [costly; high-quality] stone to ·be used for the foundation of the Temple [lay the foundation of the house with dressed/cut stone]. ¹⁸ Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders and the ·men from Byblos [^LGebalites; ^CGebal was a Phoenician city the Greeks called Byblos] carved the stones and prepared the stones and the ·logs [timber] for building the ·Temple [^Lhouse].