Hiram’s Building Materials

1Hiram king of Tyrea sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that he had been anointed king in his father’s place,b for Hiram had always been friends with David.c

2Solomon sent this message to Hiram: 3“You know my father David was not able to build a temple for the name of •Yahweh his God. This was because of the warfare all around him until the LORD put his enemies under his feet.d 4The LORD my God has now given me rest all around; there is no enemy or crisis.e 5So I plan to build a temple for the name of Yahweh my God,f according to what the LORD promised my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the temple for My name.’g

6“Therefore, command that cedars from Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants’ wages according to whatever you say, for you know that not a man among us knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”h

7When Hiram heard Solomon’s words, he greatly rejoiced and said, “May the LORD be praised today!i He has given David a wise son to be over this great people! ” 8Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying, “I have heard your message; I will do everything you want regarding the cedar and cypress timber. 9My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place you indicate. I will break them apart there, and you can take them away. You then can meet my needs by providing my household with food.”j

10So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted, 11and Solomon provided Hiram with 100,000 bushelsk of wheat as food for his household and 110,000 gallonsl of oil from crushed olives.m Solomon did this for Hiram year after year.

12The LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him.n There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.o

Solomon’s Work Force

13Then King Solomon drafted forced laborers from all Israel;p the labor force numbered 30,000 men. 14He sent 10,000 to Lebanon each month in shifts; one month they were in Lebanon, two months they were at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. 15Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,q 16not including his 3,300r deputiess in charge of the work. They ruled over the people doing the work. 17The king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.t 18So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders,u along with the Gebalites,v quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the temple’s construction.