1 Kings 5
Modern English Version
Plans to Build the Temple(A)
5 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David. 2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying,
3 “You know how David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars all around him, until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 So know that I plan to build a house to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne after you, shall build a house to honor My name.’
6 “Now therefore command that cedar trees from Lebanon be cut down for me, and my servants shall be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever you command, for you know that there are none among my people who can cut timber like the Sidonians.”
7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given David a wise son over this great people.”
8 Hiram sent to Solomon, saying,
“I have considered the things which you contacted me about, and I will do all you asked concerning timber of cedar and fir. 9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will send them by sea in floats to the place that you shall name and will cause them to be discharged into your care there, and in return you will meet my wishes by giving food for my household.”
10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees as he desired. 11 Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand kors[a] of wheat for his household and twenty baths[b] of pure oil. This is what Solomon gave to Hiram each year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as He promised, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon as they made a treaty together.
13 King Solomon drafted men from all Israel, totaling thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them to Lebanon in turns, ten thousand a month, with each spending a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram administered the labor force. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand porters and eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains, 16 not counting the chief of Solomon’s officers who were over the work, three thousand three hundred, who ruled over the people who did the work. 17 At the king’s command, they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. 18 Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders, along with the stonemasons, cut them and prepared timber and stones to build the house.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 5:11 Likely about 3,600 tons, or 3,250 metric tons.
- 1 Kings 5:11 About 120,000 gallons, or 440,000 liters.
1 Kings 5
New American Standard Bible 1995
Alliance with King Hiram
5 [a](A)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 (B)Hiram had [b]always been a friend of David. 2 Then (C)Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that (D)David 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 (E)the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor [c]misfortune. 5 Behold, (F)I [d]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 (G)cedars 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 [e]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 (H)to the place where you [f]direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then (I)you shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.” 10 So [g]Hiram [h]gave Solomon [i]as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. 11 (J)Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 [j]kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty [k]kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 (K)The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He [l]promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.
Conscription of Laborers
13 Now (L)King Solomon [m]levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers [n]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 (M)Adoniram was over the forced laborers. 15 Now (N)Solomon had 70,000 [o]transporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains, 16 (O)besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the [p]project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17 Then (P)the 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 [q]Hiram’s builders and (Q)the Gebalites [r]cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 5:1 Ch 5:15 in Heb
- 1 Kings 5:1 Lit all the day
- 1 Kings 5:4 Lit evil occurrence
- 1 Kings 5:5 Lit say
- 1 Kings 5:8 Lit all your pleasure
- 1 Kings 5:9 Lit send
- 1 Kings 5:10 Heb Hirom
- 1 Kings 5:10 Lit was giving
- 1 Kings 5:10 Lit all his desire
- 1 Kings 5:11 I.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu
- 1 Kings 5:11 I.e. One kor equals approx 10 bu
- 1 Kings 5:12 Lit spoke to
- 1 Kings 5:13 Lit raised up
- 1 Kings 5:13 Lit was
- 1 Kings 5:15 Or burden bearers
- 1 Kings 5:16 Lit work
- 1 Kings 5:18 Heb Hirom’s
- 1 Kings 5:18 Or chiseled
1 Kings 5
King James Version
5 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.
2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3 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.
4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
1 Kings 5
New King James Version
Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple(A)
5 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. 2 Then (D)Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:
3 (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.
4 But now the Lord my God has given me (G)rest[b] on every side; there is neither adversary nor [c]evil occurrence.
5 (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.”
6 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.
7 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!
8 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.
9 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 Kings 5:3 Lit. them
- 1 Kings 5:4 peace
- 1 Kings 5:4 misfortune
- 1 Kings 5:5 Lit. I am saying
- 1 Kings 5:11 Each about 5 bushels
- 1 Kings 5:11 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Syr. twenty thousand kors
- 1 Kings 5:16 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX six hundred
- 1 Kings 5:17 Lit. house
- 1 Kings 5:18 Lit. house
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
