Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Korah's sons wrote this song for the music leader. Use special music.

The journey to Zion

Solomon prepares to build the temple

5 Hiram was the king of Tyre.^[a] He heard that Solomon had become king of Israel after his father David. Hiram had always been a friend of King David, so he sent his men to say ‘hello’ to Solomon. ² Solomon then sent this message to Hiram:

³ ‘You know that my father David could not build a temple for the Lord his God. This was because he had to fight battles against enemies that were all around Israel. He did that until the Lord helped him to win against all of them. ⁴ But now the Lord my God has made us safe from danger. No enemy tries to attack us on any of our borders. ⁵ So I have decided to build a temple to give honour to the Lord my God.^[b] The Lord said to my father David, “I will put your son on your throne to rule as king after you. He will build a temple for people to give honour to my name.” ⁶ So please tell your men to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. We ourselves do not have people who know how to cut wood from trees as well as your men from Sidon. So our men will help your men with the work. And I will pay your workers whatever you decide is right.’^[c]

⁷ Hiram was very happy when he received Solomon's message. He said, ‘Praise the Lord today, because he gave David a wise son to rule over the great nation, Israel.’ ⁸ Then Hiram sent this message to Solomon:

‘I have received the message that you sent to me. I will give you the wood that you have asked for. I will send you cedar wood and pine wood, as much as you need. ⁹ My men will take the trees from the hills of Lebanon down to the sea. Then we will tie several trees together like a boat. We will take them on the sea to the place where you want them. There we will undo the ropes so that your men can carry the trees away. You will pay me with enough food to feed the people of my palace.’

¹⁰ So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar trees and pine trees that Solomon asked for. ¹¹ Then Solomon supplied Hiram with 2,000 tons of wheat as food for the people in his palace. He also supplied 450,000 litres of olive oil. Solomon sent this every year to Hiram.

¹² The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he had promised to do. King Hiram and King Solomon made an agreement that their nations would not fight against each other. So there was peace between them.

⁵ Jesus then told a story to teach them how to pray. He said, ‘Let me tell you about someone who goes to a friend's home at midnight. “My friend,” he says, “please give me three loaves of bread. ⁶ A friend of mine is on a journey and he has arrived at my house. But I have no food to give him.” ⁷ But his friend answers from inside his house. He says, “Do not cause problems for me! I have locked my door. My children and I have gone to bed. So I cannot get up and give you any bread.” ’

⁸ Then Jesus said, ‘I will tell you what will happen. Perhaps your friend will not give you anything just because you are good friends. But if you continue to knock and ask for bread, your friend will get up. He will give you bread, as much as you need.

⁹ So I tell you this. Continue to ask God for what you need. Then God will give it to you. Continue to look for what you need. Then you will find it. Continue to knock at the door and God will open it for you. ¹⁰ Everyone that asks for something will receive it. Everyone that looks for something will find it. God will open the door for everyone that knocks on it. ¹¹ Some of you are fathers. If your son asks you for a fish, you would not give him a snake instead. ¹² If he asks you for an egg, you would not give him something dangerous. ¹³ You are bad. But even you know how to give good things to your children. Your Father in heaven knows much better than you do how to give good things to his children. So he will give the Holy Spirit to everyone who asks him.’^[a]