1 Kings 5

1Hiram king of Tyre sent his officials to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, for Hiram had always been a friend of David.

2Solomon sent word to Hiram: 3“You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars waged against him on every side, until the LORD put his enemies under the soles of his feet. 4But now the LORD my God has given me rest all around. I have no adversary and face no misfortune. 5So I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, just as the LORD told my father David: ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, will build the house for my name.’ 6So now give orders for cedars from Lebanon to be cut for me. My servants will work with your servants, and I will pay you whatever wages you set for your servants. You know that none of us knows how to cut timber as well as the Sidonians do.” 7When Hiram heard Solomon’s words, he was delighted and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given David a wise son to rule over this great people!” 8Then Hiram sent word to Solomon: “I have received the message you sent me. I will do all you wish in the matter of cedar timber and cypress timber. 9My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will have them tied into rafts and sent by sea to the place you name. There I will have them taken apart, and you can carry them away. And you will meet my wishes by providing food for my household.” 10So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar timber and cypress timber he wished for. 11Solomon gave Hiram about 120,000 bushels of wheat as food for his household, and about 1,200 gallons of pressed olive oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year after year.

12The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, as he had promised him. Hiram and Solomon were at peace, and the two of them made a treaty with each other. 13King Solomon drafted forced labor from all Israel, and the labor force numbered 30,000 men. 14He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 a month. They spent a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.

15Solomon also had 70,000 men who carried loads and 80,000 who cut stone in the hill country, 16besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief officers who were over the work and directed the people who did it. 17At the king’s command they quarried great, costly stones, so that the foundation of the house could be laid with dressed stone. 18Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the men of Gebal shaped the stones, and they prepared the timber and the stone for building the house.