1 Kings 5

1And 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.

1King Hiram of Tyre sent his officials to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father, because Hiram had always been a loyal friend to David.

2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

2Then Solomon sent this message to Hiram:

3Thou 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.

3'You know that my father David could not build a temple for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars fought against him on every side, until the LORD defeated his enemies for him.'

4But now Jehovah my God hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.

4'But now the LORD my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies and no disasters happen.'

5And, 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.

5'So I intend to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God, just as the LORD promised my father David when he said, "Your son, whom I will put on your throne after you, will build the temple for my name."'

6Now 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.

6'So please give orders for cedar trees from Lebanon to be cut for me. My servants will work with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set. You know that no one among us is as skilled at cutting timber as the people of Sidon.'

7And 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.

7When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy and said, 'Praise the LORD today for giving David a wise son to rule over this great nation!'

8And 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 fir.

8Hiram sent word back to Solomon: 'I have received your message. I will provide all the cedar and cypress logs you need.'

9My 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 receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

9'My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea. I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will have them untied, and you can take them away. In return, you can meet my needs by providing food for my royal household.'

10So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire.

10So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and cypress wood he wanted.

11And 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.

11In exchange, Solomon gave Hiram about 125,000 bushels of wheat as food for his household, along with about 115,000 gallons of pure olive oil. Solomon did this for Hiram every year.

12And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

12The LORD gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a formal treaty.

13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

13King Solomon drafted 30,000 laborers from all over Israel.

14And 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.

14He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 men a month. They would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this forced labor.

15And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains;

15Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country.

16besides 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.

16He also had 3,300 chief officers who supervised the projects and directed the people doing the work.

17And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with wrought stone.

17At the king’s command, they quarried large, expensive blocks of high-quality stone to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple.

18And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

18Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders, and men from the city of Gebal cut and shaped the stones and prepared the timber and the stone for building the temple.